'Retreat' at St Cuthman's

 

It was described as a 'retreat' but was definitely more of an 'advance'. Spiritual batteries were re-charged, friendships made, companionable meals and walks enjoyed, and much progress was made in the formal meeting work.

 

 

For 24 hours the folk from Sacred Heart Church, Hove, enjoyed the hospitality of St Cuthman’s Retreat and Meeting Centre, in the countryside just south of Horsham. Fr. Kevin Dring and the Parish Team were these - together with what Jim jokingly described as ‘us hangers-on’; representatives of the Eucharistic Ministers, altar servers, catechists, readers, the church accountant, cashiers, cleaners and flowers arrangers - in short, the extended and essential family of the church.

A primary aim of the meeting was a work session, to plan the 125^th Anniversary celebration of the dedication of Sacred Heart Church. This will be held on 7^th June this year, the Feast of the Sacred Heart - less than two months away - with Bishop Kieran, invited guests and congregation.

 

 Equally important was the opportunity for prayer and spiritual reflection. The simple chapel, its end wall a window onto the trees and lake, was a place of light and peace, perfect for prayer and Eucharistic Adoration. The arrival evening, as we met in prayer, voices were stilled by the perfect magic of a young deer moving tentatively into view.

St. Cuthman's dates from (at least) the seventeenth century, and massive wood beams, oak panelling, and hefty dark pieces of furniture abound. The library, with its oak panelled walls, vast supply of books and deep armchairs, was where Fr. Charles talked to us, simply and directly, about the importance of listening to God, not praying at him, and about working together in love, giving rather than getting. That same room was the venue for our social gathering the night before with recitations, jokes, and songs, including a moving Irish love song and an excerpt from a Chinese opera.

It was also the venue for the work session when Fr. Kevin, standing by the flipchart with pen in hand, recorded the contributions, squinting and moving ever closer to the board as he tried to capture all the ideas in the rapidly-diminishing space.

Too soon, it was time to leave, with memories of fluffy white towels, enormous scones with home-made jam and cream, stately ducks paddling on the lake...and the deer that came to chapel to reminded us of the perfection of the Creator’s handiwork.