Region XIII Bishops' Retreat

CNS photo/Gregory A. Shemitz

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Father Benedict J. Groeschel, founder of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, was the director of the bishops' retreat. Fr. Groeschel is shown at a Nov. 12 celebration of the mission of the Dietrich von Hildebrand Legacy Project at the University Club in New York.

Region XIII Bishops' Retreat

 I was pleased to join my brother bishops in Region XIII for our annual retreat at the Redemptorist Renewal Center in the Picture Rocks area just outside Tucson, Ariz.  There were 14 of us bishops, guided by our retreat director, Father Benedict Groeschel, CFR. The desert has a beauty all its own and I enjoyed the peace and serenity it offered. Interestingly, Fr. Groeschel centered his retreat on eternal life. His book, “After This Life,” served as the foundation for the retreat. As Fr. Groeschel mentioned, our society does not spend much time thinking about the end of life. As a matter of fact, we spend a lot of time denying the reality of death, trying to hold onto our youth as much as possible. Having recently turned 60, I found the retreat topic uneasily relevant! The Catholic Church has a rich body of teaching on eternal life, particularly in the writings of St. Augustine. Fr. Groeschel’s book is not very long but is very engaging.  I recommend it to anyone interested in this topic.  To all who kept us bishops in prayer during the retreat I offer my gratitude and promise to reciprocate. I also encourage as many as possible to take time out during the year to make a retreat. We need to give God a chance to get through to us and retreats offer just such an opportunity.