Five Sisters (four Junior Sisters and one Professed Sister) from the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth participated in an Eight-day retreat at the Franciscan Friary in Ejisu, Kumasi, in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.
The retreat which began on August 17, 2026 and concluded on August 25 2026 with Renewal of Vows, was preached by Rev. Fr. Prosper Yaw Kumah, a young Franciscan priest who was ordained three months ago.
The theme for the Retread was :The values of forgiveness and Reconciliation in the life of the consecrated person
This retreat was particularly significant as it was his first experience of preaching a retreat.
It provided the Sisters with a special opportunity to withdraw from our usual activities and dedicate ourselves more fully to prayer, reflection, and renewal of our relationship with God.
During these blessed days, we had the privilege of participating daily in the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, attending spiritual conferences, spending personal time in prayer and reflection, receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and adoring Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.
The retreat was a grace-filled time of spiritual renewal, allowing us to deepen our faith, examine our lives, listen more attentively to God, and reflect on our vocation and commitment to religious life. It also provided an opportunity to grow in our relationship with Christ and to return to our communities with renewed strength, faith, and zeal for mission.
In his presentation, the retreat preacher reminded us that the retreat was a time to step away from our daily responsibilities, rest in the Lord and renew our relationship with Him.
He stressed that as consecrated persons, we are called first to be with the Lord before doing for the Lord.
He therefore invited the Sisters to use the retreat to listen to God, reflect on our lives and allow Him to renew and transform us.
He spoke about the importance of mercy and forgiveness in community life.
Through the story of St. Moses the Black, he reminded the Sisters not to be quick to judge others because they also had their own weaknesses.
He encouraged to approach one another with patience, understanding and mercy.
He explained that consecrated life is first and foremost a relationship of love with Christ. Our vocation is not only about work and ministry but about growing continually in intimacy with God.
Fr. Kumah encouraged them to maintain a strong prayer life and reminded them that prayer should not depend on our feelings.
The retreat Master urged the Sisters to remain faithful to prayer even when we are tired or spiritually dry.
He highlighted conviction, consistency and intensity as important qualities for spiritual growth.
The Priest also addressed the reality of conflict in community life. He explained that differences in personalities, opinions, backgrounds, needs and responsibilities can naturally lead to misunderstandings.
He reminded the participants that conflict does not mean that community life has failed; rather, it gives us opportunities to practise humility, patience, charity and dialogue.
He also spoke about authority and obedience, explaining that obedience is a loving surrender to God’s will and should not be understood as the loss of one’s individuality.
Another important theme was self-image. He reminded the Sisters that our identity should be rooted in God’s love rather than in the opinions or approval of others.
The Sisters were reminded that they were loved, known, wanted and protected by God and called to trust Him.
This understanding can help us to overcome unnecessary sensitivity, defensiveness and the desire to prove ourselves.
A significant part of the conference focused on forgiveness and reconciliation. He reminded us that forgiveness may take time and that we should continually ask God for the grace to forgive.
He also explained that forgiveness and reconciliation are not always the same. While we are called to forgive, reconciliation may require time, repentance, restored trust and the cooperation of both parties. Fraternal correction may also be necessary, but it should always be done with charity, humility and the sincere desire to help the other person grow.
The retreat preacher further reminded us that what we give our attention to shapes our desires. We should therefore be careful about what we allow to occupy our minds and hearts.
He also stressed that the emotions of Sisters do not always reflect the full reality of a situation, and that a disturbed heart can make proper discernment difficult. We should therefore seek peace before making important decisions.
Finally, he shared principles from St. Ignatius of Loyola on dealing with spiritual desolation. During periods of confusion, dryness or discouragement, we should not make sudden changes to our spiritual commitments.
Instead, we should strengthen our prayer and spiritual practices and examine the causes of our struggles.
Overall, the conference reminded us that our relationship with Christ must remain at the centre of our consecrated life. From this relationship should flow our prayer, service, relationships, forgiveness and concern for community.
The retreat therefore challenged the Sisters to become more prayerful, understanding, forgiving and attentive to God’s will in our daily lives.
By Sr. Angela Kissiwaa, CSFN ( Catholic Sister Communicators Network Ghana- CASCON-GH)CASCON-GH
