Think for a moment how you would react if our government, because it is running short on money, decided to sell any or all of our national landmarks, like Independence Hall in Philadelphia, the Washington Monument, the Wright Brothers site at Kitty Hawk, NC, etc. to developers so they could turn them into high rises, high end condos, or carve them up into cookie cutter developments? Not a pleasant thought is it? Something akin to that is happening right now in Miami, Florida that is very close to our Emmaus hearts.
Many years ago a center was opened by the Dominican Order for the purpose of offering Days of Renewal, Days of Reflection, Marriage Encounters, various retreats, and numerous other encounters that were spiritually uplifting for the thousands who attended over the years.
Several years ago, the Dominicans felt they could no longer continue running the retreat center and sold it to the Archdiocese of Miami, and turned the administration of it to St. Louis Parish which was adjacent to the center. The new name of the center is the Morningstar Renewal Center. Now the Archdiocese has decided to put it on the block because it "needs the money."
The Morningstar Renewal Center is very dear to me, as well as to thousands of Emmaus brothers and sisters. The Emmaus Retreat had its genesis at St. Louis Parish in Miami/Dominican Retreat Center.
The first women's retreat took place there in 1977.
The first men's retreat took place in 1985.
I was on the team that presented the first Men's Emmaus retreat, as well as many subsequent ones.Eight men from St. Max attended an Emmaus retreat at the Dominican Retreat Center, and subsequently formed the first team that introduced the Emmaus Weekend to Charlotte County in 2001.
Ten Women from St. Max attended an Emmaus retreat a year later and that's how the Women's Emmaus got started in St. Max. St. Louis Parish and the Dominican Retreat Center have spawned the widespread proliferation of what has become one of the most dynamic spiritual exercises seen in the Catholic Church in a long time.
The thousands of men and women who have experienced the power of the Emmaus Weekend are living testimony to this. Our Emmaus family in Miami has asked us to pray for a solution to the problem that would permit the Morningstar Renewal Center to continue in operation. What that solution is . . . we'll leave that up to the Lord.
Our job is to place this before the Lord in prayer, beseeching the Lord to preserve the Morningstar Renewal Center as the beacon that it has become for everyone seeking a closer relationship with Jesus, a renewal of faith, and spiritual uplifting.
Certainly, if any one of us was to win the mega million power ball, a few million to rescue the center wouldn't be a problem. But, that isn't what this is all about. Keep in mind that the primary success of the Emmaus Retreat has been based on an approach, unique to the Emmaus Weekend . . . lay men and women ministering to lay men and women. Let us all join as, spiritually empowered lay people, to prayerfully find a happy ending to this story.Remember, between all of us and the Holy Spirit, there is nothing we can't accomplish.
Jesus Christ Is Risen - - - He Is Risen Indeed.
sid glaser, class of 1985
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