MANGALURU: The first batch of the Annual Clergy Retreat 2026 for the Diocese of Mangalore successfully concluded on Friday, July 10, at the Shanthi Kiran Pastoral Centre, Bajjodi. Held from July 5 to 10, the retreat offered a dedicated time for spiritual renewal and pastoral rejuvenation for the diocesan clergy.
Bishop of Mangalore, Most Rev. Peter Paul Saldanha, and Vicar General, Msgr Maxim L Noronha, attended the retreat along with approximately 85 diocesan priests. The clergy stepped away from their regular pastoral duties to engage in profound silence, prayer, and fraternal communion.
The week-long spiritual exercise was guided by renowned biblical scholar Rev. Dr Naveen Rebello, SVD (Niddodi). Rev. Dr Rebello, who serves as a faculty member at Jnana-Deepa, Pune, holds the distinction of being the first Indian SVD to earn a Doctorate in Sacred Scripture (SSD) with Summa cum Laude honors from the prestigious Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome.
Preaching on the core theme, “Joy of being a priest,” Rev. Dr Rebello led the clergy through deep scriptural reflections. He emphasized that joyful priests are called by the Lord, grounded in one core identity while fulfilling multiple pastoral roles. His sessions beautifully highlighted the priest as a servant of the Word and the Eucharist, called to preach with love. The retreat further explored vital dimensions of priestly life, addressing priestly relationships, acknowledging priestly woundedness, the true essence of service, and the need for priests to lead with evangelical creativity.
As highlighted in the Bishop’s message, such spiritual gatherings offer priests a privileged time of grace, renewal, prayer, and self-reflection. Through periods of silence, meditation, and spiritual guidance, the retreat aimed to deliver a profound encounter with the Lord, helping the participants deepen their relationship with God and strengthen their long-term commitment to their ministry.
The daily structure of the retreat provided a harmonious balance of prayers, silent meditation, spiritual conferences, Eucharist celebration and adoration, fraternal sharing, and rest. Participating priests expressed immense gratitude for the tranquil environment at Shanthi Kiran, noting that the retreat fostered a strong sense of priestly fraternity and spiritual nourishment.
Rev. Fr Santhosh Rodrigues, Director of the Pastoral Centre, coordinated the event with the dedicated support of the Shanthi Kiran team, ensuring a prayerful atmosphere and smooth logistics throughout the week.
The retreat concluded with Rev. Fr Paul Sequeira (Balkunje) sharing his personal experience, describing the days spent as a definitive moment of grace, a restorative divine encounter, and a profound time for personal reflection and renewal.
The second batch of the Annual Clergy Retreat is scheduled for the first week of December 2026, aligning with the preparations for the Advent season.
