Spiritual women enrich their understanding of prayer at retreat

Participants absorb new ideas and make new friends at Christ the King

By Saundra Macidyn
Contributing writer

Presence of the Holy Spirit, fellowship, witnessing, honesty, laughter, tears, hugs, enrichment, deep faith and healing were some of the outcomes of a recent retreat.

Kathy Meus, of Rome, Oneida County, facilitated the Feb. 17 and 18 Prayer and Prayerfulness Women’s Retreat at Christ the King Retreat House. 

The retreat asked these questions: Why do you pray? How do you pray? Are there prayers that bring you comfort, peace or joy?

Prayer is not just for clergy and nuns who withdraw from this world, but it is for everyone. It is truly a mystery because it is something that we cannot view from a distance because it is personal and involves one’s whole self. 

Many of the attendees, who numbered more than 20 and who came from areas such as Syracuse, Binghamton and Canton, described how they pray. Some ways mentioned were before and after meals, being with nature, rosary, liturgy of the hours, Lectio Divina, chaplets, reading Scripture and being in silent prayer. These are all ways you can connect with God. Prayerfulness is when we are being still and giving God our attention and talking to him like a friend.

As the retreat started, participants picked a name so that they could pray for that woman over the next two days. At the end, they discovered their prayer partner, and many have made a new friend and connection that will continue moving forward.

Facilitator Kathy ministered in four parishes in the Diocese of Syracuse from 1980 to 2016 before retiring. She belongs to the Church of Annunciation in Clark Mills. This was her ninth women’s retreat at Christ the King.

 Kathy mentioned that we must become aware of God’s presence in our prayers. As we begin to pray, we need to be still in the presence of God. We also grappled with what happens “when the well runs dry” in our prayer life. This is not a sign of failure. It is a good and healthy sign of interior growth. 

Kathy said that “each preparation is different for each retreat.” When the topic for her retreat begins to develop, she becomes more aware of what she is reading or using in prayer and begins to make notes. This is usually a six-month process. A few weeks before the retreat, she begins to put the final touches together and decides what media she will use for her presentation. This retreat included a variety of prayers and music.

“The room was filled with high energy and strong participation which opened avenues of conversation and sharing that stretched all of us with new ideas and insights,” Kathy said. She hopes the attendees will have a richer understanding of the topic of prayer and prayerfulness.

Many women left the retreat feeling positive and hopeful.

Laura Patulski: “I encourage every woman of every age to try a women’s retreat at least once in their lifetime. The friendship and community will be a God-given gift.” 

Pamela Thacher: “Connection was easy; honesty poured out like water from a peaceful river.”

Ginnie Winters: “The Holy Spirit was present.” 

Gloria Palmiere: “It was nice to see Catholic women from all areas and ages sharing our love of prayer and our belief in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit through prayer.”  

Andrea Lee: “Everyone has a cross to bear. This retreat of prayer can help us with accepting and carrying that cross on our spiritual journey especially during this Lenten season.”