Thank you, Palm Beach!

I had a wonderful visit to Palm Beach this weekend—my first trip there—and spent an enriching couple of days preaching a retreat to deacons and their wives at the Our Lady of Florida Spiritual Center, run by the Passionists.

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My room afforded me a great view of the water and if the outside was pretty, the interior of the center isn’t bad, either.

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The chapel has some spectacular stained glass windows. By afternoon, the lighting was truly stunning.

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The grounds include an outdoor altar—I’m told the area here is packed for a sunrise Mass on Easter Sunday—and some tranquil spots for watching the boats glide by.

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And the boats, I should add, are not exactly tiny.

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There’s ample room to stroll the grounds.

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An outdoor Stations of the Cross remind us of the Passionists’ devotion to preaching Christ crucified.

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Sunday, Brooklyn’s own Bishop Gerald Barbarito—bishop of the diocese for about 15 years now— came by to celebrate Mass.

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He’s a gem, and still much beloved by the gang back in Brooklyn. He greeted me with a warm hug and seemed grateful to see another boy from Brooklyn spending time in the area that folks call “New York’s Sixth Borough,” Palm Beach.

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And of course, we sang this:

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The weekend was much too brief, but I do hope to make it back one day. The deacons of Palm Beach are a great group—devoted, committed, smart, wonderfully engaging and engaged. They are a gift. It was a blessing to spend time with them. Thanks to the Passionists for their superb hospitality, too! This retreat facility is a treasure. Looking for “a place apart”? Check this out.

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