Renewed in Faith, Rooted in Montfortian Spirituality

Published by Anthony ESAMURIAT SMM in Africa Anglophone · Thursday 27 Aug 2026 · 3:00
Tags: NU, AFA, 1374

NAIROBI, Kenya - With hearts filled with gratitude and renewed hope, we look back with great joy on a fruitful spiritual retreat that brought us together in a profound experience of prayer, reflection and encounter with Christ. At the heart of our retreat was a beautiful interplay of Montfortian spirituality leading us more deeply to Jesus Christ through Mary.

The retreat brought together eight Scholastics from the Nairobi International Scholasticate: Emmanuel ANTHONY, Philip YOLA, Eric FUNDI, Gilbert KAKURU, Denis Musembi KIOKO, Emmanuel ABAHO, Atanazio CHITIMBE and Anthony ESAMURIAT. We gathered from 9th to 14th August 2026 at the Passionists Retreat Centre located in Karen, one of Nairobi’s hubs for Religious Institute Communities.

Facilitating the retreat was Father Hugh GILLESPIE, SMM, a Montfortian from the Vice Province of the United States of America. On the opening day, Fr. Hugh reminded us of the deeper purpose of a retreat, describing it as a time for the “three Rs”:

“A retreat is about the three Rs — Rest and Recover, Resupply and Reorganise. … The purpose of the retreat is to desire to see Jesus.”

These words provided a fitting framework for the days that followed. Through moments of silence, meditation, Eucharistic celebration, prayer, reconciliation and meaningful sharing, the retreat offered us a privileged opportunity to withdraw from the demands of our daily routine and create space for genuine spiritual renewal.

As we journeyed through these days of prayer and reflection, we were invited to rediscover more deeply our identity and vocation as Montfortian religious. The silence created room for us to listen more attentively to God, while prayer and meditation helped us to examine our lives in the light of the Gospel. The Eucharist and the Sacrament of Reconciliation became moments of grace and renewal, while our sharing as brothers strengthened our sense of fraternity and communion.

At the core of our retreat was the Montfortian way of drawing closer to Jesus through Mary. In the spirit of St. Louis-Marie de Montfort, we were reminded that Mary continually leads us to her Son and helps us to live our consecration to Him with greater faith and fidelity. Thus, the retreat was not merely a time of rest from our ordinary activities, but a journey of returning to the source of our vocation: Jesus Christ.

The retreat also prepared us for the renewal of our evangelical counsels on 15th August 2026, during the Eucharistic celebration on the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In this way, the retreat became a meaningful moment of preparation, enabling us to approach the renewal of our vows with greater awareness, gratitude, and commitment.

As we conclude this experience, we give thanks to God for the gift of the retreat, for the guidance and protection of Mary, and for the inspiration of the Montfortian spiritual tradition. We are especially grateful to Fr. Hugh for his remarkable facilitation and to all those who contributed to making the retreat a meaningful and grace-filled experience.

Indeed, the retreat reminded us once again of the beauty of our vocation and the call to remain faithful to Christ, walking with Mary and growing ever deeper in our Montfortian identity.

Anthony ESAMURIAT SMM

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