Dear Parish Family, With Fr. Bill on retreat this week, I was thinking about retreats in general and why they are important. By definition, a retreat is a time set aside to withdraw from your daily routine, disconnect from distractions, and focus on your physical, spiritual, and emotional well-being. This is a time to focus on yourself, whether it means relaxing, putting responsibilities aside or working towards a personal goal. Even Jesus took time to retreat. In the scriptures, we see that Jesus made a habit of withdrawing to deserted places alone. He “retreated” when he needed clarity, when he was grieving, and when he needed to listen to his father’s voice. He set time aside to renew his spirit. We would be smart to follow his lead. Retreats come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. There are spiritual retreats, silent retreats, wellness retreats, guided retreats, retreats for small groups and the list goes on. There are weekend retreats, week-long retreats, month-long retreats, daily retreats, and even on-line retreats. Retreats don’t have to be fancy or formal. Sometimes, just retreating for a few hours or a few minutes helps us to recharge. It is important to take some quiet time each and every day for yourself. Take a walk, listen to music, work on a hobby, or just sit quietly. For me, a day spent in my garden is such a gift. Today is Mother’s Day. As a busy Mom, all you want is a minute of peace to drink your coffee without someone interrupting you. The thought of going on a retreat is probably totally unrealistic. Yet we all need time to think and re-evaluate. When you are feeling overwhelmed, stressed out, or disconnected you need to recharge and reconnect. Give yourself a Mother’s Day gift and carve out some time every day just for you. The benefits can be profound. Happy Mother’s Day WEEK, Pam Chaplin