Retreat offers reflection on two of the eight beatitudes; additional sessions will be offered

Friday, Jul. 18, 2014

SALT LAKE CITY — The retreat committee at Saint Catherine of Siena Newman Center sponsored a Day of Reflection, “Beatitude, Become, Be Blest,” covering two of the beatitudes July 12, and will follow up the retreat with the remaining beatitudes in the next eight weeks.

On Sunday mornings beginning July 20 between the Masses, the parish will offer Richard Rohr’s CD series The Sermon on the Mount. On Tuesday evenings beginning July 15, the committee will use the book Living the Beatitudes Today by Bill Dodds and Michael J. Dodds, O.P.

The idea for the retreat was prompted by one of the committee members who was recently baptized into the Catholic Church and wanted to know more about the beatitudes. 

“We thought everybody could use more information and we knew we didn’t have time to cover them all in one session,” said Jeanne Lachowski, a committee member. “One of the weaknesses of past retreats has been that there hasn’t been follow-up sessions or enough time for discussions.”

Kathy Scott, also a committee member, gave an overview of the beatitudes and the first beatitude, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God.” Dominican Father Carl Schlichte, pastor, covered the seventh beatitude, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.” 

The beatitudes are a promise that God will never abandon his people, said Scott. 

“Each beatitude begins with blessed and blessedness is a state of being, not just an emotion; it’s a way of life,” she said. “Blessed can mean such things as happiness, joy or peace. The overriding message is that the Kingdom of God is here and now. The beatitudes are not a formula for getting into heaven, and not something we need to wait for or earn, but tell us where we are now.”

Today’s world has a lot of heartache and despair, Scott said. “Our society tells us poverty is a lack of material things, but we know that isn’t the case; it can also be a lack of purpose and place. We are encouraged to be poor in spirit and surrender to God and put aside the demands of worldly things. We are encouraged to be in solidarity with Jesus and others; to have Jesus’ love for the poor and marginalized.” 

At World Youth Day last year, Pope Francis suggested three ways to make poverty of spirit a way of life: free yourself of material things, acknowledge that the poor are deserving of our care; and finally, the poor have a lot to offer and should be treated with trust and dignity. 

In talking about the seventh beatitude, Fr. Carl focused on Jesus’ crucifixion and particularly the words “Father forgive them.”  

“One of the first things we need to do as Christians is to accept that gift of forgiveness because we become aware of our blessedness and how God has showered down gifts upon us; yet we are also aware of our own brokenness,” Fr. Carl said. “The gift of asking and receiving forgiveness is essential for being at peace and then to be a peacemaker.”

Without forgiveness and reconciliation there can be no peace; “we have to be at peace before we can be peacemakers,” he said. “Sin is a lack of peace. To be peacemakers, we must draw near to the source – that is what prayer is about because only Jesus can give us that peace.  Pray every day to refresh that source from scriptures, the Eucharist, the rosary, from meditation; seek to invite the Lord into your heart.” 

The retreat helped Antonella Kelly  understand the beatitudes, she said. “I was happy to have them explained.” 

Polly Granger agreed and thought the topic for the retreat was excellent.