My name is Manny DeSousa. I’m 63 years old and Emmaus 199 was the very first retreat I have ever taken part of. Not knowing what to expect, I found out that it was the BEST thing I have ever done for myself.
As a Catholic, I found myself just going through the motions. I needed more. I was missing the feeling of our Lord in me. While at this Emmaus, I got everything I wanted and more. I felt the Lord in me like I have never felt before and Emmaus reminded me that with more prayer, the more I will feel the Lord with me.
The retreat was set up so well. All the directors and group leaders were so kind and helpful with any questions we had. Once we got there and settled, we met in a room where we introduced ourselves to break the ice. Everyone had that look of, what will this weekend bring us? We would start in the beautiful chapel everyday with prayer and some talk. Then after we would gather as small groups. In this group we would talk and share some stories about ourselves. Here is where I found new friends and, more importantly, was feeling the Lord in me again. We would laugh and sometimes cry with the talks we we’re sharing.
When we met in the chapel, I noticed that everyone would sit in different seats so as to try to meet as many people as possible. Here in the chapel, some of the leaders would read about a topic and share something about their life experience. I remember looking around and seeing some people just letting the Spirit of the Lord rest in their hearts. One thing we did that I loved was renewing our Baptismal vows. We paired up and blessed each other with holy water.
Talking with others, I found out that we all wanted the same thing from that weekend and that was finding more of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. I know I felt more of the Lord just being in that group and praying as a group. I came home with the biggest smile and with the biggest joy in my heart. I was reminded that prayer needs to be a big part of my life if I want to feel that the Lord is still with me. I also know that I have people and new friends praying for me.
God bless to all who made Emmaus 199 a great weekend! Thank you and God Bless,
Manny DeSousa
PS. The food was great too!
Emmaus 199 was an amazing, spirit-filled weekend. It started with friendly faces and a potluck dinner putting everyone at ease. Our team was wonderful. They were friendly, funny and always well-prepared for every part of the weekend. The retreat center handled the guests with great care. The food was fabulous…each meal was better than the previous one. For each meal, I sat with different people, at the recommendation of the team. I loved getting to know many people.
The team created an atmosphere of belonging and feeling safe enough to share vulnerabilities as well as successes. Their authenticity was contagious. The candidates, as we were called, were a diverse group including men and women, young and old, and everything in between. As the weekend continued, I began to form friendships with people who were strangers just hours before.
There were opportunities to learn from the team, learn from each other, and also time alone to ponder what I heard and how I could improve my relationship with God. Some of what I learned came in handy just weeks after the retreat. The Holy Spirit used the retreat to prepare me for a difficult situation.
I thought the benefits of the retreat would end with the closing Mass, but to my delight, that is not the case. As wonderful as the weekend was, what came next is amazing. I am now a member of the Emmaus community and it wasn’t long before I turned to the community for prayers. They did not disappoint.
As part of the Emmaus community, I look forward to helping create a positive retreat experience for others, in the future.
Ministry to the Minister
If I had a dollar for every time I heard “the minister receives more for their ministry than they give” especially throughout my seminary years. I know I had many ‘eye roll’ moments when someone would say that in a talk or seminar. But how true it is!
I have had the opportunity to live through many types of retreats in my life, some good, some, egh? When a friend told me he thought the Emmaus experience would be something I would like, I was open to it. It was a month or so later that he further explained that I would be one of the team members. My initial thought was yet another thing on my to do list, but I trusted my friend’s judgement and the Holy Spirit leading me.
Throughout the weekend many were complimentary to me for my talk, and pastoral presence, which was very kind, but more importantly throughout the weekend, the talks I heard and the pastoral presence I received from team and participants alike was unmatched.
I have been blessed to be a priest for over 20 years, and I can’t imagine doing anything else. I truly do receive far more than I feel I give, but every now and again I too need to be ministered to. I cannot express enough gratitude to the men and women of Christ who gave so generously of their gifts on Emmaus 190.
It was truly life changing.
–Fr. Paul Aveni
I had the opportunity to participate in the Emmaus #187 retreat. My experience at Emmaus #187 was one of the most faith filling experiences I have ever had. Recently, I had felt like I was missing something in my life but I could not put my finger on it. Two of my colleagues had mentioned the Emmaus retreat and encouraged me to go. They provided me with gentle reminders as the time of the retreat came and I finally made the decision to sign up.
Friday, my first evening of the journey I was extremely anxious. I am a little shy and do not share very often, especially in group situations. I made it through that first evening a little less anxious and looking forward to the next day. Saturday was an emotional roller coaster. I prayed, I laughed, I cried and I shared. By the end of the day all of the anxiety was completely washed away. I was at peace. I had finally realized what had been missing. I had let the light of Christ dim. I needed to pray more often and love myself in order to have others see the light of Christ in me.
