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A Very Successful OLHOC Jubilee Retreat!
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March 6, 2025A Jubilee Year is a time to Celebrate and Rejoice. Nearly 100 parishioners participated in our Jubilee Retreat last Saturday. We received unanimous positive feedback. We wish most of you could have attended. It was a Joyful Celebration of our entry into the 2025 JUBILEE OF HOPE proclaimed by Pope Francis.Let us meditate today on the beautiful Prayer of St Francis using the words we often sing at Mass:
The entire retreat was inspirational beginning with a Mass honoring Mary Mother of Hope on this First Saturday of March, followed by fellowship in Narthex (breakfast) , Jubilee Presentations and discussion in small groups in Father Martin Hall, Holy Hour of Adoration in the Church, confessions, lunch, general discussion and in conclusion, proposed specific actions at the parish level.
First I would like to express my appreciation to the large number of clergy, staff , volunteers, and all the 100 participants who made this retreat so successful. Special thanks go to Father Carlos who led the preparation , coordination and implementation of this major event.
Second , I am inviting every participant to send me a short note summarizing the few main points they take away from this retreat so I can share them with the entire parish in the coming weeks.
Third, everyone enjoyed the inspirational and interactive presentation on the Biblical roots of the Jubilee by Father Juan Pablo , a former seminarian at OLHOC currently Parochial Vicar at St Jude Shrine in Rockville, one of the parishes named a 2025 Jubilee Church by Cardinal Gregory. Father Juan Pablo did not hesitate to ask us difficult questions. He also shared powerful insights from his family and parish experience. Thousands of thanks to Father Juan Pablo for giving us some of his precious time away from his many activities in Rockville.
Below are a few reflections for our future activities at the parish level in this Jubilee Year 2025:- Jesus Himself is the Jubilee. He fulfills the promises of the entire Old Testament.
- Read several times and meditate on the key Biblical Root of the Jubilee: Leviticus 25:8-17.
- The Church now celebrates a Jubilee Year every 25 years. It is a special time to Rest, to Reconcile with God, to Forgive those who have offended us, to Ask Forgiveness from those whom we have offended, to Give to those in need (material, emotional, financial)
- The Sacrament of Reconciliation, given to us by Our Lord Jesus Christ, is a central part of our Jubilee. It is a special Encounter with Jesus. Confess your sins and Convert! Also, consider a “general confession” where you confess to a priest your major sins of the last 25 years (latest Jubilee). It provides a deep sense of healing. Stay tuned! More information will be given soon separately.
- A Jubilee Year is a time to REST with our Lord Jesus Christ and find Inner PEACE while on earth.
Make me be a channel of your Peace. Where there is hatred, let me bring your Love. Where there is injury, your Pardon Lord. and where there is doubt, true Faith in you.
Make me a channel of your Peace. Where there’s despair in life, let me bring Hope. Where there is darkness, only Light. And where there’s sadness, ever Joy.
O Master, grant that I may never seek So much to be consoled as to console, To be understood as to understand, To be loved, as to love, with all my soul.
Make me a channel of your Peace. It is in pardon- ing that we are pardoned, in giving of ourselves that we receive, And in dying that we are born to eternal life.
One in Christ,
Father AlainUn Retiro Jubilar muy exitoso en Maria Auxiliadora
Un Año Jubilar es un tiempo para celebrar y alegrarse. Aproximadamente 100 feligreses participaron en nuestro Retiro Jubilar el sábado pasado. Recibimos comentarios positivos de muchos. Esperamos que muchos hayan podido asistir. Fue una Celebración muy Alegre para inaugurar el JUBILEO DE LA ESPERANZA 2025 proclamado por el Papa Francisco.
Todo el Retiro fue inspirador al iniciar con la Misa dándole honor a María Madre de la Esperanza este Primer Sábado de Marzo, seguido por convivencia en el lobby de la iglesia con desayuno, la Presentación Jubilar y la discusión en grupos pequeños en el salón Padre Martin, la Hora Santa de Adoración en la Iglesia, confesiones, almuerzo, discusión general y en conclusión, fueron acciones específicas a nivel parroquial.
Primero me gustaría expresar mi aprecio al grupo de sacerdotes, personal, voluntarios y a todos los 100 participantes quienes hicieron de este Retiro tan exitoso. Agradecimiento especial a Padre Carlos quien dirigió la preparación , coordinación y la implementación de este gran evento.
Segundo, estoy invitando a cada participante a que me envíe un resumen de los pocos puntos importantes que se llevaron de este retiro para poder compartirlo con toda la parroquia en las semanas venideras.
Tercero, todos disfrutaron de la inspiradora e interactiva presentación de las raices Biblicas del Jubileo por el Padre Juan Pablo , un seminarista que estuvo con aquí en Maria Auxiliadora y que actualmente es el Vicario Parroquial en la Basílica de San Judas en Rockville, una de las parroquias nombrada Iglesia Jubilar en este 2025 por el Cardenal Gregory. El Padre Juan Pablo no dudó en hacer preguntas difíciles. También compartió asuntos de su familia y su experiencia parroquial. Mil gracias al Padre Juan Pablo por darnos un poco de su precioso tiempo entre muchas actividades en Rockville.
Aqui les dejo unas cuantas reflexiones acerca de nuestra futuras actividades a nivel parroquial en este Año Jubilar 2025:- Jesus mismo es el Jubileo. El cumple las promesas de todo el Antiguo Testamento.
- Leer varias veces y meditar en las claves Bíblicas del Jubileo; Levítico 25:8-17.
- La Iglesia celebra ahora el Año Jubilar cada 25 años. Es un tiempo especial para Descansar, Reconciliarse con Dios, Perdonar a quienes nos han ofendido, Pedir Perdón a quienes hayamos ofendido, Dar a los necesitados (material, emocional, financieramente)
