God is Hidden in Difficulties

We are all aware of the disciples experience when the Sea of Galilee turned into a raging storm: "Suddenly a violent storm came upon the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by waves, but He was asleep. They came and woke him saying, "Lord, save us! We are lost." (Matthew 8:24-25)

Trials, even the weather, always look like impossible situations. We try to accept them but things get too tough. Our faith and trust wither and we begin to sink. We call for help and Jesus rescues us. There is a brief calm. If we continue the journey, the wind an the waves start up again. Again, we try to find Jesus in the particular difficulty; again we start drown; he save us. This is the story of everyone's spiritual journey. The only mistake is to go down - and not yell for help.

FROM STORM TO CALM IN THE SPIRITUAL RETREATS

One of the most common spiritual experience of our retreatants is the undeniable silence and the peace of mind and hearts that invades their person upon entrance to OUR LADY'S HILL. They come form a very noisy environment, move into a space, free of television, computers, cellphones, SM and traffic. AS they journey in prayer and solitude, the storms and waves of life, give way to peace and serenity.

With this experience, we welcomed retreatants during "the pick season" of April and May for their Annual "retreats and recollections", which June less hectic. This year of 2010 hit an all time "high" for April and May. Fr. Buddy and I facilitated six guided retreats for religious of various Congregations, namely, the Missionary Catechists of St. Therese, Missionaries of AMP, Daughters of St. Teresa of Cebu, Canossians of Manila, the Blessed Virgin Missionaries of Carmel, Escolapias Sisters of Cebu and some individual Carmelite Sisters. This does not include other religious congregations who brought along their own facilitators, like our good La Salle Sisters of Guadalupe.

They are two lay groups who have been coming to Our Lady's Hill i greater numbers and frequency , namely "teachers and school administrators" and "college students". They are amaze how the "environment prayer and silence" as a new experience for them, induced "their conversions," their "personal spiritual storms." We are constantly impressed with their faith-sharing in which they express their "renewal and conversion of life."

The most popular kind of retreat this 2010 is the THIRD-DAY RETREAT. As of January, we have conduct three THIRD-DAY RETREATS, with our own Teresian twist, and with emphasis to go beyond feelings, yet being truly affective. We know that everything in Teresian prayer moves toward affective rapport with Christ and His Father in the Spirit. Thi strong affective orientation that Teresa gives to prayer has contemplation in mind. Through affective simplicity, the retreatants best disposes oneself for the gift of contemplation. Throughout the THIRD-DAY RETREAT we point out the goal is union with God. Easy enough! Affective prayer is communion with God. Since Teresians prayer is essentially affective, so the essence of affectivity is desire for God. In the THIRD-DAY RETREAT, the retreatant goes through many storms, but once they experience the essence of prayer, allowing God to love you, the storm is over, and the calm enters.

The participants of these three THIRD-DAY RETREATS, were religious sisters, seminarians, and the lay. We have the forth THIRD-DAY RETREAT is scheduled for August 16th to September 17th, 2010.

FROM STORM TO CALM TO STORM IN THE FARM

From January until early June, we were in storm, WITHOUT WATER, or more popularly called EL NIÑO caused extensive damage to all our fruit trees, especially the KALAMANSI. We have 828 KLALAMANSI trees, and 316 were damaged and so brittle that the branches could be snapped off with one's fingers. Fortunately only four trees actually died. The CALM came in early May with extensive rains. Slowly the KALAMANSI TREES are turning to normal, with some already flowering.

The STORM, or the EL NIÑO, also damaged the MANGOES. Despite the EL NIÑO , with the addition of three "spraying" and "extensive flowering," our optimism was high for a big harvest. This time the RAIN STORMS were not in our favor, even though we prayed four months for rain. The LA NIÑA entered suddenly, and washed out the "flowering mango trees." We have one hundred and two (102) mango trees, with only four trees (4) bearing fruit. We harvested 282 kilos of mangoes . We spent 16,060.00 for the fertilizing, with the market value of our harvest reaching only P8,760.00

Another STORM appeared on the horizon! This time it was the RICE-FILLED! We had the large harvest in the past eight years. We harvested one hundred thirty six (136) kabans of palay. We celebrated immediately! We shared our "plenty" with our farm workers, with each receiving more than one kaban each. The celebration was short lived! During out monthly staff meeting, Sister Ophalia reported that the rice-field expenses amounted P161,744.00. The market value of the 136 kabans of palay was only P161,704. We are "lugi" by P40.00 pesos. So it is our STORM-CALM-STORM experience!

The fourth STORM was our ELECTRIC BILL! Due to the EL NIÑO, we had irrigate the entire farm, including the kalamansi, mango and rice-field extensively during the month of March, April and May. Our ELECTRIC BILLS increased drastically from P17,000.00 in March, to P29,000.00 in April and P51,000.00 in May. Here we have NO CALM, BUT THREE MONTHLY STORMS.

