This year’s retreat at the Cathedral started and ended with our new Administrator, Fr Kenneth Assing officiating throughout. It began on March 10 with a topic quite relevant to our country – “Death”.

Each of us experiences some form of oppression, we were told. Oppression is not an occasion of sin, but assists us in building our spiritual confidence.

It helps us to live for the glory of God. Bearing false witness against anyone is a form of selfishness. Spiritual confidence, Father told us, comes only through the one true God, not for satisfaction of our needs.

God is the beginning and end of life. Belief is an expression of faith. What we believe is what nurtures our spiritual confidence, and what is fundamental to all our needs is our need for God.

Later in the week Fr Assing referred to the biblical characters Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego who were kept alive in the fire. In our country we see death every day. “Our home here,” Father said, “is not an eternal home. What we want is a home of peace and comfort.”

He went on to tell us, God is the author of life. The Commandments help us to be accountable for life. The Sacrament of Reconciliation also makes us accountable for life.

Having respect, he told us, is part of our tradition. Our vision of life is to be guided by the one true God who is the giver of life. Death is not eternal. It is a terminal point in life. For the believer, death is a privilege, he continued.

On day five, we were given a group exercise – discussing the question “Why do we believe in God?” This was very interesting to many of us.

We were honoured with the presence of Fr Lenoard Alfonso who read the day’s gospel. Sr Joan Hudlin thanked Fr Assing and all those who contributed to making this year’s retreat a success.