Yesterday morning was the Youth Parish Retreat...
I did not wanted to go and was still in bed at around 7.40am....
Then, my mother woke me up from a SMS from Ezra...
He told me he was going and asked if I wanted to go...
At first I hesitated, but after SMS Ezra back and forth, I finally decided to go...
So slowly I woke up feeling tired as I slept late last night not expecting to go for the retreat....
I quickly got prepared and headed off to church...
As I was preparing, I realised something...
It wasn't my Ezra who is asking me to go for this retreat...
Instead, it was actually a call from God...
A call to join my friends to learn more about our faith and him....
I was awed by this...
I got there at around 8.25am, it was almost beginning...
I entered the hall and I saw my teachers and friends...
I looked for a place but there wasn't any where I could sit with my friends....
So I helped the teachers to arrange more chairs at the back...
Soon after, Ezra came and we sat together at one corner of the hall....
Father John first gave a speech and all, welcoming us for the retreat...
After that, we started with the praise and worship done by the CSS and the Y2Y...
I did not particularly like the first song but I did like the second one...
After the praise and worship, we had Father Raymond Michael facilitating this retreat...
He was gonna run the sessions in the morning...
He was a nice and funny priest... (Not as funny as Father Danny though)
He was a Franciscan Capuchin priest...
He began by telling us about the World Youth Day at Madrid which just recently ended...
Then, he elaborated on it...
About the Popes message to Youths and stuff like that...
A video about the history of World Youth Day was shown to us...
After the video, he mentioned the three key words that the Pope used:
- Planted
- Built up
- Firm
So for the first session, he elaborated on this three words and finally he broke us into groups....
We were to do a sharing among our own group about,
"How am I rooted in my Catholic faith?"
The question went something like that (I've forgotten)
I was chosen as the leader....
So each member of the team discussed about this question...
I asked them to share and we moved in an anticlockwise rotation...
Everyone gave some answers and Luke was writing them down as I tell him what to write...
Once the sharing session had ended, each team was to present about it to the others...
Most people had almost the same answers but with a few add-on here and there...
Once the presenting ended, we went for a short tea break at the cafeteria...
We had wade and tea/coffee for breakfast...
I sat with my some of my friends around the three while everyone else was sitting on the tables...
After the break, we re-entered the hall and took our place...
Father Raymond Michael mentioned about the new Eucharist...
He said that the words that we use during Mass will be changed to the new translation from the original text....
He explained briefly about it as Father Alvin Ho(one of our new priest in the Parish) was going to explain more detailed later in the afternoon...
Father Raymond Michael explained about the history of the Eucharist and what it is...
He also mentioned about the difference between hearing and listening...
While explaining the history of the Eucharist, he told us when the first Mass ever was held...
It was the Last Supper, that was the first ever Mass in history of the Catholic Church...
He also told us about offertory during the Middle Ages...
Back then, people would bring livestocks as and offering during Mass...
These livestocks will be used to feed the poor...
But in the present day, we would instead give money for the priest to buy food for the poor...
Another thing was when the priest wipes his hand, it symbolises wiping the dirty hands after accepting the offering in those days...
The history of the Eucharist and what it symbolises in those day was truly amazing...
Somewhere during one of the sessions, Father had also shown us some videos of people talking about how they are rooted in their faith as Catholics...
After explaining about the Eucharist and all, we again went back to our group to answer these questions:
- What is the Eucharist?
- What part does the Eucharist play in my life?
Not many people could give us answers for this so Luke and me crapped up some answers by ourselves and after hearing some comments from a few of them...
Then again, the groups were called out to present our answers but this time starting with group 6, my group...
So I went up and told our answers...
Once everyone was finished, Father Raymond Michael said this to us:
"I've been to many churches in KL but this is one of the best sharing and answers I have ever heard. The depth and meaning is there."
And everyone started clapping and cheering....
We were proud of our youths...
After that session, it was time for lunch...
But before we went for lunch, Father Alvin Ho gave us some instructions before we left the hall...
So it was lunch time, I sat with Ezra, Darell, Esther, Judy and Luke...
Darell was showing Ezra the video from their media camp on his notebook...
The rest was watching...
I've already watched it so I just ate my food but peeked here and there...
After watching that, we watched some other videos on Darell's notebook...
It was all funny...
Joan came by later and watched the videos with us...
While watching the videos, we were all having a chat as well...
After that, we played ANGRY BIRDS!!! for a little while...
The whole lunch break we were busy with Darell's notebook...
By the time we knew it, time had passed and it was time to return to the hall...
Father Alvin started the session by breaking us into our groups...
He used the name list that we wrote and gave him before the break to make the group...
Who would have thought a name list can affect the grouping... Haha XP
But luckily I got my bunch of friends from confirmation as my group...
Who would have thought writing names together would be so good ... Hehe :D
So we broke into our groups....
