Spiritual Retreat for Youth in the Shaqlawa Parish

On March 12, the Youth of the Martyrs from the Shaqlawa Parish organized a one-day spiritual camp at the St. John Paul II Center in Inishke, Dohuk. The event was attended by 27 young men and women, accompanied by Sr. Rosemary from the Chaldean Daughters of Mary Immaculate Conception.

The retreat included moments of reflection on the Parable of the Prodigal Son, with three key themes for meditation: Leaving the House, Lost in Anger, and the Father as the Image of God. Participants were divided into small groups to discuss the main characters of the parable and relate them to the reality of today’s Christian youth. They were encouraged to live their identity as children of God daily, emphasizing that this reflects their belonging to God the Father, not to the world.

A highlight of the retreat was a discussion on Rembrandt van Rijn’s famous painting of the Prodigal Son. The group focused on the physical expressions of the characters in the painting and their spiritual significance.

The retreat also included prayer sessions, an hour of Eucharistic adoration, and the Holy Mass, celebrated by the Fr. Samir Khoury.

We pray that God continues to bless our beloved youth and that more spiritual and community activities will follow to serve the Church and society.