I really did not know what was in store for me when I raised my hand to facilitate the NY Tristate Triduum this year. I was happy to raise my hand and I was filled with ideas and expectations. Boy did God have other ideas! I have facilitated retreats before, and generally, there is a lot of downtime. Not so on this one. With 46 women attending the Triduum of Renewal held by NY Tristate, I am pretty sure we set a record!

Fr. Jason Smith, LC, flew in from Detroit to preach and along with Fr. Eric, they spent the weekend offering meditations, conferences, sacraments, and spiritual directions. Held once again at Graymoor Retreat Center in Garrison, NY, the 2024 Triduum was the largest one ever. Ladies traveled from New York, New Jersey, CT and some even flew in from Florida, all with the same goal of seeking Christ and renewing our Promises to Him. For some, this was their first time and all were excited to witness 3 ladies Associating in Regnum Christi. For others, this experience went a little deeper, by leading 6 women to make a Promise of Self Giving, promising deeper commitments to Regnum Christi for the duration of either a year or for life. Whether it was the first, fifth, or twentieth, no one can mistake the movement of God through all of these women and through them, Regnum Christi.

Facilitating this retreat ended up being one of the more fascinating experiences that God has put in front of me. I loved seeing Triduum from the other side. I witnessed myself in the women as they progressed throughout their weekend. Many arriving flustered having battled many obstacles simply to be there- I recalled one time my mom calling me that my 4-year-old was in the ER getting stitches. Many struggling with the silence, the fatigue, the various frustrations along the way- I experienced this along with them all remembering the same struggles. Then witnessing the transforming magic as the light of God shone on them, filling them with His endless peace and making me even more grateful for the gift of Regnum Christi in my own life and the many transformations I have experienced myself over the years. As I look forward to my Silent retreat in March, I am sure that my experience facilitating this retreat will help enhance my dispositions and demeanors and hopefully enter into more grace than ever.