What is a Retreat?

It’s a time to stop and rest so you can go on again. A time to return to basics: basic attitudes, basic beliefs, the basic balance of life. Above all, a retreat is a rest in God, in whom "we live and move and have our being." "Be still and know that I am God!" (Psalm 45,10) A retreat means not only to be physically quiet (we're so deluged by noise!), but to put aside cares and preoccupations. "Come aside and rest awhile," Jesus told his disciples. Otherwise you will get too tired and uncertain of your way. So pick a quiet time and place, if you can, and put what you are doing aside for awhile. Enter the room of your own heart, and listen.
We are so blessed to have our retreat held at Betania Retreat House located at the outskirts of Cagayan de Oro City. It is 8 kilometers from the city proper. It can be reached from the main highway through a winding road and is nestled on a hill with a panoramic view of green, lush mountains on one side and blue serene sea on the other side.
Our facilitator was Fr. Mike Pineda, SJ and I was thankful for the inputs he shared to us and gave more emphasis on deep prayer and how to pray to God wholeheartedly with the theme: Wonder, Worship and Witness.