Lahore: February 18, 2013. (Fr. Inayat Bernard) “We presumed in the Synod of Rome that we need to be realistic and not live on presumptions. We read and tech but the basic Catechism is lacking due to less trained people for it. Bishop Sebastian F. Shaw OFM, Apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Lahore was talking in the closing mass of 5 days’ retreat held at the Renewal Centre, Lahore from the 5th February till the 9th February. The priests and sisters used to go for teaching in the schools and we are result of their efforts. The laity should be promoters of catechism. The year of faith invites us to see who is teaching catechism to our children. In some schools catechists or extra teaches just fill in the space. He asked to see in the families and parishes how it is being taught. He continued while celebrating mass with the 26 priests of the Archdiocese of Lahore that we have capable priests. For marriage act 2012 government puts pressure and Paul Bhatti and Akram Masih Gill have said and if it is passed then we will have to be registered. Registrars can be appointed and the churches have tried their best to get it implemented. We need to be vigilant. In our diocese the migration has taken place and the population is lessening in the village parishes while in the cities it is growing. The future church has to reorganize by looking at the signs of the time. He asked the parishes that he will be spending one day in the parishes with parish groups, sisters and catechists to plan in a new way and to see the possibilities for effective witness in the Archdiocese. At the end he wished the new four priests to learn from the elder priests. The tendency, he observed, is growing that some catechists do not like the priest to reach to their locality frequently. That is why the distance is growing between priests and people. We need to reach the body and blood of Christ to them and this should be made sure in this year. Lahore Archdiocesan Priest Fr. George Daniel was retreat master who said in his first talk that Jesus Christ is divine and eternal son of God. He became man and dowels among us. He is a mysterious person who lights the areas of darkness. St. Luke tells us that he grew in human favour and in wisdom. His relationships with his heavenly father will help us to know his love for us. He is the only son and has been sent to show father’s love. Jesus says none knows the father only the one who reveals to anyone. Jesus is close to the heart of the Father and he is one to make known to people his heavenly father. Food he takes is to do the will of his father. He does what God has told him to do. Whatever he preaches or teaches or speaks he does what God has instructed him as the father. Along with the relationship with his heavenly father Jesus also loves each one of us that is why we are here. He says I remain in you so you too be with me. In Baptism we become sons in the Son. He has given us priceless gift. All sacraments baptism, first communion, confirmation and my seminary days and the ordination. All the events of our life are designed by Him to help us to move on in our priestly ministry. In the second session he talked about the personal response to the love of God. Jesus is always grateful to God for his love as he is gift to everyone. His gratefulness is full of wonder. We can make a contrast for the characteristic of his love with the other people who pretend that they know everything. Confronted by the hungry and poor people who followed him for days he feels they are hungry. He has compassion for them. He is not willing to send them away hungry, He asks his companions how to feed them all and they have only 5 loafs and two fish. He makes them to sit in order and he thanks God and then trusting he looks up to heaven and then distributes. All ate to their fill and took 12 baskets of pieces. His friend Lazarus is dead. Jesus looks up to heaven and trusts and makes a witness that you have sent me and people around to believe in him that you have sent me. At the last supper he is thanking God and thanked and said to share with his disciples. We are his disciples and should thank them. St. Paul says to rejoice always and pray without ceasing. Give thanks in all circumstances. It is the will of JC to thank. I thes.5:21). It should become our attitude to thank and praise. Refrain from every evil. With the assistance of the Holy Spirit we need to discover in all situations of our life. In the third session he talked about the loving relationship with his disciples. At the Sea of Tiberius Jesus asks Peter if he loved him. That is the loving relationship. Thrice Peter replies and Jesus insists to take care of his people. At the end of this episode he invites Peter to follow him. Jesus invites him again to the intimacy to his love and loboured for it. Proclaim and be witness. Love my people who are entrusted to each one of us with the Christ like compassion. The criterion is to be the pastor and be charitable. Am I convinced from my personal experience of my relationship is growing with him with the people or it rises and dies? He gave told about three different degrees of people. 