(Krakow, Poland) On August 3 this year, together with Fr. Dariusz Paszyński C.Ss.R., Vicar Provincial and Fr. Adam Kośla C.Ss.R., Prefect of the Studentate, we concluded in Krakow, the month of spiritual renewal which we began in July. It was a very fruitful time during which we prepared for a final profession in the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer.
During the three weeks, invited speakers introduced us to various topics related to religious life, the evangelical counsels, the legislation of the Congregation, the history and spirituality of our holy confreres, Redemptorist spirituality, psychology, Scripture, and theology.
It was a time of intensive meditation, common and personal prayer, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, deepened reading of the Holy Scriptures. The first part of our spiritual renewal we shared with confreres who took their final profession ten years ago. Thus it was an excellent opportunity to get to know each other better, as well as to have enriching conversations, both with them and with the confreres from our houses in Lubaszowa and Krakow.
During the month of renewal, we also had the opportunity to visit some of the families of our seminarians and visit some interesting places and buildings. During that time, we were able to see, among other things, the historic “Guido” mine in Zabrze, the city of Krakow with its most famous monuments and sites, the Sanctuary of The Divine Mercy in Lagiewniki with its multimedia exhibition “Jesus’ Traces” dedicated to the Passion of Christ and the history of the beginnings of the Church in the world, Calvary of Paclawska, and many other various churches, sanctuaries, buildings and sacred objects. On the way back to Tuchów, we visited the Norbertine Sisters’ Convent in Kraków, the Benedictine Abbey in Tyniec and the Benedictine Abbey in Staniątki.
We thank our confreres for their kind reception and truly fraternal atmosphere during the entire month of renewal, and we commend ourselves to their prayers for the duration of our retreat before the final vows.
There is still an eight-day retreat ahead of us, which is also an immediate preparation for a perpetual profession in the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer. They will be preached by Fathers Andrzej Wodka C.Ss.R. and Piotr Chyła C.Ss.R., our confreres who work and minister in Rome. This year’s retreat will be held at the Redemptoristine Convent in Vranov, Slovakia.
Norbert Żukliński C.Ss.R.
