Retreat feedback . . .

Sorry, I've been a bit quiet lately - not so much Blogger's block as Blogger's lethargy, I'm afraid.

It's a week now since our retreat at Douai Abbey. This was our first visit so didn't know exactly what to expect. The accommodation was excellent. The guest rooms were in a very modern building with all mod-cons. It was much more like walking into an hotel bedroom than a retreatant's bedroom - not so much basic as bountiful. Large rooms with tea/coffee making facilities and a very large shower room en-suite. Our room like many others overlooked the Abbey Church so an inspiring view.

The Abbey church is also fairly modern having been finally completed in 1993 although the original construction began in 1929. The overall effect is very pleasing and, seated in the choir as we were for the Office, one could appreciate the workmanship of the choir stalls, organ etc. close-up. Modern, yes, but with more than a nod to their historical past. The main part of the Abbey church was much more typical of modern churches and cathedrals.

The monks were very hospitable and the meals excellent. We joined in parts of an organised retreat on Julian of Norwich which was taking place over the weekend led by a layman. We also spent some of the time with our Team for discussion and prayer.

Lots of pluses then but if I were looking for ways to improve the experience, for me personally, I was disappointed that there was no opportunity for Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Naturally, one could always visit the Blessed Sacrament chapel in the Abbey Church for private prayer. There was also a lovely oratory in the guest accommodation with a beautiful icon but disappointingly no Blessed Sacrament.

The Abbey is surrounded by quiet a large area of open land suitable for walks and we joined an organised prayer walk on Sunday afternoon, stopping from time to time to meditate on some of Julian of Norwich's words.

I wanted to post a few photos but couldn't make up my mind which to choose so put most of them in this slide show.

Update: Sorry I forgot to mention that the soundtrack is from The Introit: Dominus Dixit Ad Me by the Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral Choir.

Douai Abbey . . .

It's not just buses that all seem to come along together after a long wait.

Now, I like a quiet life. Not for me the rushing around trying to squeeze 48 hours' worth of activity into a 24 hour day.

I've been looking forward to our annual retreat ever since it was booked a while ago. We're going with the rest of our Team to Douai Abbey for a weekend retreat.

However, this weekend also sees the return of Our Eldest from his pilgrimage to Oberammergau for the Passion Play; the return of the Pater Familias from a short business trip to India and the 'return to the nest' of Our Youngest after 8 years solid 'student-ing'.

Why could these things not be spread out over a few weekends, I ask myself, so that I can give each of them the attention they deserve?

Never mind. I know that despite all the rushing around on Friday evening getting ready for the returnees, as soon as we draw up in front of the Abbey on Saturday morning, all the cares of the world will slip from our shoulders.

That, for me, is what a retreat is all about. A time, even if only a brief one, to 'retreat' from the world and spend some concentrated 'quality time' with Our Lord in prayer and reflection.

We have been making an annual retreat like this as a couple for many years now and we always come away refreshed and renewed, ready to enter the real world with recharged batteries.

Definitely to be recommended.

I'll see you all next week.

More later . . .

Naturally everyone is commenting on Our Holy Father's address to our bishops on their ad Limina visit to Rome. I wanted to add my three ha'pence too, for what it's worth, but have got more important things to do this evening - Girls' Night Out - Woohoo!

I've mentioned before that the wives in our Team of Our Lady try and have a night out once a month in between our regular Team meetings. The men had their Curry Night last week so it's our turn tonight.

We're very well behaved, naturally (!), but it's great to have a chance to just be ourselves and to natter away - where does the time go to on these occasions?

We are just five - a good number as it's difficult to get a word in edgeways once we start - any more of us and some just wouldn't get a look in!

We're not particularly bothered what's on the menu, or what the pub/restaurant is like (within reason) we just want to relax and do what women do when they're left to their own devices.

So, hopefully, a slightly more serious post in the next day or two.

Girls' Night Out . . .

I’m off out soon on a ‘Girls’ Night Out’. Not some drunken night of excess but just a chance to enjoy some ‘girl talk’ in the company of other women; enjoy a meal and a glass of wine.

