Priests concelebrate the Mass in the grotto of the Annunciation in Nazareth.

Jerusalem, Israel. April 23, 2009.  The Sacerdos Institute is offering its 9th international renewal course for diocesan priests in the Holy Land this upcoming July 15 to August 3, 2009. The priestly renewal course will be held at the Pontifical Institute Notre Dame of Jerusalem Center, which is directed by the Legionaries of Christ.

Located in the heart of Jerusalem, the renewal course offers diocesan priests worldwide a unique opportunity to delve more deeply into their priestly spirituality. The atmosphere of prayer, reflection, charity, and fellowship, as well as the sharing of pastoral experiences, enrich all of the participants.

For more information and to register, click here.

Highlights of last year’s course

The most recent renewal course was held from January 20 to February 9, with 34 diocesan priests from 15 countries, including the United States, Australia, Canada, Mexico, England, Ireland, the Philippines, Spain, Austria, Italy, Colombia, Bolivia, Guatemala, Ecuador, Argentina, Brazil, South Africa, and Vietnam.

In addition to their pilgrimages to the holy places in Israel, the priests participated in various spiritual and formative activities. The first three days, after a brief introduction to the course and to the Holy Land, were dedicated completely to prayer. This took the form of Ignatian spiritual exercises, preached in English by Father David Kluk, LC, and in Spanish by Father Francisco Mateos, LC.

The guest speakers at the course included His Beatitude Bishop Foual Twal, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, who spoke on the situation of the Church in the Holy Land; Father Artemio Vítores, O.F.M., the Vicar of the Custody of the Holy Land, on the work of the Franciscans in the Holy Land; Professor Mustafà Abu Sway, a Muslim imam, on Islam; Rabbi David Roeen, on Judaism and relations with Christians; and Mr. Joseph Donnelly, Permanent Delegate to the United Nations for Caritas International, on the importance of the Catholic Church’s charitable work in the Holy Land.

For more information, write to crs@arcol.org or istitutosacerdos@arcol.org, or visit the Sacerdos Institute web site at www.sacerdos.org/english.