NBCLC Retreat Challenges 66 to Move from Faith to Mission

BENGALURU, October 7, 2026: “If not now, when? If not you, who? If not here, where?”—that challenge lay at the heart of a five-day missionary discipleship retreat that called 66 religious and diocesan participants to move beyond reflection and translate faith into concrete mission.

Held at the National Biblical Catechetical and Liturgical Centre (NBCLC), Bengaluru, from September 28 to October 2, the retreat was led by Jesuit priest Fr. Jerry Rosario, who guided participants through a process of self-examination, spiritual renewal and renewed commitment to missionary service.

The retreat began with an invitation to revisit the participants’ personal journeys—recognising growth, achievements and moments of transformation while also confronting failures, limitations and areas requiring renewal.

At the centre of the reflection was a fundamental question: Why am I here? Participants were encouraged to examine their identity not only as Christians and consecrated persons, but also as members of society and stewards of creation, and to ask how faithfully they were responding to God’s call.

The life of St Teresa of Calcutta became a powerful reference point during the retreat. A film depicting her life and ministry challenged participants to consider the implications of a vocation centred on the poorest and most vulnerable. Her example was presented as a model of missionary discipleship that is personal, practical and prophetic.

The retreat emphasised that mission requires more than vision; it demands passion, courage and action. Participants were urged to discover opportunities for mission within their own circumstances, particularly through the exhortation: “Dream big and do big in your given small place.”

Discipleship was explored through five essential movements—receiving the Gospel, emptying oneself, serving the least, carrying the cross and following Christ faithfully. Participants were challenged to face the sacrifices of missionary life without retreating from difficult assignments or unfamiliar contexts.

The programme also addressed the practical demands of missionary commitment, including faithful living of the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, openness to remote missions, creative pastoral approaches, the New Evangelization, care for creation and society, and service to marginalised communities.

But the retreat did not remain confined to prayer and discussion. A blood donation programme gave participants an opportunity to turn their commitment to service into a tangible act of solidarity and care for human life.

Reconciliation and Eucharistic celebrations formed an important part of the retreat, providing opportunities for healing, communion and spiritual renewal. Participants were also asked to identify personal insights and formulate concrete commitments to carry the experience into their communities.

Fr. Rosario thanked the NBCLC leadership, team members and participants for their active cooperation. Fr. John Baptist, Director of NBCLC, expressed appreciation for Fr. Rosario’s contribution and commended the participants, particularly those who donated blood. Certificates were presented to the donors.

The retreat concluded with a call to return to communities not simply with renewed enthusiasm, but with a clearer sense of purpose and a readiness to act—transforming recollection into renewal, renewal into commitment and commitment into mission.

By Catholic Connect Reporter