MAGGIE VALLEY — An inaugural Lent Spiritual Exercises for Men was held at Living Waters Catholic Reflection Center in Maggie Valley, led by Father Richard Sutter, parochial administrator of St. John the Evangelist Church in Waynesville.
The retreat included silent prayer, catechetical talks, meditations on Scripture, daily Mass, Eucharistic Adoration and Stations of Cross.
One retreat participant said, “I was meant to be here this weekend. I found many reasons and obstacles getting in my way trying to convince me to keep me away. Yet something or someone kept me coming! Today is Sunday is my 60th birthday.
This is the best gift I will ever receive – I will be back again so long as there are retreats like this here. Oh by the way, this was my first silent retreat, I don’t know why I waited so long.”
Another noted, “I tend to want to run away from the cross and this weekend, although the cross is an uncomfortable experience, I came to embrace and love the Cross of Christ that Jesus invites each of us to be a part of.”