Missionaries of the Sacred

An update by Grace Delgado, Life’s Healing Journey Director

Last month, members of the LHJ Team held two retreats in Oaxaca, Mexico. Fr. Eduardo Godinez, pastor for nine different communities, wanted the people he serves to experience the healing LHJ offers, a combination of spirituality and  psychology/healing behavioral patterns. Twenty-three people participated in the first retreat (September 19-20) and 36 participated in the second one (September 22-23).

Life’s Healing Journey Retreats in Oaxaca, Mexico was a long time dream that came true.  I was born in Oaxaca and to return with such a powerful healing ministry to my people meant the world to me.  To see how many came to know the true God, the God of love and compassion was a humbling experience to witness.  The participants shared that they have never experienced such profound healing at any other retreats in the past like they experienced at this LHJ retreat, which was a joy to hear.  Also, for them to see so clearly their destructive patterns in their thinking, feelings, and behavior towards themselves, and others gave me great satisfaction that all the sacrifice that came along with this trip was all worth it.  We are talking about not only impacting someone’s outlook on life but their sense of well being at a deeper level.  Especially those of us who know this Life’s Healing Journey well, we respect the fact that with our limited eyes, many times, we come short of really seeing God transformation in each person’s life as their healing journey continues in the weeks to come.

I feel quite blessed with the incredible team members who accompanied me in such a personal journey and as part of the LHJ ministry.  As volunteers, they had to make a variety of adjustments to be able to make this trip and they did it with joy and with a big smile.  Their expression of love and care for each participant both outside and during the retreats deeply moved my heart.  Also, having all of us be Lay Missionaries of the Sacred Heart and Fr. Jablonski a religious MSC was very special.  I felt that this is where our Founder, Fr.Chevalier, wanted us to be by living the Spirituality of the Heart and sharing our charism.

The seed was planted and the healing work begins.  This experience would not have been possible without the support of Fr. Eduardo Godinez, the pastor of the nine communities (villages/towns) that participated in the two retreats.  His openness and his determination to have the pastoral agents he serves and shepherds experience such a unique experience as is the Life’s Healing Journey retreat was amazing. Of course, there were also several volunteers from my home town of Teotitlan Del Valle who served as the kitchen crew for both retreats, headed by Domingo Gutierrez. Their goal is to continue this ministry in Oaxaca.  Let us keep them in our prayers as they slowly build this ministry, healing one Oaxacan at a time.