KUWAIT, MAR 19, 2019: “As Lent is the time for greater love, listen to Jesus' thirst...'Repent and believe',” Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta said. Keeping these words in mind, St. Therese of the Child Jesus parish, Salmiya organised a Spiritual Lenten Retreat for the altar servers from class five to twelve on March 16, 2019, from 8 am to 1 pm themed, ‘Come Back to Me’.
Nearly 150 altar servers from the Latin and Syro Malabar rite were present for the retreat. In his introductory message, Father Blany Pinto, the parish priest emphasised that Lent is a time to return back to God if we have gone away from Him especially through our sinful habits.
The main highlight of the programme was the ‘Stations of the Cross’, enacted by the altar servers, their animators, and supported by the core team. It was gracefully executed creating a spiritual ambiance on the Passion and Death of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Father Roswin Pires ofm cap, the assistant parish priest of
Our Lady of Arabia parish, Ahmadi gave a talk on the three pillars of Lent. He explained to the altar servers how to fight evil and avoid temptation. He also involved them in one of the acts and showed them clippings on how starving children struggle for a meal even eat food thrown in the trash. The boys listened attentively.A short break was provided for interaction, after which the altar servers participated in various activities. They had to prepare a Lenten calendar; wherein they were told to write what they would like to do during the 40-day period.
Craftwork was then provided on the topic Three Pillars: Fasting, Prayer and Almsgiving. Class five and six were given paper plates, spoons etc, and were asked what they would sacrifice and abstain from eating. Class seven and eight were told to write prayer requests on the Cross-shaped pictures provided. Class nine and above had to prepare a charity box for almsgiving.
The boys enjoyed the activity sessions and said they would like to have such activities more often in the future. “It was a very good idea to have activity and it went well. I look forward to the next one,” Theodore Nathan, an altar server said. The retreat was animated by Pascal Fernandes and his team.
Soon after the activity, there was an Adoration service conducted by one of the animators Ruth Miranda, followed by Holy Mass. Later, the top three altar servers who had accumulated maximum points by serving and participating at Holy Mass for the month of February were felicitated with trophies and gifts.
The retreat ended around 1:15 pm and all the altar servers carried in their hearts the message given by the parish priest ‘How to repent and forgive others’ reminding all of the words of Jesus, "That is how my Father in heaven will treat every one of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart” (Matthew 18:35).