Retreat 2009

My son just came back from his retreat held at BLD Covenant House in Dasmarinas Cavite from September 23 up to 25.  This spiritual exercise is traditionally given by their school to graduating high school students.  It is meant to prepare them to courageously cope with the challenges and trials as young adults by strengthening their understanding of God and deepening their relationship with Him.

This is the Retreat House…

and the graduating high school students of OPLMC…

and this is the sleeping quarters of the “young boys”…

and one of the activity of the retreat…putting in writing some thoughts on each of their classmates…

Our participation was also thru this manner… we were tasked to prepare a letter and hand it secretly to the class adviser.  These letters were then given to each one of them in one of their retreat activities.  And I would like to share with all of you what I had written for my only son, Marc…

First of all, I would like to thank the Almighty God for giving you the opportunity to embark on a very meaningful and fruitful "SPIRITUAL JOURNEY."

Mac, I've known you to be such a very simple person.  And at your age now, you are still a very innocent young boy...so trusting and always ready to give a hand.  I've never seen you to be a selfish person... and most especially, you never became a brat, never took advantage of being an only child.  And for that, I want you to know that we are so PROUD OF YOU!!!

Much as I wanted you to remain as "my innocent young boy", I know that wouldn't be for long...

A few months from now, you will start "living" as a YOUNG ADULT!!!

Independence, maturity and sense of responsibility will be your new-found friends... and I hope and pray that they will become your constant companions in life...

Slowly, you will also learn that life will not always be a bed of roses.  I can see by your actions that you want to have a simple and quite life.  But I want you to understand that in this world, you can not be simple and quite all the time.   Along the way, you will experience pain, trials, hurt, failures and/or disappointments.  This is the stage of your life that you will have your ups and downs.   There would be times that you don't have any idea where life is leading you, that you don't still see the road ahead of you.  You can not know for certain when and where it will all end.  But you should not let these negative things overrule you.  Learn how to pick-up the pieces and stand up from every fall because life is also a "matter of choice", just like happiness...

There's just one thing that I would like you to always remember - - -

Hand-in-hand, we will both welcome and face your life's new dimension, the adult world!!!

Just as the Lord will always be here for you, so shall we.  In your every endeavor,  challenges and trials, we will be behind you; in every road you are going to, we're here supporting you all the way, come what may!!!

I want you to be strong always and hold on to God, always pray the Holy Rosary because it is the way of meditating Jesus' life, death and resurrection.

Lastly, I pray that this annual retreat will open new doors for you in understanding the Lord, strengthening your faith and in deepening your relationship with Him.  This, in essence, will be your "most important journey in life!"

In closing, I thank the retreat master and all the teachers and staff of OPLMC for this spiritual exercise given to the graduating students.  May God bless you all.

I know it will be quite a long journey…and it has only just began.  I just pray, hope and wish that I will be here in his every step of the way…