1st one loves God and wants to do the divine will. He will never go away from following the commandment of God. 2nd one is more sensitive. Never even a venial sin will be committed. 3rd one the perfect one. Decision not to commit the mortal or venial sin. He loves with intensity. I desire and choose poverty than wealth. In the fourth session he talked about the Mystery of the cross It is the mystery of love. It is most wondrous miracle to achieve the purpose of saving deeds of life. How Jesus, peter, and myself can respond to the cross. Jesus Christ goes to the Calvary with full deliberation. He chooses to die on his own for many people. He suffers all for me for my salvation. What have I done for Christ What am I doing for him? About Peter’s reaction he said that his idea is very human because he could not imagine. He refuses and repents and is given the great responsibility to lead his people. In the Garden of Eden and the Cross the sacrifice is questioned. Jesus sacrifices on the cross by obeying without understanding. Why? At the Cross all fool him and make fun how can the Father allow such a thing to happen. But that is the plan of salvation for the good for all human beings. The seven words on the cross are satisfaction for us that he has forgiven us and invited us to follow his footsteps in order to have life and life in abundance. In the fifth he talked about the Sacrament of Confession. It is to help us to prepare us for sacramental confession. It will fill us with Christ helping us to understand the terrible reality of sin and experience deep down the real reality that is God’s merciful love. Adam and Eve live in an alienation, envy and enmity towards God. This will continue till the end of our life. Sin turns out to be empty promise made to us and Satan told them that they will become like God and it was not true. Two examples are given of the rich who do not care for the poor people. One is that or a rich man and Lazarus. Rich man is insensitive and does not care while the poor man depends on the rich man’s table’s fragments. Second one is of the Good Samarian when Jesus tells about the love for all humanity. The priests and Levi go their way but the Samaritan comes and helps the wounded person. We sometime may become the victim to building high walls though be a Cathedral, parish house, caritas or whatever and security guards and cameras and not allowing poor and deserving people to come close to us in order to listen to them. The retreat included morning and evening prayers while the adortion took place every midday and the mass used to be celebrated every evening. On Friday evening the four new priests; Frs. Amjid Yousaf, Derick Lal,Jahanzeb Iqbal and Shakeel Inayat offered mass. At the end they were given gifts from the priests. In the last session he talked about witnesses to the risen Jesus Magdalene and women who went to the grave where they were given the mandate to go to his brothers and be witness that he is risen from the dead. She did not recognize but when she turned and she recognize him. In our life we need to turn towards him and we can recognize him in the people around the events and places. St. Augustine says we need to be apostles to the apostles. Mary shared her Easter joy with them. John tells us the doors were closed due to fear of the Jews. The disciples rejoiced to see him as a risen Lord. They were filled with it. He gives them the gift of peace and he sends them to proclaim his resurrection. It is the core of our faith. St Paul tells forcefully if Jesus Christ is not risen then our faith is baseless. We are supposed to be his witnesses. Jesus is glorified after death and resurrection. He is thus life, truth and way for every human being. His plan is eternal and what father has done through him he wants to do though our life. Despite all difficulties in our life my faith and the faith of the church teaches me to believe that he is always with me in all situations. He is in charge of everything. One who trusts in him all evil can turn into a blessing. In conclusion Fr. Emmanuel Asi, the president of the Archdiocesan priests said that our retreat has come to an end. He thanked Bishop Sebastian Francis Shaw OFM for his complete presence in an annual retreat. He thanked Fr. Roy Jayamaha who made our stay happy and comfortable. The domestic staff was also thanked. He congratulated one and all for their presence and fulfilling the responsibilities assigned to them during the retreat. Fr. Emmanuel Asi thanked Fr. George Daniel who accepted to be the retreat preacher at once. It was a good experience and based on the sacred scriptures and went all around making use of the teaching so the church fathers and Vatican II. In the 50th anniversary of Vatican II and Catechism of the Catholic Church and proved to be a retreat with a good pastoral approach.