The Deacon's Bench
Another blissful day here in sunny Santa Cruz. We had plenty of down time today for prayer or walking the shore.
Some of the people on retreat reported seeing dolphins and whales this morning. I just saw surfers and sailboats.
As everyone knows, the most important part of any retreat is the food.
Meals here have been uniformly excellent, prepared by a friendly and helpful staff.
Saturday afternoon, we attended Mass at the tiny un-airconditioned chapel across the street from the retreat house, Our Lady Star of the Sea Church. The place was packed. And hot. The celebrant, Fr. Efrain Medina, offered a homily that was blessedly brief.
I enjoyed spending some quality time with Deacon Bill Ditewig and his lovely Better Half, Diann. What great people they are.
I was pleased to discover that the retreat house includes a deacon’s bench!
And of course, there’s that incredible view of Monterey Bay.
I leave for New York Sunday afternoon. But I’ll carry with me the memories of this beautiful spot, and the wonderful people I met. I asked one of the deacons over dinner, “Where else do you guys have your retreats?” He replied. “We have all of them here. We’ve never had them anywhere else.”
Wow. Just…wow.
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