Each one of us were already given a paper that shows the new translation of the words used in Mass..
Our work was to identify in a group how many changes has been made....
Each one of us were already given a paper that shows the new translation of the words used in Mass..
Our work was to identify in a group how many changes has been made....
And so in my group consisting of Ezra, Luke, Jude, Steffi, Lisha and me...
We did the task on the hall stage, behind the curtains with the fan and air-cond on :D
It was so hot that day so we took advantage of that...Haha..
Ezra and the girls did the most work while Luke, Judy and me were having fun...
We did help a little though...
Ezra as usual did great...
Once we were done, we were all joking around and laughing our hearts out...
It was fun and soon after, Father Alvin called us all to gather back and take our seats...
He asked the groups one bye one how many differences we spotted...
After that, he went through with us what changed...
Once he was done with that, he explained to us part by part about the celebration of the Mass..
The introductory rite, the liturgy of the word, the liturgy of the Eucharist, and the concluding rite....
He used videos that explained about them and stopped it here and there to explain it to us more detailed...
Father Alvin is a very knowledgeable and serious person..
He does not like people taking lightly on what he talks about..
Russell go it badly from him, and so did Bradley....
After two hours of talking about the history of the Eucharist and explaining it all, we had a tea break...
There only was tea and coffee as the curry puffs have not arrived yet...
But it was refreshing after such a long serious talk...
After the break, we went back to the hall again...
When we were all back in the hall, Father Alvin continued a little more about the Mass celebration...
There was some Q&A session (Question and Answer) and then he gave us instructions again...
We were to move to the Adoration Room three by three...
There was going to be an adoration session there...
The Blessed Sacrament was placed on the table...
Behind that table was the three priests of our Parish (or currently known as the Trinity.. Haha )
Behind that table was the three priests of our Parish (or currently known as the Trinity.. Haha )
The Tamil speaking youths were already kneeling down inside when we got there...
So the rest of us quietly entered the room and knelt down...
Father John was going on with some talking and prayers...
After some time, my knees started to hurt so I knelt in a lower position...
But eventually it got too painful so I sat on the chair as I saw others doing so too...
As everyone was there, we joined Father John with all the chant he was chanting...
One of it, "Be still and know I am God" ...
It was a wonderful chant...
Everyone followed after he chanted it for a few times...
Then, he did it, girls only and boys only...
It was melodious and spiritually relaxing...
Then, I heard some people crying from the chant already...
As usual, in the silent presence of God, singing his praises, people do feel his presence..
I saw the girl kneeling beside me crying so sadly...
I do not cry easily (except in confirmation camp or when I'm very angry/sad)....
But looking at her crying so sadly really makes one's heart feel the same...
I could just feel the strong presence in the room...
Then, we were instructed to go three by three...
To touch the Blessed Sacrament on the bottom part of it while the three priests holds on to our hands and pray for us...
The Blessed Sacrament
Everyone was listening to what Father John was saying and follow whatever chant he was chanting...
The chants were all so beautiful....
While people go in front three by three, chants were chanted and after every chant, Father John says a prayer...
I waited long for my turn to finally come...
People seem rather selfish rushing from the back to get the blessings despite some at the front haven't..
It was rude but there was nothing we can say about it...
Once it was all over, we were blessed and forgiven of our sins...
Father John then talked to us for awhile and finally he said "Now let everyone meet everyone"....
So everyone went around to greet one another with the sign of peace...
Even the three priests join and greeted everyone...
After all that, we had the closing prayer and final word...
After that, we headed to the cafeteria to have the curry puffs that we did not get to eat earlier...
I stayed there with Darell and Ezra for awhile, chit chatting while eating curry puff along with air bandung...
Once I was finish, I headed for the hall and then I went back with teacher Gerald...
Retreats like this is really worth the time and should be done more often...
I found it rather satisfying and look forward to more of it...
Till next time readers ^^
While people go in front three by three, chants were chanted and after every chant, Father John says a prayer...
I waited long for my turn to finally come...
People seem rather selfish rushing from the back to get the blessings despite some at the front haven't..
It was rude but there was nothing we can say about it...
Once it was all over, we were blessed and forgiven of our sins...
Father John then talked to us for awhile and finally he said "Now let everyone meet everyone"....
So everyone went around to greet one another with the sign of peace...
Even the three priests join and greeted everyone...
After all that, we had the closing prayer and final word...
After that, we headed to the cafeteria to have the curry puffs that we did not get to eat earlier...
I stayed there with Darell and Ezra for awhile, chit chatting while eating curry puff along with air bandung...
Once I was finish, I headed for the hall and then I went back with teacher Gerald...
Retreats like this is really worth the time and should be done more often...
I found it rather satisfying and look forward to more of it...
Till next time readers ^^
No comments:
Post a Comment