WAVERLY (SNR) – Father Stephen Graeve invites men and women of all ages to an “Inner Healing Prayer Retreat” March 4-6 at Our Lady of Good Counsel Retreat House in Waverly.
“The main theme of the retreat is to let Jesus love you and take care of you in places where there is shame and regret,” said Father Graeve. “Jesus isn’t interested in just loving the best places in us, he’s interested in loving even the places we don’t love ourselves.”
He said a unique feature of this retreat is that all attendees will have the opportunity to pray with a prayer team for an hour about whatever he or she wishes, to really go deep with the Lord in places one otherwise might not.
The main source of the retreat will be Dr. Bob Schuchts’ book “Be Healed” and the subsequent podcast Restore the Glory.
“If you’ve never read the book, buy it and read it on retreat or check out his podcast. You won’t regret it!” Father Graeve encouraged.
“Retreats are a major blessing for laity to just get away from the busyness of family life and really give your heart totally and completely to the Lord, who will do the same for you. As the body of Christ, we walk together, never alone; retreats with other retreatants and a director plus a prayer team will help with that,” he said.
Father Graeve was ordained in 2015. After assignments at St. Michael Parish in Hastings and St. Joseph in Lincoln, he has been at St. Joseph Parish in Paul and St. Bernard in Julian for two years. He has taught high school religion for seven years and currently teaches at Lourdes Central Catholic Schools.
Father Graeve was introduced to healing prayer when he attended the John Paul II Healing Center with Dr. Bob Schuchts in 2017. He is currently in his second year of the Encounter School of Ministry and first year in the IPF Spiritual Direction Training Program.
Our Lady of Good Counsel Retreat House is a place of sanctuary near Waverly with individual rooms, private baths, catered meals, and spacious outdoor grounds. Each retreat includes meditations by the retreat master, and opportunities for silence, prayer, adoration and the sacraments. Retreats typically begin with a rosary and Mass at 8 p.m. on Friday, and end with Mass and noon lunch on Sunday.
Other upcoming retreats will be held Feb. 25-27, “Spiritual Warfare and Conference” with Dan Burke; March 2, “Ash Wednesday Recollection for Men and Women”: March 11-12, “No Greater Love” couples retreat with Jack and Johnnette Benkovic-Williams; and March 25-27, “The Holy Spirit in Daily Life” with Father Brian Connor.
Register for any retreat at www.goodcounselretreat.org, e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 402-786-2705.
