The annual family retreat took place last weekend at the The Oratory School in Berkshire. It featured traditional Latin Mass and Office, spiritual talks, activities for youngsters, and a Gregorian Chant Course running alongside led by the composer Colin Mawby.
The weekend is structured around the Church's Traditional Liturgy. This year, because Easter is a lot later than normal, it fell on the weekend of Passion Sunday (the fifth Sunday in Lent). There was daily sung Mass, Compline (night prayer), Solemn Vespers on Saturday evening, daily communal Rosary and a Marian procession.Despite the sombre tone to the liturgy, which culminated in the statues, crucifixes and images being veiled on Sunday; we were basked in glorious sunshine for the whole duration. This was particularly splendid for the Marian Procession on Saturday afternoon around the grounds of the school, which the children had made beautiful little banners for. Despite the retreat taking place during Lent this year, the children were not deprived of their Easter egg hunt!
It has always been an important weekend for us to unwind and address our spiritual concerns, pulling our lives firmly into focus. The abundance of small children there help with this; injecting real joy and laughter into our time there. It is quite easy to stand back and realise one is looking at the future of the Catholic Church in these Isles. Deo Gratias!
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