Our 2nd Archdiocesan sponsored retreat was held today at Rayburn Correctional Center. Today was an amazing day spent in prison. Our retreat team gathered this morning before 8 AM and walked back to the chapel to find 138 men waiting for us. What a great response to an invitation to pray and praise God from the men living at Rayburn.
Our guest speakers today were Deacon Larry Oney, a classmate of mine from the 2008 diaconate class and Sister Judy Gomilla, a Marianite nun. This was sisters second visit, the first for Deacon Larry. My classmate is a gifted speaker with a ministry of preaching and teaching. He led the men through a discussion of Divine Mission and Divine Appointment!
Sister used her gift of humor and videos and songs from the movie Lion King to supplement Deacon Larry's teaching.
Thanks to the work of Prison Ministry Director John Messenheimer and our volunteers from Mary Queen of Peace, Mike Holland and Jimmie Dykes, the men, all 138 of them, were treated to lunch of beef ribs, green beans and potato salad. Believe me, this was a treat compared to daily food offerings from the prison.
We ended our time together with a communion service using the readings and prayers from the Vigil Mass of the Annunciation.
When we left, and all the men were thanking us, I reminded them that they too minister to us by their faithful witness to God and the Church while incarcerated and the challenges they face inside a prsion working out their personal salvation.
The retreat team left in a driving rain storm. Now I am home, exhausted by so very satisfied.
Thanks be to God for such a divine appointment as attending this retreat today.
Please pray for men incarcerated that they reform and return fully to God's true desire for their lives!
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