Mary Mother of the Poor Delegation Annual Retreat

Cagayan de Oro City: The religious priests, brothers, and sisters of Mary, Mother of the Poor Delegation [Philippines and Papua New Guinea] gathered last June 24-30, 2024 at Fr. Luigi Pedrollo Formation House, Lumbia, Cagayan de Oro City for their annual spiritual exercise. As part of their ongoing formation and renewal program, this was an opportune moment to grow in their faith and zeal for their mission.

Speaking about its importance, St. John Calabria (1947) wrote to his religious, “Therefore the practice of spiritual exercises, give up everything but do not set aside the pious practices. Even though there is plenty of work we find time to dine at table; likewise the spiritual exercises are unavoidable food of our Christian, religious and priestly life.”

In this year’s annual retreat, Br. Carlo Toninello, PSDP, an Italian PSDP brother and a psychologist, served as their retreat facilitator. In his talk, he did not only accompany the religious to navigate through the travails of their religious life, but blended with his expertise, he opened up new vistas by which they view and live up their religious life in the contemporary world.