I think that no matter how happily married we are, we all need a little time away from being 'a couple’ occasionally. It’s good to have some time to be ‘me’ not just someone’s wife or mother. Tonight we’ll be just four of us wives from our Team of Our Lady. Coincidentally, our husbands had their ‘Men’s Curry Evening’ last night (‘sauce for the goose . . . etc.).

We’ve been trying to do this once a month for many years now although we have to miss a month now and again as our diaries our so busy. Busy being busy – it’s one of the problems we have with life nowadays which gives us another reason why these evening are so beneficial.

Outings and celebrations . . .

It's been a very 'social' weekend. Number one son and I went to the Monteczuma Exhibition at The British Museum on Friday evening. I have to admit almost total ignorance of Monteczuma before the outing. Like many people, I recognised the name (at least I'd heard of 'Montezuma' at any rate!) and knew he was something to do with the Aztecs. We tended to concentrate on European history at school so the name of Cortez was more familiar to me but for some reason I hadn't realised the connection between the two.

After furthering our education, we had time to go and have something to eat before our coach left at 10pm and we found a lovely little Italian restaurant nearby so it was a very successful trip all round.

Yesterday evening we had our annual Teams celebration in a local church hall. Every year around this time we celebrate the founding of Teams of Our Lady in Paris. This year, being 50 years since Teams began in England, was extra special.

Finally, this afternoon was the last Rosary and Benediction for the Holy Souls in our parish which was a beautiful way to complete our busy weekend.

Home again . . .

Back home again after a really good weekend retreat.

We had all the essential ingredients for a successful retreat as far as our Team is concerned:

A very comfortable retreat centre run by excellent staff who couldn't do enough for us;

Delicious food and plenty of it -

important so that we can concentrate on the 'higher things of life' :-) ;

Some spiritual 'input' from a chaplain;

Plenty of time for personal prayer and reflection plus time together as a couple;

Mass each day and Prayer of the Church as a group;

The opportunity for Confession;

Some time to socialise as a group;

Time for a walk and reasonable weather plus good walks nearby;

This year's retreat was at a very relaxed pace which was good for everyone as we all needed time to wind down, some of us more than others.

As Saturday was the Feast of St Benedict we decided to take this as our theme for the retreat and Fr Richard Lear, chaplain at The Emmaus Centre, gave us a very interesting talk on Benedictine Spirituality including recommending some further reading. We had also all taken along a copy of Abbot Christopher Jamison's latest book, Finding Happiness' for our own personal reading and group discussion.

The centre has a well-stocked library and also some books for sale so there was no shortage of reading matter.

We were lucky with the weather too and most of us managed to have a good walk on Saturday morning after Mass.

Home again after lunch today to pick up the threads of life at home, with work and families, but definitely refreshed to tackle everything with new vigour . . . and we have already begun thinking about next year's retreat.

Our Team's Retreat . . .

Just a couple of days to go till our Team's Retreat. I mentioned before that it had been quite a task to actually find a weekend when all 5 couples in our Team (Teams of Our Lady) were all available at the same time to make our annual retreat. Nevertheless, it's such an important part of our Team life that we all feel it's worth persevering and we managed to fix a date in the end - we're off on Friday evening to the Emmaus Centre in West Wickham.

We'll all make our own way there and meet before supper. Most of us won't be able to get there much before that due to work/school commitments but despite the hectic rush to get there, I know from past experience that once we arrive, all that pressure will fall away as we enter the building. It's quite amazing how getting away from the busy-ness of our daily lives just for a couple of nights makes such a difference to all of us.

We've been in Teams for more than 20 years and we've managed an annual retreat together for most of them. When we began, most of us had fairly young children and they came too, parents took it in turns to attend sessions.

As the children grew up they looked after themselves more and more and just joined us for meals, being happy to amuse themselves in their rooms together or in the grounds of wherever we were making our retreat. I think this year is the first year that we won't have any children with us as even the youngest is now old enough to be left with a friend.

Twice we've managed a Team retreat in France at the Benedictine Convent and Abbey at Bec Hellouin. Those retreats were extra special, I think we'd all agree. Interesting that in French the Convent which is where we stay is referred to as 'Le Monastère'.

Obviously, being on retreat, I won't be blogging but will let you know how we got on when we get back next week.