MIRACLES IN GOD'S HANDS
A Pilgrimage of Hope
with Fr. Teodulo (Ted) Gonzales, SJ PhD
July 11-13, 2025
 
Live-In Rate: $295 
(Includes Supper on Friday, Brunch on Sunday, and 2 nights room accommodations).
 
Commuter's Rate: $195 
(Includes meals, no room accommodation)
 
5:30pm (Friday) - 12:00noon (Sunday)
 
“Few people realize what will happen to them if they put themselves in the hands of God, and what miracle happens.” (Miracle at CANA; Story of Ignatius of Loyola).
SPIRIT (See, Praise, I Take Responsibility, Integrating Principle and Purpose, True Investments to Build Character and Excellence)
 
3 Key Points
 
I. LOVE, LOST, AND RESTORED. Lessons from people recovering from addictions tell us how they hit bottom and how they bounce forward to a happier (Beatitudes) life. (Arthur Brooks from Harvard summarizes the research on long lasting happiness from Martin Seligman’s Positive Psychology). Cardinal Ambo David comments on the Presentation in the Temple, the image of the light and the Consecrated Life. Here we invite people to move toward the Light (hope) of the heart of service. The more we serve, the more we shine. What is humility asking us to do?
 
II. LOVE WITH DISCIPLINE. Lessons from the Israelites and their Exile tell us the story of how they get distracted by other gods and how patiently the Lord teaches them, through Moses and other prophets the secret of the Ark of the Covenant (spirit and the order of love through the Ten Commandments). An interesting metaphor is the symbol of the Lord of the Rings of how Frodo and the companions struggled to surrender the Ring that controlled all other rings to be free. The aim is to be consistent with the responsible use of freedom. Ignatius of Loyola, in the Spiritual Exercises talks about “holy indifference from inordinate attachments.” What is difficult to surrender in our life?
 
III. LOVE ACROSS THE STAGES OF LIFE. We borrow reflections from the encounters with Jesus through the Sacraments of life (from birth to death…baptism, confirmation, eucharist, reconciliation, priesthood, matrimony, and end of life). We reflect on the Emmaus Story (Synodality of Hope). The transformation of the disciples to the apostles (Peter and Paul) gives us hope. We will also borrow from the story of the Lion King. We borrow from the insights of Roger L. Martin on secrets of strategic and Ignatius of Discerning Leadership. What are the pivotal or transitions points in the pilgrimage or journeys of our lives that bring us hope?
 
About the Retreat Speaker
 
Fr. Teodulo (Ted) Pamintuan Gonzales, SJ PhD
 
Fr. Ted, of the Society of Jesus, was ordained in 1987. He has since then been involved in family ministry (for engaged and married couples), through teaching, supervising and counseling.
 
Holding an MA in Theology and an MS in Pastoral Counseling, he has completed his PhD in Pastoral Counseling at the Loyola College in Maryland, USA.
 
His retreat apostolate is mainly with young professionals through Life’s Directions, On Fire (Integrating Sexuality and Spirituality), San Jose (Spirituality for Men), and AGIMAT ni Apo (Integrating Power & Spirituality) and recently SERVIRE (Spirituality of Service). Fr. Ted has been teaching at Loyola School of Theology (LST, Ateneo de Manila University Campus) and is connected with Center for Family Ministries (CEFAM) as a Professor, Supervisor, and Counselor.
 
He compiled Stories from a Weekend and Agimat ni Apo (St. Pauls). He was assigned as a Juniorate Director for Jesuits in Formation and teaching at Sanata Dharma University in Yogyakarta, Indonesia 2014-2015.
 
He is back to the Philippines assigned at CEFAM-LST (Loyola School of Theology) and at the ARRUPE INTERNATIONAL RESIDENCE, formation house for young Jesuits in ASIA PACIFIC REGION, Malta, Africa, United States, Italy and Croatia. Now, he serves as the President of RMT- CEFAM. He also serves as Vice-Chairperson of Cyber Guardians, Philippines and a board member of PCNC (Philippine Council of NGO Certification).
 
For more information, kindly contact us at: 403.228.4215 or email us at info@fcjcentre.ca