Imagine 10,000 People Each Weekend - On Retreat!
And don’t think you are dreaming!
The Vincentian Fathers in India have an amazing retreat ministry.
“The fathers have been very successful in this particular regard, such that two major centres — one at Porta and another at Muringoor in Kerala host between 10,000 and 20,000 participants every week all year round. “This group of Vincentian Fathers is not to be confused with the Congregation of the Mission also known as Vincentian Fathers and antedating this Indian Congregation.
From their web site…
” Embracing the spirit of St Vincent De Paul, a priest in Kerala, by the name of Fr. V. Kattarath, decided to found the Vincentian Fathers congregation in 1904 under the auspices of the then Archbishop of Ernabulum Archdiocese. The primary objective of the congregation is to preach the good news to the poor, through retreats. ”
Father Joseph Bill V. C. is a devoted Priest and a gifted preacher of the Vincentian Congregation and is deep rooted in the Catholic faith. He is a missionary in East Africa since 1992. He also has visited Europe, United States and Canada to preach and celebrate Healing Masses and to hold retreats and to give the message about the Good News to bishops, priests and lay people. Through him God has healed many people.
Father Bill was born on February 23rd 1928 and was ordained in 1958. He worked in various capacities as a priest in his home diocese in Kerala culminating in a long administrative position in the Church.
At 48 years of age, he suffered two heart attacks, which left him bed-ridden over the next 45 days. His doctor warned him that he should not undertake any strenuous physical activity including climbing of stairs and above all not to preach any more. He was to take his meditation regularly in order to control and stabilise his condition.
During his convalescence period, he was invited to participate in a retreat organised by the Charismatic movement in which 160 priests including two bishops were participants. At the end of the retreat, a bishop, the leader of the group, invited him to be prayed over and asked him to state his wish. It was during this particular function that he saw Jesus touch him in the same way as when Jesus lived, preached and healed people in Jerusalem. A major transformation occurred in him through that faith. Subsequent tests by his doctors proved beyond doubt that he had recovered. He also was able to demonstrate that he had fully recovered by climbing a nearby hill. He thereafter sought permission from his superiors to be relieved of his administrative duties and instead to concentrate his future activities on preaching the Word of God.
He also decided to study faith healing and travelled to Pittsburgh, USA, for this particular training. It was at the end of his training that the first healing miracle occurred when he prayed over a paralysed person in a wheel chair, who was immediately restored to full health and could walk.
He now conducts seven day retreats and Healing Masses and popular missions all over the world.
For more information visit either Fr. Bill’s Retreat Site or Fr. Joseph Bill’s web site
[Editor’s Comment: I have spoken with a priest who has experienced these retreats. He says they are simply amazing.]