Message from the Director

Jesus wondered, “When I come again, will there be faith?” (Luke 18:8)

In an age of growing secularism, individualism, humanism, scandals within the Church and without, great economic collapse around the world, and a pervasive sense of paralysis, one can easily surmise that these are challenging times for “faith on earth.” What are my reasons to hope for “(Catholic) faith on earth,” or how do I grow in new awareness of the centrality of Jesus to my Catholic faith?

The induction of the Year of Faith from October 11, 2012 – November 29, 2013 by Pope Benedict XVI could not have happened in a better time.  In his encyclical Porta Fidei – he exhorts, “The Church as a whole and all her Pastors, like Christ, must set out to lead people out of the desert, towards the place of life, towards friendship with the Son of God, towards the One who gives us life, and life in abundance.”  This Year of Faith is the time to rediscover the comfort of faith that is professed, celebrated, lived and prayed, and to reflect on the act of faith.

The door of faith opened to us from the day of our baptism is kept open for us to walk through it and rediscover and remember our relationship with Christ and His church.

In line with the celebration of the “Year of Faith,” all the programs, retreats, and seminars of La Salette Retreat Center will focus on the Theme of Faith for this year.  We want to open the door of Faith to you all and to make the Center a safe holy place to renew your faith and grow in communication with God.

On September 19, 2013 we will be launching the Golden Jubilee of La Salette Retreat Center and will culminate on September 19, 2014.  I wish to thank you on behalf of the Missionaries of La Salette for all your support and encouragement and for making this Center a place of renewal.

I am happy to note a few changes in the Center.  We are fully air conditioned.  We have included the almost brand new Welcome Center as a venue for seminars and workshops.  The conference hall is a state of the art facility with 500 seating capacity and is fully air conditioned.  We are blessed to have 4000 who used the Center last year.  Thank you for making this place a haven of peace for you.  With Mary, model of Faith, I invite you to this “Year of Faith!”

Yours lovingly,

Rev. Cyriac C. Mattathilanickal, M.S.

Director – La Salette Retreat Center