Each man hears something different on retreat
| Father Hacker Fagot | |||
Humorous priest wonders "What am I doing wrong?"
The July 18-21 men's retreat at Manresa was a great spiritual success. 25 men from St. Charles Borromeo parish joined over 85 other men for three days of spiritual exercises originally designed by St. Ignatius Loyola.
Speaking in simple, short phrases and using familiar language, Retreatmaster Rev. Hacker Fagot, S.J., put Scriptural readings into understandable context using clearly-conveyed historical, geographical and cultural references. He then showed how the readings apply to us today using everything from Boudreaux-Thibodeaux jokes told with an impish grin to deeply touching personal anecdotes told straight from the heart. In a peaceful voice, blessed with soothing bass tones and the power of a man much younger than his own 74 years, Father Hacker addressed the retreatants and guided them through the retreat. While searching for the answer to Jesus' question "Who do you say that I am", retreatants also participated in daily Mass and group prayer, private Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, and had the opportunity to schedule personal consultation with several of the Manresa staff priests. All this occurs amid historic architectural buildings, majestic mature landscapes, outstanding regional cuisine, and complete silence among the retreatants. Walking the grounds, each man's senses tingle with visual delight. Entering Loyola Hall, each man is greeted by the scent of native Louisiana cypress, emanating from the exposed wood interior. Sitting down to dinner, appetites roar as smiling Christian ladies in linen uniforms promptly serve meals while beautiful piano sonatas play softly on the P.A. system. And while attending each of the 11 lectures in the comfortable new auditorium, each man's understanding of God's word and His will becomes that much more clear. Fr. Hacker said that after one presentation he did at an earlier retreat, one man came to him and told him "Thank you, Father. Your presentation was just what I needed to hear. It spoke directly to me and my own personal needs." Soon after, another man came and told him the exact same thing; Father's words were just what he needed to hear and they spoke directly to him and his own unique set of needs. Disconcerted, Father Hacker went to his respected mentor, Father Jack Curley, and told him, "I don't know what I'm doing wrong." "What is it? What do you mean?" Father Curley prompted. "One man comes to me and tells me I'm saying one thing, then another man comes to me and tells me I'm saying something else." With arched brows and an ever-widening smile, Father Hacker continued. "The problem is, neither one of them has any idea what I'm talking about." Father Curley told Father Hacker "Your problem is that you thought you were the retreat master, when it was really the Holy Spirit who was speaking to each man." Father Hacker said he used this story to illustrate that each man gets something different from retreat, and that what you get is not dictated by the words the retreatmaster says, but by your own personal communication with the Holy Spirit. 