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Diaconal Ministries Retreats
Each retreat, whether for deacons, priests and deacons, or the laity, is rooted in the same essential call to deepen the interior life through intimate communion with Christ the Servant, forming hearts that serve from the wellspring of His transforming love.
Drawing from the common theological and spiritual foundations found in the books, Encountering Christ the Servant, As I Have Loved You, and Discovering Christ the Servant, each retreat is rooted in the same essential movement: deepening the interior life through intimate communion with Christ the Servant. Though written for different audiences — deacons, priests and deacons together, and the lay faithful — all three works emphasize
emphasize that authentic Christian service flows from a heart transformed by grace, grounded in prayer, shaped by the sacrament of the present moment. The retreats based on these books invite participants to enter this intimacy, to breathe in the love of God so that their ministry or discipleship may become an authentic gift-of-self. Designed with flexibility, each retreat can be adapted to the needs of a parish, diocese, or ministry setting, and may span from a single day to a full five-day experience, always guiding participants toward a renewed encounter with Christ who serves, heals, and unites.
Deacon
The Deacon Retreat is unique in that it draws the deacon into a profound encounter with Christ the Servant by immersing him in the RIM Dynamic — relationship, identity, and mission — rooted in the Servant Mysteries and illuminated by the prayer of diaconal ordination.
Rather than focusing on external ministry or practical skills, the retreat leads deacons back to the interior life as the wellspring of their vocation, inviting them to rediscover themselves as diakonos at the deepest level of their being. Through Scripture, Tradition, and the personalist thought of St. John Paul II, the retreat unveils the deacon as an emissary of divine love, one configured to Christ through a sacramental gift-of-self that shapes every dimension of his life. In this way, the retreat offers a transformative experience that grounds diaconal ministry not in activity but in intimate communion with Christ the Servant, so that all service becomes an expression of His love made present in and through the deacon.
Deacon-Priest
Drawing upon As I Have Loved You, the Priest/Deacon Retreat offers a unique opportunity for priests and deacons to enter together into the heart of Christ’s own sacrificial love, discovering anew the profound unity of their vocations within the one mystery of Holy Orders. This retreat explores the shared foundation of their ministries in the RIM Dynamic — relationship, identity, and mission — while highlighting the distinct yet complementary ways each is configured to Christ, sacerdos and diakonos, through the Paschal Mystery. Grounded in the personalist thought
of St. John Paul II and illuminated by the Servant Mysteries, participants are invited to deepen their interior life so that priestly sacrifice and diaconal service may flow from a common wellspring of intimate communion with Christ who came “not to be served but to serve.” In this setting, priests and deacons reflect together on the grace of their ordination, rediscovering how their united witness—rooted in love, expressed through a salvific gift-of-self, and strengthened through fraternity—reveals Christ the Servant to the people of God and builds up the Church in holiness.
Laity
Drawing upon Discovering Christ the Servant and echoing the same theological depth that shapes the Deacon Retreat, the Lay Retreat invites participants to rediscover their baptismal call to live as servants of Christ through a deepened interior life. This retreat leads the faithful into the heart of the Servant Mysteries, revealing how every disciple—regardless of vocation—shares in Christ’s own gift-of-self, expressed in love, fidelity, and a life rooted in prayer. By reflecting on the sacrament of the present moment, cultivating a
spirituality of abandonment to God, and embracing the daily opportunities to make Christ present through humble service, lay men and women come to see their ordinary lives as extraordinary places of grace. In this way, the retreat becomes a gentle yet profound journey into intimacy with Christ the Servant, empowering participants to allow His love to transform their families, parishes, and communities from within.
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