Mumbai, April 12, 2025: The Karnataka Regional Catholic Charismatic Movement's spiritual director and well-known Catholic charismatic preacher from the Diocese of Shimoga, Fr. Franklin D'Souza, began a two-day Lenten Konkani retreat (April 12 & 13) at Divine Mercy Church, Mira-Bhayandar Road, Mumbai.
The theme of the retreat is the Jubilee Year: "Hope never disappoints us" (Romans 5:5). He began his retreat with Mark 6:17-29, explaining the episode of the beheading of John the Baptist. He said that the season of Lent is given to us to set right our consciences. The word of God helps us to set right our consciences according to God's way. He said that there are four types of consciences: namely, dead conscience (Herodias, because she nurtured a grudge in her heart; she wanted to kill John the Baptist), evasive conscience (Herodias' daughter; her immaturity caused the death of John the Baptist), wavering conscience (Herod; he heard the voice but didn't change), and courageous conscience (John the Baptist stood for the truth and became a martyr).
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He invited the faithful to look deep within themselves and examine their consciences. The tragedy of Christians today is that they neither know the Word of God nor the power of God (Mark 12:24). That is why the prophet Hosea rightly said in 4:6, "My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge, because you have rejected knowledge." He said that God's revealed knowledge is the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the wisdom and knowledge of God (Colossians 2:3). He said that through genuine repentance, we attain eternal life. He said that we should hope in the Lord Jesus Christ; our hope will never disappoint us. He invited the faithful to abide in Jesus, in his Word, and in his love. He led the healing adoration and prayed for the faithful.
Parish Priest Fr. Alwyn Nazareth, together with the parish's Konkani cell, organized a retreat for his parishioners.