STORM TO CALM TO CALM

Come what may, with little gain and high overhead, we believe that God is hidden in these difficulties, these STORMS. Why? How? If we can find Him there, we will never lose heart, nor Him. Without difficulties and STORMS , we do not know the power of God's mercy and the incredible destiny He has for us. We tell ourselves that we must be patient with our failures and STORMS. There is always another opportunity unless we go ashore and stay there. A NO-RISK situation is the biggest danger there is. We see it as a training in the art of yielding to God's action and believing in his love no matter what happen.
RATIONALE OF THE CENTER

We are created for union with God through love, which is expressed as a thirst for God and is evidently present in the world today. This is a positive sign that we exist for God as the center and fulfillment of our human existence. The Center of Spirituality intends to guide this thirst for God, to promote the spiritual life among the faithful and to lead people into a deeper relationship with God through Prayer, Silence and Solitude.


AIMS OF THE CENTER

- To respond to the need of the church in asia for deeper formation and direction in the spiritual life, especially in the area of ascetical and contemplative prayer.

- To guide the people in the knowledge, appreciation and experience of the Teresian Spirituality, the lives and teachings of the Christian mystics.

- To provide viable opportunities for spiritual renewal according to participant's vocation and mission in life.

- To enrich the asian cultural-religious values in the light of Sacred Scripture and Church teachings.


PROGRAM 2009

April 5-11 HOLY WEEK RETREAT
Lent is a time to pay attention to the life of the soul. This retreat highlights prayer and silence to nourish the spiritual life, to alert the soul to the stirrings of the spirit and to intensify love and surrender to God and greater acceptance of others. -by Father Alan Rieger, OCD

April 24-26 FEMININE SPIRITUALITY-EDITH STEIN
A leader of the first rank in women's education whose voice, trained in philosophical discourse, spoke lucidly and confidently of woman's natural gifts, professional competence and dignity. Her incessant quest for truth led us through the passage where reason meets faith. She had sought the truth and found God. -by OCDS Community (Makati)

May 8-14 SPIRITUALITY OF COMMUNIION: A PATH OF RENEWAL FOR OUR COMMUNITY LIFE
A five days guided retreat in contemplation, reflection and prayer to help us, religious, to face the challenge to make our community life a credible, attractive, meaningful, inspiring and transforming witness for our broken world today. -by Sr. Raquel V. Sanchez, CMT

Aug. 10-16 CALL WITHIN I
This is a five-day psycho-spiritual integration retreat seminar for OCDS in which the participants are led to experience of prayer, silence and solitude which enables them to deepen their self-knowledge, be more committed and responsible in their choices, and recognized their need for continuing growth and integration through contemplative life prayer. -by Father Ernesto Montuerto, OCD

Aug. 17-Sept. 19 30 DAY RETREAT
The desert is a place away from noice living. To go to the desert is go beyond the ordinary humdrum acceptance of things and reflect on their deeper meaning, conveyed in prayer, silence and solitude. -by Selected Spiritual Directors

Sept. 20-26 ENLIVING OUR LIFE OF SERVICE
Priestly holiness is to be found precisely in the priest's ministry. Ministry is an essential part of his identity. This retreat-seminar is desigend to help the priest find holiness in the challenges of self-giving precisely in his ministry as a shepherds after the model Jesus The Shepherd. -by Father Nadz Ruanto, OCD

Oct. 2-4 LAITY: GIFTED TO SERVE THE CHURCH
The laity play an indispensable role in the mission of the Church. Circumstances demand an urgent response. This three day 'pause' allows one to examine how they may concretely use this gifts of the Holy Spirit, and to accept that the fruitfulness of their involvement depends upon living in union with Christ. This brings about renewed zeal and vigor to improve the wide range of the temporal and spiritual that they are confronted with. -by Edith Burgos, OCDS

Oct. 18-24 GUIDED RETREAT FOR MEN AND WOMEN RELIGIOUS
This GUIDED RETREAT is for Religious in preparation for SIMPLE and PERPETUAL PROFESSION OF VOWS. -by Father Rey Sotelo, OCD

Nov. 9-14 MID-LIFE TRANSITION
This seminar designed for those who are undergoing the mid-life transition from 35-50years old. It explores the different tasks that an individual needs to face the second half of life. This seminar helps the person to integrate the different facets of his/her unique personality. -by Father Chito Reyes, OCD

Dec. 6-12 ADVENT RETREAT
A Carmelite retreat to prepare one's self to welcome the birth of the Prince of Peace and king of our hearts. -by Father Dan Fauste, OCD


"Being alone draws me aside so that I can love Christ at the center of my being..."


OTHER SERVICES


DIRECTED RETREAT Participants meet daily with their spiritual director to dialogue about their personal experience with God. Directed retreats can also be made by arrangement during any advertised retreat time.

GUIDED RETREAT Includes a common input session on a prayer theme, and common evening prayer. Individual spiritual director available.

PRAYER WEEKEND A two day silent retreat. Common input on prayer or spiritual life. Personal spiritual direction as available.

PRIVATE RETREAT or DAY/s of QUITE PRAYER Can be made by arrangement during any advertised retreat time.


CONTACTS
DISCALCED CARMELITE FRIARS
"Our Lady's Hill"
P.O Box 606
6100 Bacolod City
Tel/Fax (034) 703-8834
Tel. no. (034) 710-0002