On the 20th May 2023 the four of us on the North Shore Dove team went to the Tyburn monastery in the Bombays to get away for a day retreat!
Something we realised when praying in the year with the national team at the retreat weekend was the need for time and unity. We need to make sure all of us are on the same page, beating with the same heart, and working as one body for the betterment of Dove, and for the hearts of the women we are ministering to. It has been difficult to fully enter into our planning meetings previously as we all come from busy lives, responsibilities, jobs, families, and university work. All of these weigh on our minds which can make it hard to effectively discern God’s will for coming meetings when we’re working from different backgrounds with a time crunch.
So the decision made to replace monthly short 2-hour meetings with regular 3 monthly retreat days has been a relief! It allows us the time to reconnect as a team, pray for each other, pray for the difficulties in each woman’s life, and gives us the time and space away from the busyness of everyday life to be still, hear what God has to say and really take time to confirm in prayer during discernment
That Saturday was so good for us! Although the weather was a little grey and rainy God kept us safe when travelling – the rain eased off when we were driving and only came down fully when we were dry and safe. We shared meals, listened to a talk on the Holy Spirit, attended mass and adoration, and spent time in prayer and discussion.
For Chantal -our newest member- it was the first experience of a team retreat like that; such a blessing! Everyone felt it was so needed. We rekindled, felt God close to us, prayed for each other, and discerned God’s will for the coming 3-4 months. God is good!
