Monsignor Thomas CasertaCHARLOTTE — Bishop Peter Jugis and priests of the Diocese of Charlotte will attend their annual Priests’ Retreat Oct. 2-7 at the diocese’s Living Waters Reflection Center in Maggie Valley.
All the conferences from this year’s retreat will be recorded to share with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, missionary priests in Nicaragua. The government of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega has long persecuted the Catholic Church, recently arresting more than 100 people, including some priests who are being held in Managua’s notorious El Chipote prison. Bishop Rolando Álvarez is among those imprisoned, after an Aug. 19 raid on his offices.
“We want the missionaries of Nicaragua to benefit from our conferences for their canonical retreat,” says Father Cahill, pastor of St. Eugene Church in Asheville and retreat coordinator. “Because the Church there is being persecuted, we want to partner with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal to help bring about spiritual renewal and hope.”
Conferences will be centered around the topic “The Priest in a Time of Eucharistic Revival: Blessed, Broken and Given.”
This year’s retreat master is Monsignor Thomas Caserta from the Diocese of Brooklyn, N.Y. Monsignor Caserta has served as an associate pastor, youth retreat director and, for 22 years, as director of spiritual formation at his diocese’s seminary college.
Monsignor Caserta also served for 10 years as director of Priestly Life and Ministry for the Brooklyn diocese and is the coordinator of the Courage International apostolate, a Catholic ministry that offers support for those who experience same-sex attraction, as well as their families.
Besides daily Mass, talks by Monsignor Caserta and time for reflection, the priests will take time on their retreat “to praise God for this blessed golden anniversary of the diocese and honor the anniversary as a prayer intention when we pray a rosary together,” Father Cahill said.
— SueAnn Howell
Make a retreat
Living Waters Catholic Retreat Center is tucked away in the picturesque Smoky Mountains and offers private, group and diocesan youth-sponsored retreats, as well as preached, directed and nature retreats. There are also many opportunities for hiking and meditative walks. To learn more about this retreat center, sponsored by the Diocesan Support Appeal, go to www.catholicretreat.org.