"COME TO ME, ALL YOU WHO LABOUR AND ARE BURDENED, AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST." (MATTHEW 11:28)"

Retreats

Features of the Retreat

The great seeker St Augustine of Hippo revealed: “Our hearts were made for You, O Lord, and they are restless until they rest in you.” Within every human person is placed a spiritual thirst to be in communion with the Maker. In seeking to quench this interior longing, the human person was led by the deceptive offers of this world and left with a deeper emptiness. Dissatisfaction and despair set in. However this was never meant to be the destiny of humankind.

God chose to become Emmanuel – a ‘God with us’ to be seen, heard and experienced. Jesus, the Son of God came into this world as the Good Shepherd to nourish, heal and revive the human soul. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim the good news to the poor” (Luke 4:18). This mission He entrusted to the Church to continue the spiritual feeding of the flock. As Vatican II clarified the mission of evangelization was the sole purpose of the existence of the Church. Through the centuries, religious congregations committed themselves for the spiritual renewal of the Church.

Divine Retreat Centre run by the Mary Matha Province of the Vincentian Congregation, has been at the service of the Church for this mission of the spiritual renewal of the people. It has been raised by God as the venue where the word of God is preached and the Sacraments are administered that people may experience the reality and liberating power of God. It stands as the largest Catholic Retreat Centre in the world. Since 1989 weeklong spiritual retreats in English, Hindi, Konkani, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu are held simultaneously, every week of the year

Features of the Retreat

“My House shall be called a house of prayer for all nations” (Isaiah 56:7). People flock into the Divine Retreat Centre from across the nations, cultures and walks of life to spend a week in prayer.

 

Prayer here is firstly, an encounter with the love of God where God chooses to speak through the Word, and to touch and heal through His powerful presence in the Sacraments.

 

The deep experience of God leads to the healing of mind, body and soul and to the reconciliation in relationships and with the past. The return to God is not an isolated event. It sets the person on a trail of healing. Firstly, from the consequences of sin, where the spirit is freed from addictions. Secondly, the individual becomes a channel of peace and families are reunited. Thirdly, the person discovers the mission and purpose in life and radiates the healing received to those one encounters in the world as testimonies.

 

This spiritual journey of healing and sanctification culminates in the experience of the anointing of the Holy Spirit, where they are empowered to go out into the world with the mission of peace, love and life.

Schedule Of Upcoming Retreats

  • 25th February – 1st March: Lenten Retreat
  • 3rd March – 8th March: Lenten Retreat
  • 10th March – 15th March: Lenten Retreat
  • 17th March – 22nd March: Lenten Retreat
  • 24th March – 29th March: Holy Week Retreat
  • 31st Mar – 5th Apr: Divine Mercy Retreat
  • 7th – 12th Apr: Inner healing Retreat 
  • 14th – 19th Apr: Physical Healing Retreat
  • 21st – 26th Apr: Konkani Convention and Couples retreat
  • 28th Apr – 3rd May: Kannada Convention Inner healing Retreat
  • 5th – 10th May: Physical Healing Retreat
  • 12th – 17th May: National Youth Retreat
  • 19th – 25th May: Inner healing Retreat
  • 26th – 31st May: Hindi Convention and Eucharistic healing retreat

Details of the Retreat

The retreat based on the Catholic sacramental and charismatic spirituality is patterned over 6 days, where there is daily worship with the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, prayers with Eucharistic Adoration, preaching of the word of God, proclamation of faith through testimonies and praise and worship. Personally every person gets the opportunity of the sacrament of Confession and spiritual counseling with gifted elders.

The retreats in seven languages are held in separate halls in two campuses that lie on either side of the NH 544 Salem Kochi highway. In the Divine Retreat Centre English campus, retreats are held in English, Konkani, Hindi and Kannada. These retreats begin every week on Sunday at 10 am and conclude on Friday at 2 pm. Retreats for children and a ‘Bible Nursery’ for tiny tots are held simultaneously along with the weekly retreats. In the Divine Retreat Centre Malayalam campus, retreats are held in Malayalam, Tamil, and Telugu. These retreats begin every Sunday at 2 pm and end on Friday at 8 am. Accommodation and dining facilities are provided for the participants on campus.


The retreat based on the Catholic sacramental and charismatic spirituality is patterned over 6 days, where there is daily worship with the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, prayers with Eucharistic Adoration, preaching of the word of God, proclamation of faith through testimonies and praise and worship. Personally every person gets the opportunity of the sacrament of Confession and spiritual counseling with gifted elders. The retreats in seven languages are held in separate halls in two campuses that lie on either side of the NH 544 Salem Kochi highway. In the Divine Retreat Centre English campus, retreats are held in English, Konkani, Hindi and Kannada. These retreats begin every week on Sunday at 10 am and conclude on Friday at 2 pm. Retreats for children and a ‘Bible Nursery’ for tiny tots are held simultaneously along with the weekly retreats. In the Divine Retreat Centre Malayalam campus, retreats are held in Malayalam, Tamil, and Telugu. These retreats begin every Sunday at 2 pm and end on Friday at 8 am. Accommodation and dining facilities are provided for the participants on campus.

 

Divine Youth Retreats

Calling all young hearts! Our National Youth Retreat is a vibrant celebration of faith, hope, and love. Led by Fr Augustine Vallooran & renowned preachers and music ministers. Come join us from the 12th May to 17th May. Please click here for registration for this retreat.

Prepare for a global encounter with the divine at our Power International Youth Retreat. From the 21st to the 26th of July. During this week there will be Special retreats for Youth, Couples, and Children. Please click here for registration for this retreat.
The retreat will be led by Fr Augustine Vallooran & Divine team with a host of internationally renowned preachers.

For details please email divineretreat.reg@gmail.com

Accessibility of the Retreat Centre

Divine Retreat Centre, Muringoor, Chalakudy, located at Muringoor, by the National Highway (544) in the district of Thrissur, is 2 kilometres from Chalakudy town, Kerala.
The retreat centre is easily accessible by all modes of transportation.

 

The retreat center is easily accessible by all modes of transportation.

Retreat Malayalam

During the retreats for the sick, special accommodation will be provided for the bedridden if informed in advance. Medical facilities which include an ambulance service are available on request, to transport the sick and disabled from Divine Nagar Railway halt to the retreat centre.
Jesteen Retreat for children takes place every week. Growth retreats and other special retreats are held in Malayalam.

Preachers

Imbuing the spirit of the Vatican II, Divine Retreat Centre’s Fathers have taken lay persons and the religious into the proclamation mission, and have trained them to preach the word of God, to share their testimonies and to lead worship sessions.  

Spiritual Counsellors

Divine Retreat Centre has a 200-member-strong trained spiritual counselling team, to offer spiritual guidance on a personal level to retreatants every week. They also counsel the residents of the various homes run by the Divine Charitable Trust, assisting them in their journey of healing and reconciliation.

Intercessors

Imbuing the spirit of the Vatican II, Divine Retreat Centre’s Fathers have taken lay persons and the religious into the proclamation mission, and have trained them to preach the word of God, to share their testimonies and to lead worship sessions.

 

 

Volunteers

All the services at the Divine Retreat Centre are carried out in clockwork precision by its 1,200 volunteers – both men and women. They are those who have made retreats and wish to serve and pray.