I finally take a moment to write about our Lent Retreat at Camp St. John. What a weekend of prayer, emotions, joy, and tears. I think we had almost 300 people for the retreat and more for Sunday. It was so nice to see the parents spend so much time in prayer, kneeling down before the Blessed Sacrament. It made your children are very happy to know that you were doing this. Mother Elvira has always said, “Converted parents—saved children. It was a great preparation for Holy week. It was beautiful to see the long lines for Confession, thanks to the many priests who came. I could see that most of the parents went to Confession.
 Anyway, we are just so grateful to God to see what is happening in Cenacolo! The weather also was very interesting with a nice day on Friday and a real stormy day on Saturday. Thanks be to God, we were in the Camp not outdoors!
 The time in front of the Blessed Sacrament for the real deep examination of conscience was just so profound. The time of praying for healing for ourselves and also of asking for forgiveness really brought tears to the eyes of many people. The Adoration with the guys and girls was a special moment, for sure.
 Finally on Sunday it was the time to go to our house, Mary Immaculate, to celebrate Palm Sunday! The weather was just great. It was sunny and breezy. Many of the former members came with their families and a lot of friends of the Community came, too. It was just so special to see so many people in the procession with all the palm branches and praying “Hosanna,” while we walked behind the guys that were dressed like the Jesus and the apostles, leading the walk into Jerusalem.
 Mass was celebrated by our Bishop Snyder, who keeps on going forward with determination at 87 years old. He comes every Sunday to celebrate Mass at 9 for the girls and at 11 for the guys. Probably for Mass on Palm Sunday we had about 400+ people. It was a beautiful with everything set up around our rustic altar under the majestic trees of our Community. The girls led the music, and they did a good job.
 Then we had lunch, and the parents had time to visit with their children! There was a lot of joy in the air, and people gathered in the shade of the trees on our property. It is great we have so much space at Mary Immaculate! Then around 3 o’clock it was time to say, “goodbye.” As always, it was difficult for families to leave. We saw many tears, mostly of joy, because of the life that the parents saw the guys and girls have found in Community. We hope and pray that everyone will take the spirit of these days and live it through the entire Easter season.
 I want to thank all the parents that did service, helped in the kitchen, helped with transportation, and served in other ways!
May all of you will have a very holy Easter! We are very grateful to God that we see His Resurrection every day in the life of the guys and girls that are in Community.
Grazie,

Albino, Joyce and all the Cenacolo american family

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