By Sunday evening, that light could not have been any brighter in me. I owe this to each and every witness, small group session, prayer activity, leader, and candidate who shared the journey with me. I feel so blessed to now be a part of the Emmaus community and look forward to future Emmaus gatherings to keep that light brightly shining.
Emmaus 200- “You Loved Me Like I Am!”
Wow, what to say about this weekend- EMMAUS 200!
We have reached this Milestone- what a Journey for me it has been. I have been blessed to have been part of the Community for almost 25 years- it’s a part of my life- met my wife, started a family, we continue to grow in this community.
Emmaus 200- leading up to any weekend there can and will be challenges. Many challenges are small bumps in the road. Some challenges can present as difficult, but with lots of prayer, things just seem to ease and fall into place.
Challenges- making sure Team is on board, preparing for a weekend is done, talks are done and in, and the invitation of candidates to come experience EMMAUS. Emmaus 200 was open to re-Emmaus, as well as new candidates. Any weekend can present difficulties in anyone’s life- could June present as a different because of the end of the school year, families beginning long awaited vacations? Have we all been slowly coming back to church as well? We all need to be filled, but it’s also when we are ready. It’s in Gods time, not ours. Believe me, if it was in our times- well then EMMAUS 200 would have been filled with 30 candidates- But we didn’t see that.
Leading into the week of the weekend Emmaus 200 had a number candidates as potentially coming to experience this journey. As it turned out- Friday night, a new challenge for the first time- ( I’ve experienced) we had only 3 candidates…. And so with that comes a last second switch of not doing small group rooms-
We then switched up the “conference room”. Dividing the room into 2…
1-a relaxed setting, to sit relax, and share- similar to a small group setting, and 2- the other half of the room was for the Talks.
This was so amazing because for a chance for - Director and Co- to be involved in all talks, but so incredibly- “small group” conversations…
The weekend flow was so smooth, flawless, HOLY SPIRIT was flowing and so present all weekend long. Emmaus 200 had an incredible Team that with their prior experiences of being on Teams, their own stepping up to fill in little gaps, their sharing and commitment- EMMAUS 200 was so Beautiful!
We all have our own journeys, we all have our own struggles. What and how we work through them, with prayer, and confidence in our lord to help us get through it. We have our Community to lean on as well. We are here for one another, regardless of how long any of us have been away for any reason.
1 thing that was done on EMMAUS 200 was a Memorial Stole - to continue to pray for and acknowledge those Community members that have gone onto their 5th day! Everlasting Life !
Much prayer went into this, lots of names were presented, 80+ , and the Stole shall continue on, to serve as that reminder- of loved ones that rest in eternal peace.
EMMAUS 200 didn’t fall into the same template like a “typical “ EMMAUS weekend does- Small Groups- was Emmaus 200 absolutely incredible- Yes. We had moments on the weekend that Jesus met each of us… Regardless where we were on our own journeys! He was there to meet us !
On Behalf of Emmaus 200, Thank you!
Mark Aguiar
As I sit here in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament and ponder the gift of Emmaus 199, one simple word comes to mind: amazed.
Amazed at how candidates as young as 19 and as old as 75 decided that they were “going all in, head first into the deep end,” ready to spend a weekend away to grow in faith…
Amazed by how the Lord called together a unique group of people and immediately began forming them into a community of love...
Amazed at the incredible healings and miracles that happened right before our eyes...
Amazed at how burdens were lifted through the Sacrament of Reconciliation and laid down at the foot of the Cross…
Amazed by how the Lord humbles and veils Himself under the appearance of bread and wine and that we, as a community, were able to worship and receive Him...
Amazed by how the presence of the Holy Spirit was palpable as we joined our voices in song…
Amazed at how connections were made and discovered as the Lord weaved the stories of strangers together…
While I was cleaning up on Saturday night, the lyrics of an old praise and worship song–one that I haven’t heard in years–came to my mind: “Lord, I’m amazed by you, how you love me” (“Amazed” by Phillips, Craig, and Dean). These words continued to echo in my heart as I stayed up journaling at 2AM. I was absolutely overwhelmed by the love of God and His abundant graces…and we hadn’t even got to Sunday yet!
The candidates too were amazed. They were amazed by complete strangers welcoming them with open arms and providing a meal for them on Friday night. They were amazed by the willingness of team members to share their faith journeys and they, in turn, welcomed every moment of the weekend with a desire to receive whatever God had in store for them and to share how God has worked in their own lives. Most of all, they were amazed when they learned that they were being prayed for during every hour of the weekend. The looks on their faces were absolutely priceless!
