OLL parish leaders recharge at weekend getaway

Nov 01, 2024

PORT DICKSON: The Church of Our Lady of Lourdes (OLL) held a Leaders’ Weekend Getaway at the Port Dickson Methodist Centre on October 12 and 13. Themed Come Away with Me, the event gathered 104 leaders from various ministries and BECs for a weekend of renewal, relaxation, and recharge.

The event began with a warm welcome from the parish priest, Fr Gregory Chan, followed by an engaging ice-breaking session led by Damian Prakash. The session successfully fostered connection and helped participants overcome initial barriers, setting the stage for meaningful engagement.

A key highlight was the session led by Elizabeth Lopez, Regional Development Director (Catholic Context) for Alpha Asia Pacific. Elizabeth’s sessions emphasised unity with a focus on collaboration, communication, and love. She shared insights on vision, mission, and unity within the diversity of the church community. A creative group activity had participants build a church using cardboard, symbolising the strength of collaboration and teamwork within the church.

Elizabeth also reflected on conflicts within parishes caused by a lack of collaboration and communication among leaders. She stressed the importance of addressing these issues early to maintain unity within the community.

One of the memorable moments was the Taizé prayer session led by the youth. Through meditative chants and reflective silence, the session created a space for deep spiritual connection. The youths also led the praise and worship in three languages, showcasing the parish’s unity and diversity.

Fr Gnana Selvam Berentis led a dialogue session where leaders inquired about the next steps following the programme. They sought updates on how the weekend’s insights would be implemented in the parish. The assistant parish priest assured them that ongoing collaboration and future initiatives would be discussed to maintain the momentum of unity and renewal fostered during the retreat.

The weekend also provided time for relaxation and bonding. Parti-cipants strengthened relationships through casual conversations du-ring meals and free time, fostering a sense of belonging and support within the group.

As the weekend came to a close, participants left feeling spiritually renewed, inspired, and ready to bring the spirit of unity back to their communities. The Leaders’ Weekend Getaway was a powerful reminder of the importance of communication, collaboration, and nurturing one another in faith. Leaders returned to their parish recharged, ready to continue building a stronger, more unified church family