‘My only occupation now is loving. A spiritual itinerary according to St John of the Cross’ was the title of the annual OCDS retreat held in Peru from 6 to 8 March 2026 at the Spiritual Centre of the Daughters of Charity in Lima. The retreat brought together 75 brothers and sisters from the communities of Abancay, Arequipa, Cusco, Ica, Lima and Trujillo.
Led by Br Jairo Gómez Díaz, OCD, from the Province of Colombia, the retreat offered participants a spiritual journey in the footsteps of St John of the Cross. Br Jairo began by immersing participants in the places associated with St John, before offering an overview of his major works: the Spiritual Canticle, the Ascent, the Dark Night, and the Living Flame. He then provided an overview of St John’s anthropology. Br Jairo emphasised that our life of prayer must ‘occupy our intellect with the person of Christ’ – by meditating day and night on the Word of the Lord, as our Rule enjoins, and by receiving Holy Communion frequently.
The retreat encouraged us to allow ourselves to be loved by God, to focus on Jesus and to let the Holy Spirit ignite the flame of his love in our hearts, thereby transforming us and enabling us to love others as he loves us.
