A Spiritual Retreat at the Heart of the Mission

From July 13 to 17, 2026, the brothers of the Province of St. Anthony of Padua gathered at the St. Francis of Assisi Spiritual Center in Nyantende (Bukavu) for their annual retreat, led by Brother Gustave Muderhwa, provincial moderator for ongoing formation. Inspired by Psalm 22 (23)—“He restores my soul”—the retreat’s theme was: “Let God restore your soul.”

Amid the particularly trying circumstances currently facing the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo—marked by war, insecurity, and population displacement—this retreat was intended as a time to allow oneself to be reached and renewed by the Lord.

When the Pastor Needs to Be Restored

The teachings shed light on the daily reality of brothers serving in missions. By accompanying victims of war, burying the dead, listening to traumatized children, and supporting communities plagued by fear and uncertainty, pastors often bear invisible wounds.

Through constant giving, comforting, and supporting others, the minister becomes exhausted. His soul, too, needs to be visited by God. The retreat then becomes that time of grace when the Lord restores strength, heals inner wounds, and rekindles the joy of the vocation so that the pastor may rediscover the enthusiasm of those first calls.

Returning to the Portiuncula

As part of the eighth centenary of St. Francis of Assisi, the brothers were invited to return spiritually to the Portiuncula, the cradle of the Franciscan charism. This return to the sources is a call to allow ourselves to be shaped anew by the poor and crucified Christ, so that we may live with greater simplicity, fraternity, and missionary readiness.

A Renewed Fraternity for the Mission

Beyond the talks and times of prayer, this retreat allowed the brothers to share their pastoral experiences, to reflect together on the challenges of evangelization in a context of war, and to strengthen their fraternal bonds.

Upon leaving Nyantende, each brother departed with the conviction that the mission can bear fruit only if the missionary himself remains at the source. Allowing oneself to be restored by the Good Shepherd is not a time taken away from the apostolate, but a necessary grace to continue, in the manner of Saint Francis of Assisi, to proclaim the Gospel of peace and hope in the heart of a wounded world.