Encountering Nature, Journeying with God

By CIN SocCom

Hong Kong, China, 11 April 2025 -- To provide Catholic teachers and pastoral workers within the Salesian family with an opportunity, to step away from their busy educational and pastoral duties, to listen to their inner voices, to draw close to nature, and to encounter God, the Salesian Youth Ministry Office organized the "Joint Schools Catholic Teachers and Pastoral Workers Retreat" on Saturday, March 26, 2025. The event was co-organized and facilitated by the Environmental and Ecological Group of the Diocesan Commission for Integral Human Development of Hong Kong. The retreat offered a whole day spiritual experience under the theme "Encountering God in Nature," guiding participants to reconnect with God and all creation through nature.

The retreat was held at the Pak Tam Chung P.H.A.B. Site and Our Lady of Sorrows Chapel. Over 40 Catholic teachers and pastoral workers from various schools who embarked on a holistic journey integrating body, mind, and spirit.

At the start of the retreat, each group was assigned a spiritual reflection topic to focus on and meditate throughout the day. The topics included: "Everything is a Gift," "Seek for the Good," "We Are All Connected," and "Smile Please.", etc. These themes helped participants stay mindful during the day's activities and become more conscious of God’s presence from different perspectives.

Next, the facilitator invited everyone to quiet their mind and hearts, become aware of their emotions and inner states, reflect on their expectations for the retreat, and consider what God might be saying to them at that moment. He reminded participants of this retreat to follow the example of the ancient tradition of hermits, retreating from the city into the wilderness who seek God’s presence among all creation and within the depths of their souls. Nature, he emphasized, is not merely scenery but a profound place where God reveals His goodness. By letting go of one’s self-centredness, individuals can perceive all creation as “very good,” just as God did at the moment of creation.

The following were the nature-based sensory activities included: "Hugging a Tree", "Listening to the Heartbeat of Trees," and "Natural artwork," which encouraged participants to actively engage their bodily senses to experience the textures, rhythms, and presence of the natural world. Through these embodied experiences, participants engaged in a deeper dialogue with nature and developed a heightened awareness of God’s voice.

At midday, participants shared a simple whole-food lunch composed of unprocessed and natural ingredients such as eggs, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and potatoes. This meal not only resonated with the day’s theme of harmonious living with nature but also allowed everyone to appreciate the original flavours of food and the wonders of the Creator’s design.

In the afternoon, a meditative walk led the group to Our Lady of Sorrows Chapel, where the Eucharist was celebrated and a sharing session was conducted in the embrace of nature. The Mass was celebrated by Fr. Anthony Pun, the Salesian Youth Movement coordinator, who invited participants to share their reflections and experiences gathered throughout the day during his homily.

The retreat concluded in the early evening. Despite of their physical tiredness, they left with full of peace and gratitude. We pray to God, grant that through the retreat, He may rekindle the participants’ strength in order to face their daily challenges, while reminding them to continually reconnect deeply with God the Creator, after returning to the midst of the busyness in their daily life.

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