Throughout the weekend, I tried to soak it “all in” and take snapshots in my mind of moments big and small, so that I would never forget God’s goodness and providence for Emmaus 199. One of the songs that played during Adoration on Saturday night was “King of My Heart” by Bethel Music. The bridge of the song declares over and over again, “You’re never going to let me down.” How true those words were for Emmaus 199!
A few days before the retreat, when snow was in the forecast, final preparations were being made and my stress was rising, a very dear friend of mine reminded me of the words of the Susicpe, a prayer of St. Ignatius of Loyola. Part of the prayer reads, “You have given all to me. To you, Lord, I return it. Everything is yours, do with it what you will.” This became my prayer for the entire weekend.
Our theme song, “All In” by Matthew West, reiterated this same sentiment: “All to you, Jesus, I freely give. As long as there’s breath in these lungs I will live, with reckless abandon, my heart in your hands, I surrender it all, I’m going all in.
I still stand amazed that the Lord entrusted Emmaus 199 into my hands, but it never truly belonged to me. It was all His from the very start. The fruits of this weekend were above and beyond anything I could have ever imagined, and they certainly outweighed every stress, every anxiety, and every labor of love.
Our team entrusted this weekend to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and St. Augustine. These patrons interceded for us and journeyed alongside us on the road to Emmaus, and we know that they will continue to lead us as we continue on our “Fourth Day” and our pilgrimage Home.
Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!
Lauren Pimentel
Director, Emmaus199
Deb Ryan, published in the New Bedford Standard Times
They call it “The Fourth Day.” — It is the time that follows after experiencing three days (and two nights) on an Emmaus retreat. Not long ago I did a religion story on the 40th anniversary of the Emmaus retreat program sponsored by the Catholic Church. My husband and I grew up Catholic but are now Pentecostal. The director said, “People of all faiths are welcome,” and I took him at his word.
With my husband Bill not getting out very much due to a disability, we stepped out in faith and signed up for the next retreat. As our 35th anniversary present to each other, we headed to Cathedral Camp in East Freetown. It is a beautiful place out by Long Pond. I did have a back-up plan — that if the weekend proved to be too much for Bill, my daughter Rachael would come and pick him up.
Thinking of the word “retreat,” I picture the Indians running away as the Cavalry comes to save the day. It ended up being Calvary, the hill near Jerusalem on which Jesus was crucified, that was our saving grace.
So much is packed into a weekend that we haven’t really processed it all yet. The most important thing we experienced was the love of a Christian community across the boundaries of religion. Bill had some difficulty getting from one building to another. He has a walker with a seat, but cracks in the pavement led to an encounter with me ending up on the ground, followed by the walker and then Bill (who is a big guy)! By the time I crawled out from under and people came to our assistance, Bill was pointing to me and jokingly saying, “She pushed me!” ... which quickly became the joke of the weekend.
But seriously, despite the fall, Bill said he wanted to stay and participate in everything — and they made it happen. Within 15 minutes there was a wheelchair there. Before I knew it, there were guys pushing him up the hills and over the bumps and others hi-fiving him as he wheeled by. This allowed me to participate in my small group activities without worrying about him. That in itself is a vacation but oh ... there was so much more.
The main difference between Catholic and other Christian faiths is that Catholics believe that during the sacrament of the Eucharist, the bread and wine are transformed into the actual body and blood of our Lord. Many other Christian religions believe that it is a solemn act that is done in remembrance of the last supper. In both cases, communion represents healing and salvation. After discussing my feelings with the priest, we agreed that Bill and I would respectfully decline from participating in receiving communion. When it came time during the Mass (service) I have to admit that we were feeling a little left out. That quickly changed as when he was done giving communion, the priest came over and blessed us and kissed Bill on the head. I saw that as a true act of love that erased the boundaries of theology and doctrine.
During the weekend we were able, along with several other couples, to renew our marriage vows. After 35 years, sometimes it becomes easy to take things for granted. We were also able to renew our baptismal vows. It happened to be a hot weekend which made me want to go jump in Long Pond. But they kept us pretty busy. Another thing that made the weekend a pleasurable experience was the food. All cooked by a chef who was a Johnson & Wales graduate. It was wonderful!
There were 34 people actually participating in the weekend. Fifteen were a team of people who had been praying and organizing for months, assisted by many volunteers from previous retreats. There were 19 candidates — those of us who were there to experience the weekend by connecting with, or rededicating our lives to our God. There will be reunions of our group and monthly meetings of the whole Emmaus community in the future for those of us who choose to stay involved.
Toward the end of the weekend, one woman suggested I convert back to Catholicism. After a little discussion, I gave her a big smile, put my hand on her shoulder and said, “Let’s just love one another.” That is how people will know we are Christians ... by our love for one another.