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THE MONTHLY RENOVATION It is unnecessary to urge the utility of making these Retreats, for there is no Sister of Charity unacquainted with
the fact that there is no better means of preserving the fruits
of the annual Retreat, and of advancing constantly in perfection.
Experience shows that they animate one to renewed
fervor, excite holy desires, and enable one to overcome the
difficulties that oppose one's progress in virtue. It is easy
to tell the Sisters that are faithful in making them, for they
are always generous and fervent.
The custom of making Monthly Retreats is derived—as
we may suppose—from what our Divine Saviour did with
His Disciples. From time to time He led them into some
solitary place to instruct them, to make known their faults,
and to point out by what means they might avoid dangers.
It was in these little Retreats that the Apostles derived the
lights of which -they stood in need to- direct others. Our Savior communicated to them the flames of His own ardent
charity, and formed them to the practice of all those virtues
which distinguished them in their apostolic career. Now,
as Sisters of Charity, you are called to lead a truly apostolic
life, and to continue the spiritual and temporal works of
mercy, exercised by Jesus Christ while He was upon earth;
hence you need to be replenished with His spirit quite as
much as did the Apostles.
St. Vincent de Paul used to say that the principal end of a
Spiritual Retreat should be to destroy the reign of sin in our
souls, thus effecting an entire reformation and renovation
of the interior, and opening our eyes to the duties of our
Hate, and to our personal obligations, and that it should also
solidly establish us in a true and ardent charity, by which
all the affections of the heart and powers of the soul are
united to God, so that we may truly exclaim with the Apostle: 'I
live, now not I, but Christ liveth in me.'
The Retreat should serve as a preparation', for death; too. Hence
yon should, foresee throughout that :all-decisive ,moment in which God will call you to Himself. In the examen
of your interior you must consider what special reasons yon have to
fear the judgments of God, if you were about to be
cited before His tribunal, so that you may remove all just
grounds of disquiet.
It would be well to make some Meditation for the day of
Retreat on death, for the special design of these monthly
exercises is to make you live in such a manner that you may
be always ready to die. After this Meditation, you might
recite the prayers for the agonizing. In order to profit by it
place yourself in spirit on your dying bed, unite with your
companions as if they were reciting the Recommendations for
you, and try to conceive the sentiments proper for a dying person.
Details
1. The order of the day might be as follows:
2. The main exercise is the Monthly Examen. The reader
reads this slowly, giving one hour to it. At the pauses, the
Community reflects and resolves. The method is that of the
First Method of Prayer.
3. Another exercise is the Prayers for a Happy Death.
4. A third is the reading. This should be from Rodrignei,
The Value of Spiritual Things, etc., and each Monthly Recollection should take up one of the Methods of Prayer, and
Roothaan on Meditation should be read also, taking a third
or so every time.
5. It is well to read over the lights of Meditation.
6. The day could end with the Holy Hour, made according
to one of the methods prepared for this Manual, pp.—. Exposition should be had. The reader should read very slowly
and pause. A hymn here and there would be good.
7. After Benediction, the Holy God is sung in Thanksgiving for the graces of the past month. |
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