Talking Points

Bulletin Archive

Handbook Study

Retreats

A personal enclosed retreat at least once a year is necessary to examine, evaluate, and energise our relationship with God. To emphasise to legionaries the seriousness of this matter, it is recommended that Praesidium presidents make a checklist of their members’ fulfillment of this “requirement.” Various religious orders have their own brands of retreat. Here are a few suggestions: 

•       The Canossian sisters offer silent, individually directed retreats at the LifeSprings Retreat Centre. Visit canossians.sg-homepage.com for details.

•       The Franciscan friars welcome you to get in touch with nature at their Retreat Centre at 47 Jurong West Street 42. Visit www.franciscans.org.sg for details.

•       The Jesuits offer 4- to 8-day silent, individually directed, stay-in retreats at their Retreat House behind the Church of St. Ignatius. Brilliant website at www.jesuit.org.sg for prayer and vocation discernment.

•       The Verbum Dei missionaries in Singapore direct retreats at their base at 2A Bury Road. Visit www.civo.com/verbumdeisingapore for more information.

Patrician Meetings

Praesidia are encouraged to hold monthly Patrician meetings, as these provide a forum for all Catholics to freely discuss issues concerning the Church and Christian living.   

1. A Patrician meeting begins with the Patrician prayer. See handbook pp. 270-271 or click here.

2. Then a lay speaker gives a short talk on a pre-selected topic, such as
             “Does Purgatory exist?"

3. A general discussion follows, with  everyone in the group contributing
              their bit of knowledge and opinion on the subject.

4.  All break for 15 minutes for
              refreshments.

5. Then a religious speaker addresses the topic, after which general
              discussion resumes.  

6. The two-hour meeting ends with the Apostles’ Creed and a priest’s
              blessing.