God always comes to meet us. I repeat: Always. During the months of April and May, the communities that belong to the Betica Region have had our spirituality retreat . And God has been present (and how He has been present!) Through a look. Sweet, merciful, accomplice and maternal gaze of Mary. She is all God’s mercy, tenderness and example that we can say yes to God.
Under Her gaze we have entrusted the Lay Claretians of Bética our illusions, hopes, dreams, fears, weaknesses, strengths … And as Mother of Divine Mercy has come to our meeting.
The earliest were our brothers from Canary Islands. The meeting took place on April 17th. It was a real feeling that God was present there. It is appreciated so generous participation by the laity canaries. They emphasized that they had spent a day in very nice fraternity. There was very good climate and the material prepared by the trainer of our board, Pedro SC, and our consultant Juanjo CMF was very well received. The following communities in gathering around the gaze of Mary were the communities from Eastern Bética on April 26th. This meeting was enlivened and led by Father Juan Carlos Martos CMF, and all of the participants came away very reinforced in our ways of looking at the world and see ourselves.
The participation of the laity in this meeting was also very positive, highlighting the great atmosphere of fraternity he breathed that day. Finally, a few days ago, on May 7th, communities from Western Bética met. Surrounded by beautiful scenery, they deepened into their Marian spirituality under the direction of Pedro Pardo (Training Bética) and Tino Rodriguez (Sevilla delegate). The Eucharist was presided by Father Santiago CMF, advisor of the Seville community of Exodo-Siloé.
Trying to be communities oasis of mercy under the protective gaze of the Heart of Mary was the general tone of this meeting of secular spirituality, in which all of the participating communities were very happy to have lived and shared. In addition in all our meetings there has been a special part for our children, who have deepened a material prepared for them in the figure of Father Claret.
We feel that these experiences after all are nothing but instruments to approach our poverty and weakness, but also from our strength, to God.
A strong fraternal embrace
Blas SC, communication SSCC Bética
