Religious
Free accommodation is given to priests and monastics
Blessed is he who comes in the Name of the Lord
Blessed is he who comes in the Name of the Lord
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Fr Johan Strydom
Parish Priest, St Peter and Paul Catholic Church, George |
Having stayed at Benedictus Deus Spiritual Retreat Centre several times over the past years, I have benefited immensely from the spiritual and loving ethos, as well as enjoying the natural beauty of the environment. One feels like you are staying in a natural forest, with the beauty of Robberg Beach just 5 minutes walk away, and the view of the majestic Tsitsikamma mountains in the background. Wonderful spiritual resources are available, and Leela is a great and hospitable yet unintrusive support who offers balanced and informed guidance if needed. The Catholic Parish of St Christopher is nearby and thus one can attend Mass or con-celebrate as a priest, or you may celebrate in the Sanctuary Chapel, on your own, or with Leela and guests. It is a great place to rest and be revived, to heal and be inspired, to be formed and informed in the Life of the Spirit.
Love and thanks for your generosity and love!
Fr Johan Strydom
Love and thanks for your generosity and love!
Fr Johan Strydom
Fr. Richard Menatsi
Executive Director of IMBISA, Harare, Zimbabwe
Holy Week Retreat April 2013
Executive Director of IMBISA, Harare, Zimbabwe
Holy Week Retreat April 2013
Due to the special nature of my Ministry as Executive Director of the Inter-Regional Meeting of Bishops of Southern Africa (IMBISA) I am not saddled with the responsibility of running a parish, hence I had the golden opportunity to do my annual (2013) Retreat at Sat Chit Anand Spiritual Retreat Centre, Plettenberg Bay during Holy Week followed by The "Sacrum Triduum Paschale" (Holy Thursday to Easter) which I cocluded with at St. Blaze Parish, Mossel Bay.
It was a truly spiritual retreat, a deepening of my trust in God encountering him at a deeper level of myself. This was achieved through centering prayer the very first thing every morning during my retreat.
Setting the scene for prolonged personal prayer and meditation, the daily scripture readings chosen were truly apt for the stage I found myself at personally coinciding beautifully with the time and season of the church, that of Holy Week.
The practical application spiritual readings preceding my guided meditation were carefully chosen to suit my type of ministry, that of secondary leadership in the church. Once again the theme of leadership was very helpful in my type of ministry taken from the book written by Rick Warren,"What on Earth Am I Here For". He touched me when he writes that whenever God gives us an assignment, He always equips us with what we need to accomplish it, which he calls SHAPE: Spiritual gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality, Experience ... All these in one sentence: Unwrapping your spiritual gifts, listening to your heart, applying your abilities, using your personality and employing your experiences.
As I journeyed through the days of my retreat, the nature walk, beach walk, reflexology massage and the peace and quite of my comfortable cottage conducive to refelection and contemplation, I was armed with a series of spiritual reading books out of which I could pick and choose chapters to keep me grounded and contemplative.
I have already made up my mind that I will retrace and deepen this retreat experience next year.
I recommend a retreat at this Spiritual Retreat Centre to all religious and priests, whatever ministry you might be involved in.
With every good wish
Fr. Richard Menatsi
(Executive Director of IMBISA, Harare, Zimbabwe)
It was a truly spiritual retreat, a deepening of my trust in God encountering him at a deeper level of myself. This was achieved through centering prayer the very first thing every morning during my retreat.
Setting the scene for prolonged personal prayer and meditation, the daily scripture readings chosen were truly apt for the stage I found myself at personally coinciding beautifully with the time and season of the church, that of Holy Week.
The practical application spiritual readings preceding my guided meditation were carefully chosen to suit my type of ministry, that of secondary leadership in the church. Once again the theme of leadership was very helpful in my type of ministry taken from the book written by Rick Warren,"What on Earth Am I Here For". He touched me when he writes that whenever God gives us an assignment, He always equips us with what we need to accomplish it, which he calls SHAPE: Spiritual gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality, Experience ... All these in one sentence: Unwrapping your spiritual gifts, listening to your heart, applying your abilities, using your personality and employing your experiences.
As I journeyed through the days of my retreat, the nature walk, beach walk, reflexology massage and the peace and quite of my comfortable cottage conducive to refelection and contemplation, I was armed with a series of spiritual reading books out of which I could pick and choose chapters to keep me grounded and contemplative.
