The Chinese Catholics of the Chinese Chaplaincy in Madrid are offered the opportunity to have a Lenten retreat each year and another in Advent time. Ordinarily they do it in the Parish Santa Rita of Madrid. This year the retreat was led by Francisca Yan, an Augustinian Recollect Missionary, who regularly supports the pastoral activities of the Chaplaincy.
Every year two appointments are obligatory those of the retreats of Advent and Lent that are developed in the Parish Santa Rita. For these retreats Chinese Catholics come from both the Parish of Our Lady of Soledad and the Chaplaincy of the same Parish Santa Rita, the main headquarters of the Chaplaincy. The retreat, in addition to its spiritual purpose, serves the participants as a meeting point and coexistence.
The retreat began at 10 o’clock in the morning. After the reception of the participants and the singing essay, Francisca Ma dedicated an hour to present the lectio divina. The morning closed with the practice of lectio divina in the crypt of the Parish, under the guidance of Francisca and Juana Chen, a very committed Chinese laywoman.
The lunch was in the parish hall in a climate of silence while listening to instrumental music.
In the afternoon, at 3:00 p.m., all participants gathered again in the parish hall to attend an auction of valuable souvenirs. The act was moderated by the current chaplain Guillermo Zhang, augustinian recollect, who to begin with read the Gospel text of Matthew 13, 44-46. Then Guillermo himself offered a talk about marriage in the light of the word of God.
At 1700 hours a community penitential event began, with all the opportunity to receive the sacrament of reconciliation with the confessors Manuel Piérola, Juan Yang, José Guo, Guillermo Zhang -augustinian recollects- and the diocesan priest Pedro Liu.
The Eucharistic celebration was harmonized by the choir of the Chinese community, who sang their own Chinese songs with fervor.
(www.agustinosrecoletos.org)
