On Monday, April 8, the Feast of the Annunciation of the Lord, the 33 DEDICATION retreat began in the Cathedral of Christ the King in Katowice. This is a unique retreat because it is a spiritual preparation for the 100th anniversary of the Archdiocese of Katowice. The metropolitan, Archbishop Adrian Galbas SAC, invited the faithful to participate in this spiritual journey, emphasizing that the retreat reflections were based on the texts of outstanding figures of the Silesian Church: Father Franciszek Blachnicki, Cardinal August Hlond and Blessed Father Franciszek Macha and Sister Dulcissima.
I am very pleased that this retreat is also under the patronage of our Servant of God, Sister Dulcissima. Reflections for each day of the retreat have been prepared in a beautiful manual, which includes texts by saints and candidates for the altars. On the title page we see Our Lady of Piekarska smiling, but also our sister Dulcissima.
You can experience these retreats in the form of audio, video and by visiting the You Tube channel: Apostolate 33, where specific reflections have been prepared for each day. These holy days are addressed to parish communities or groups of believers established at the parish, but also to individual participants – noted Archbishop Adrian Galbas.
The inauguration of this retreat began on April 8 with a holy mass in the Cathedral of Christ the King in Katowice, led by the archbishop.
During the homily, Archbishop Adrian emphasized that the goods that participants receive during these holy days are countless. “Thanks to this retreat, there is sincere devotion to Mary and sincere devotion to Mary,” the metropolitan said.
In our Brzeski community, we have started the 33-dedication retreat,
that is why, together with the superior, Sister Joanna, we were in the Katowice cathedral for the Eucharist inaugurating this holy time.
Our joy was great when at Holy Mass we also met our sisters from the community in Katowice: Superior Sr. Agnieszka and Sr. Zuzanna.
I will also add that the 33 DADICATION retreat also took the form: 33 EDICATION with priests from the Silesian region and was proposed by the Polish Episcopal Conference as a valued format of 33 days of retreat preparing for the act of devotion to the Mother of God. Sister Dulcissima Hoffmann also accompanies us here.
I am convinced that Sister Dulcissima’s presence at this holy time will bring spiritual fruits to all participants.
The author of the retreat reflections proposes:
Do like Sister Dulcissima, who, following the example of Mary, kept these matters in her heart and pondered them.
A shooting act from Sister Dulcissima for every day:
Jesus, fill me with the childlike love you had for Mary.
s.Małgorzata Cur