I have already made up my mind that I will retrace and deepen this retreat experience next year.
I recommend a retreat at this Spiritual Retreat Centre to all religious and priests, whatever ministry you might be involved in.
With every good wish
Fr. Richard Menatsi
(Executive Director of IMBISA, Harare, Zimbabwe)
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Fr John Atkinson
Parish Priest, St Mary Queen of Apostles Catholic Church, George Retreat May 2013 |
Dear Leela
Greetings and blessings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I want to thank you from the depths of my heart for the glorious stay at your place during my holidays.
I experienced a wonderful and magnificent place where I could attend to the things of God and enter my soul. Resting in a tranquil place like yours provided me with an opportunity to listen to my heartbeat and to hear the different sounds of my inner person. I am very grateful to you and your husband in being such generous and kind hosts.
I will carry you and your hospitality always in my heart, and spread your big hearted gesture to all priests.
Be blessed.
Rev. John Atkinson
Greetings and blessings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I want to thank you from the depths of my heart for the glorious stay at your place during my holidays.
I experienced a wonderful and magnificent place where I could attend to the things of God and enter my soul. Resting in a tranquil place like yours provided me with an opportunity to listen to my heartbeat and to hear the different sounds of my inner person. I am very grateful to you and your husband in being such generous and kind hosts.
I will carry you and your hospitality always in my heart, and spread your big hearted gesture to all priests.
Be blessed.
Rev. John Atkinson
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Fr Trevor Button and Br Paul
St Colmcille Catholic Church Kirkwood, Eastern Cape |
A highlight of this year was our retreat in Plettenberg Bay. We retreated at an Interfaith Retreat Centre run by a very spiritual person Leela. She made us feel so welcome and at home. Before we knew it it was time to leave. It is a must experience for anyone who is looking for peace, silence and tranquility. [Parish Christmas Newsletter 2013]
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Fr David Anderson
Parish Priest, Cape Town Retreat / holiday January 2012, 2013, 2014 |
Leela and Maurice,
Thank you for your hospitality and great kindness. I found great upliftment being presented with new landscapes of God's incredible canvasses of forest, light, air and space. It is so refreshing and exilarating and blesses our minds with endless joy, visible in the miracle of His creation. Thank you for all that you are, and all that you so unselfishly do for the Parish and for others. Keep up the sheer gift of challenging ordinary folk to step out of the mundane of life into new possibilities, where a rebirth of the Spirit can wipe away the drudgery of life, no matter what circumstances might have imposed upon it. Carpe Diem ... DO IT .... Do a retreat, and step outside of your daily humdrum routine and get new vision, fresh grace, and time to stop and smell the roses. Today is the beginning of the rest of your life, so go with the God who knows and loves you, and wants you to appreciate His universe, which is yours for the asking.
Stax of blessings, Fr David
Thank you for your hospitality and great kindness. I found great upliftment being presented with new landscapes of God's incredible canvasses of forest, light, air and space. It is so refreshing and exilarating and blesses our minds with endless joy, visible in the miracle of His creation. Thank you for all that you are, and all that you so unselfishly do for the Parish and for others. Keep up the sheer gift of challenging ordinary folk to step out of the mundane of life into new possibilities, where a rebirth of the Spirit can wipe away the drudgery of life, no matter what circumstances might have imposed upon it. Carpe Diem ... DO IT .... Do a retreat, and step outside of your daily humdrum routine and get new vision, fresh grace, and time to stop and smell the roses. Today is the beginning of the rest of your life, so go with the God who knows and loves you, and wants you to appreciate His universe, which is yours for the asking.
Stax of blessings, Fr David
Visits from Sisters:
Sisters from Zimbabwe
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Sr Elizabeth
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Sr Adelaide
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Sisters from Dysselsdorp
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Dear Leela, on behalf of my sisters in community, we thank you for your kindness and gratuity. May kindness return to you in the same beautiful way it was offered, and may God give you in the centuple everything you need.
With love, Sr Adelaide, Sisters of Providence, Oudtshoorn.
With love, Sr Adelaide, Sisters of Providence, Oudtshoorn.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD!
[Psalm 118:26]
[Psalm 118:26]