March 11-15, 2024
“I will draw everyone to myself” are the words of Jesus in the gospel of the fifth Sunday of Lent (John 12.32) and is the common theme chosen for our Lenten focus in the Waterloo parishes this year.
What we learn from the Lenten scriptures, from the testimony of the Christian community through the ages, and from our own personal experience is that God is seeking to draw everyone to God's Self through His Son, Jesus Christ. Again and again, Jesus seeks us out so that we may draw close to Him, heart and soul.
This year's retreat will feature daily reflections from Pope Francis' 2024 Lenten Message. The pope reminds us that when God draws us to himself, it is always a call to freedom. It is a demanding one, and not one answered straightaway, the Pope says; it has to mature as part of a journey. But along that journey, the pope writes, “the Lord draws us once more to himself, whispering words of love to our hearts.”
A retreat is an opportunity for intentional prayer and reflection which involves taking time out of our regular routine in order to focus on the "big picture" of our lives and our relationship to God. Our Busy Catholic's Lenten Virtual Retreat is designed for adults, young adults, couples, families, friends and members of small faith-sharing groups who are too busy to participate in a traditional weekend or weeklong retreat outside the home.
A Busy Catholic's Virtual Retreat is a five day retreat experience which takes place in the midst of everyday life. During the virtual retreat the participant's time for prayer and quiet reflection takes place in their home, work, or another environment of their choosing, at whatever time of day is convenient for them.
Register for this year's Lenten Virtual Retreat here.
Jorge Mario Bergoglio was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on December 17, 1936, the son of Italian immigrants. He graduated as a chemical technician and then entered the Diocesan Seminary of Villa Devoto. In 1958 he entered the novitiate of the Society of Jesus and graduated with a degree in philosophy from the Colegio de San José in San Miguel. He was ordained on December 13, 1969 and continued his training at the University of Alcalá de Henares in Spain. He made his final profession with the Jesuits on April 22, 1973. Returning to Argentina, he served as Provincial of the Jesuits in that country from 1973 to 1979. Pope John Paul II appointed him Auxiliary Bishop of Buenos Aires in 1992 and Archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998. He was created Cardinal on February 21, 2001 and was elected pope on March 13, 2013, at which time he chose the name Francis. He is the first Jesuit and the first native of the Americas to be chosen as pope.