Becora, June 3–11, 2025 – In an atmosphere of prayerful silence and deep communion, the second of five spiritual retreats planned for this year took place at the Provincial House in Becora, Dili, gathering the Canossian Sisters of the Province of São José, Timor-Leste.The retreat welcomed 24 sisters, accompanied by Sr. Carla Araújo, Provincial Councillor, and guided in their spiritual exercises by Fr. Plínio Martins, SJ, Superior of the Jesuit Formation House in Taibesi.
A Time for Listening, Communion, and Renewal
The theme — “Women of Communion: witnesses of love, fraternity and hope toward integration in life” — invited the participants to walk an inner path of renewal and awareness, rooted in their vocation and in the beauty of living consecrated life in a spirit of sisterhood. Day by day, through meditations, silence, Eucharistic adoration, and personal dialogue with the Lord, the sisters were able to rediscover what is essential: a unified heart, ready to love and to serve, in communion with God and with their brothers and sisters in today’s world.
The Sending Celebration: Gratitude and Fraternity
The retreat concluded with a Eucharistic celebration of sending forth, followed by a joyful and simple moment of fraternity shared with the local community of Becora, who welcomed the sisters with warmth and generosity. In this spirit of gratitude, the Sisters invoked the Lord’s blessing upon their lives and on the mission each is called to carry out, wherever the Canossian charism calls for presence, attentive listening, and self-giving.
The Retreat as a Source of Mission
This second retreat was not only a moment of spiritual rest, but truly a wellspring of new life, enabling the sisters to continue their journey in consecrated life with renewed faith and dedication. Each sister experienced a personal encounter with God—an encounter that transforms and sends forth in the name of love. As women of communion, the Canossian Sisters continue to be witnesses of hope, building relationships that speak of the lived Gospel with simplicity and conviction, and thus bearing witness to the beauty of making Jesus known and loved.
The spiritual retreat
A spiritual retreat is a sacred time of silence, prayer, and reflection that religious men and women regularly set aside to renew their relationship with God. Stepping away from daily routines and worldly distractions, this period of stillness allows them to listen more deeply to the voice of the Spirit, revisit their vocation, and restore inner strength. For many consecrated people, the retreat is a precious opportunity to rediscover what truly matters, deepen communion with their community, and be guided by the Word on their journey of faith and service.
