Hundreds come from U.S., Europe for spiritual healing retreat in Metuchen

As followers of Jesus Christ, Christians recognize a need for spiritual healing in their individual lives. Sometimes these needs can also be discerned on a communal level. 

Brother Patrick Reilly, a member of the Brotherhood of Hope and former director of ministry at the Catholic Center at Rutgers University, explained: “For the past several years, the Catholic Center – both the students and staff – have been asking the question how the Lord heals us. After COVID-19, this was a relevant question. The rapid decline of Mass attendance in the dioceses in New Jersey and lack of priestly vocations were hurts and wounds that show we need healing at a deep level. This motivated us to see how we could bring healing to our Church, here in New Jersey.” 

Brother Jude Lasota, pastoral associate at St. Peter the Apostle University and Community Parish, said that, for about 30 years, the Brotherhood of Hope has been associated with Bob Schuchts, founder of the John Paul II Healing Center, Tallahassee, Fla. Schuchts’ book, “Be Healed: Encountering the Powerful Love of Jesus in Your Life,” seemed to a number of the staff and students at the Catholic Center to offer positive concepts for addressing their questions and concerns. After discussions with Schuchts and his staff, it was decided to try hosting the Healing Center’s “Healing the Whole Person” retreat here in the Metuchen Diocese.

Robert Lang, who headed the Diocesan team of 12 members responsible for organizing and hosting the retreat, said the planning process took approximately two years from the initial decision to schedule the event to its implementation. Lang and a number of the team participated in retreats offered by the John Paul II Healing Center during the planning process, both for their own spiritual development and to experience the dynamics involved. 

And so Sept. 19-21, the 800 registered participants gathered in the Cathedral of St. Francis in Metuchen to experience the retreat. It consisted of evening sessions Sept. 19 and 20 and concluded with an all-day session Sept. 21. 

The program provided a series of talks by Schuchts and other members of his team addressing aspects of healing the whole person by facing personal brokenness and encountering God’s love in a way that allows participants to learn to live in freedom of that love. Along with these sessions, each day offered opportunities for worship with music and prayer and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Priests from Metuchen Diocese as well as surrounding dioceses were available for the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Dani Conklin, event coordinator for the John Paul II Healing Center, explained that this retreat is only offered four times a year in various locations. A day before the program begins, the center offers a program for priests. Bishop James F. Checchio of Metuchen and approximately 40 priests from Metuchen and surrounding dioceses participated in the priests’ program Sept. 18. 

Father Larry Magdasoc, parochial vicar at St. Bernard of Clairvaux, Bridgewater, attended the priests’ program and said, “The reminder that priests must remain close to the sacraments, especially reconciliation, in order to be in a loving relationship with God’s people was very powerful.”

While 61% of the attendees at the retreat were from New Jersey, participants came from 27 states and five European countries. Those in attendance ranged from young adults to senior citizens, married and single, priests and consecrated religious and at least two couples with infants.

Hosting an event of this size obviously required a great deal of effort and coordination for both the Metuchen organizers and the Healing Center personnel. A staff of over 50 local volunteers was necessary to deal with all the organizational issues involved to successfully stage the retreat for such a large number of participants over a three-day period. This was the first time this retreat was offered this far northeast and, initially, there were concerns regarding some potential logistical issues, but no major problems occurred. 

Lang credited the success of the retreat to his team, the staff of the Healing Center and the “wonderful cooperation of the staff of St. Francis Cathedral and School. They were amazing.” He especially expressed his gratitude to Bishop Checchio for his support and encouragement and the assistance of Diocesan staff.