A 10-Day Retreat for the Complete Reading of the Bible"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." (Sal 119,105)

From August 17 to 26, 2026, a ten-day spiritual retreat dedicated to reading the Bible in its entirety took place at the Mubong-ri Pastoral Center of the Korea Region.

Eleven Sisters Pastorelle and one religious sister from the Oblate Sisters of the Assumption participated, making a total of twelve consecrated women. Together, they experienced a time of grace, immersing themselves deeply in the ocean of God’s Word.

Following the order of reading Sacred Scripture recommended by Blessed James Alberione, our founder, the participants began with the New Testament and then proceeded to the Old Testament. Taking turns, they read Sacred Scripture aloud, journeying together in grace as the Word—proclaimed by the voice—was heard by the ear and gradually penetrated the heart.

During these ten days of silence and oral reading, each participant experienced moments of grace and, on the final day, sincerely shared what she had received during the retreat. Certain common themes emerged from their sharing.

1. The Great Story of God’s Love

By reading the New Testament first and then the Old Testament in the light of the salvation and love revealed in Jesus Christ, the many historical events and laws of the Old Testament appeared in a new light: not primarily as expressions of punishment, but as manifestations of God’s tenacious, tireless wisdom and love for humanity. Re-reading the Old Testament through the eyes of Jesus proved to be a precious time for rediscovering the mystery of salvation history that runs through all of Sacred Scripture.

2. The circumcision of the heart and inner healing

The words of Scripture—which, in personal reading, might sometimes pass by without leaving a trace—became like a powerful blade capable of penetrating deep into the heart when proclaimed aloud by the community. Before the Word, we encountered our own weakness and pride, and we realized more deeply that God asks not merely for outward observance but for the “circumcision of the heart”—that is, the renewal of the heart. It was a time of grace in which inner wounds, long hidden, could experience forgiveness and healing in the light of God’s Word.

3. The grace of community solidarity

Reading aloud during the spiritual exercises was never a solitary experience. When a sister, weary, began to let her voice fade, the clear, vigorous voice of another sister would take up the reading, supporting her and making up for what she lacked. The space where the spiritual exercises took place thus became filled with a profound sense of community solidarity and mutual sharing: the Word issuing from my mouth touched another sister’s soul, while the Word heard through a sister’s voice breathed life into my own.

4. The presence of the Holy Spirit beyond physical limits

Reading the entire Bible over the course of ten days, according to an intense schedule, also entailed physical challenges: eye strain, sore throats, and limits on our ability to concentrate. Yet, in moments when we felt the urge to give up, thanks to the help of the Holy Spirit and the prayers of our sisters, we managed to turn page after page and continue the journey. We were able to complete the reading of the entire Bible because we walked together. It was a true and profound experience of synodality for us all. Moreover, whenever our weakness came to light, we experienced deeply that it was precisely there that God’s grace manifested itself with greater power. It was an Easter experience, in which our weakness became the place where God’s grace could shine even more brightly.

These ten-day spiritual exercises, dedicated to reading the Bible in its entirety, were far more than a mere reading of Sacred Scripture: they represented a time of grace in which we, the Pastorelle, were able to reflect upon and renew our lives through the Word of Life given by God. As the spiritual exercises conclude, we now return to the settings of our lives and our mission, determined to live as faithful witnesses to God’s Word, bringing to our brothers and sisters—and to the Church—the living Word we have deeply cherished in our hearts throughout these days of spiritual exercises.

Sisters from the Korea region

• 

• 

• 

•