The RETREAT Experience - Divine Retreat Centre, Muringoor (DRCM), Chalakudy, Kerala - by Rajan Mathew
Originating from the Potta Movement, the Divine Retreat Centre, is a Roman Catholic prayer & meditation centre (The worlds's largest catholic retreat centre now), conducting weekly retreats 52 weeks a year, and also extending care for the sick and lesser fortunate.
Read more about the Divine Retreat Centre, Muringoor, Chalakudy, Thrissur Dist., Kerala, India here.
Muringoor is a picturesque village close to Chalakudy Town (3 km away) in Thrissur (Trichur) District in Kerala, India. Blessed with bounteous vegetation along the banks of the Chalakudy River, it is a calm and ideal place away from the buzz of daily life.
Retreats start from Sunday Morning (10 am) till Friday Afternoon, and are offered in 7 languages (English, Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada, Konkani & Telugu). In the English campus (on the eastern side of the NH-47), retreats in English, Hindi, Kannada & Konkani take place. In the Malayalam campus (on the western side of the NH-47 and close to Divine Nagar Halt Railway Station), retreats in Malayalam, Tamil, & Telugu are conducted.
Retreats can have special themes from time to time, or depending on the season. Inner
Healing Retreats, Youth Retreats & Retreats for Couples are examples. During the period of Holy Week (Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday), a Passover Retreat is held specially following the days close to Christ's death and resurrection, that the church the world over also observes.
Why attend a retreat... What to expect by attending a retreat: A retreat is a
time to escape from the cares and worries of day to day life, to review our
lives and renew our relationship with God. There is a comprehensive programme
where Gods Word is preached, based on the Bible and Church Teachings
supplemented with prayer and worship, to actively allow us to pray and seek God
and his plan for our lives. God wishes to bless his children with joy, peace and
love and prayer and understanding the nature of God and experiencing God is
important here. Thus although a large gathering may be present, during this
retreat program, each one is advised not to discuss or even spend time building
up relationships, since the focus and attention must be the relation between the
participant and God (A situation like a married couple who are left all alone in
their bedroom to relate to each other exclusively, privately, personally and
deeply).
Christianity is rooted in the belief that God has created Man (read as mankind)
in his image and likeness, and placed him above all creatures. Man was created
to share a relationship with God who wanted to share his love. As the story of
creation goes, Man succumbed to temptation, chose to do his own thing in direct
disobedience with God, and thus sin was born. Man could no longer come into Gods
Presence. Man thus is doomed to struggle with sin & temptation in this life.
Yet God, who created man, first to live a life on earth, in preparation for a
life of glory in heaven, where man would... always abide in God, took compassion on
Man and sent his only son to earth (Holy
Bible - John 3:16), take up a human form, proclaim the glory of God and
suffer and see his innocent blood shed in atonement of the sins of Man. thus
Jesus Christ became the WAY, The TRUTH and LIFE (Holy
Bible - John 14:6), and by his love, example and
supreme sacrifice. Thus the wages of sin is death but Jesus Christ has paid this
price by his sinless death to and grant us Redemption (Holy Bible - Romans
6:23). The bondages of sin are broken when any individual repents (To Repent -
to realise and solemnly resolve to give it up) of ones sinful nature, and make
God the first in ones life (Holy
Bible - Matthew 22:37-38). God sends his Holy Spirit to dwell in us, the Spirit of Truth which is in and with
us (Holy
Bible - John 14:16-17).
The retreat is thus a time reflect on our lives and to put the focus on God. A
time to seek forgiveness from God, and receive his forgiving love. It is also a
time to forgive those who have wronged us and seek forgiveness from those we
have wronged, resolving to love God and fellow man henceforth. Confession and
Counselling allow Gods power to touch us and provide spiritual and emotional
healing. Even physical ailments can be healed as we forgive all those who have
wronged us and repent and truly receive Gods forgiving love for our sins and
wrongdoings. God wants to make us whole people leading fruitful and meaningful
lives.
Prayer is a time to focus on God, on his saving grace and love, and his plan for
our lives. As the Bible says, if God is for us , who can be against us. We
experience the presence of God and his Holy Spirit when we wait on God in
prayer. In the depths of our hearts, Gods peace, calm and joy fills our hearts
and we are born-again, to arise and live a life of joy and peace, not bogged
down by fears, shame, guilt or doubt. Love & peace rule our lives and souls,
when God leads our lives, through Jesus Christ, his only son our Lord and
Saviour, and the constant presence of God's Holy Spirit in our lives, hearts and
souls.
Recommended Sites for Reading
1. DRCM
(Divine Retreat Centre, Muringoor) Official Site - Divine Retreats - Retreat Description
2. Ronnie
Johnson's Experiences at The Divine Retreat Centre, Muringoor
TABOR ASHRAM (Part of the same ministry)
For those residing in or around Mumbai, an good alternative is to make a retreat at Tabor Ashram
Address - Kamba Village, Varap P.O., Kalyan-Murbad Road, Kalyan (West), 421 301, Maharashtra, INDIA
a. The Official Tabor Ashram website.
b. An
Unofficial TABOR DIVINE RETREAT ASHRAM (Part of the 'Potta' Ministry) Survival Kit
- Excellent and enlightening website creeated by Melody Menezes.
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