Reflection on the “Little Way” Ladies Retreat – Sat. Oct. 17th

Reflection on The “Little Way” Ladies Retreat, Sat. October 17, 2026 9am-4pm (by Kelly Raftis)

This past weekend our Basilica’s Catholic Women’s League hosted their first annual fall retreat day. Facilitated by Theresa Matters (Metanoia Certified Catholic Mindset Coach), the “Little Way” Ladies Retreat was a day of discovery, reflection, fun and fellowship. Women of all ages, from near and as far as Burlington, Milton, Fergus and Brantford, came together, drawn by the fascinating themes of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, who promised to “spend her Heaven doing good on Earth!”.

We began the day by celebrating mass together. The morning session in the Parish Hall was about learning how God speaks to us personally, followed by Lectio Divina in the peaceful crypt, reflecting on Luke 10:38-42 (Jesus visiting Mary and Martha). Next, our Pastor (and CWL Spiritual Advisor), Fr. Ian Duffy joined and blessed us with the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. An hour with the Lord, in silence interspersed with soft music, was such a gift. This impactful experience highlighted to all the importance of remembering, in our busy lives, to “Pause, Breathe, and Invite Jesus” into every moment.

Lunch break invited us into fellowship, wandering outside on the grounds and Garden of Grace, or quiet journalling. The afternoon session brought more learning and small group discussion on better understanding our unique design, through the lens of the “Four Temperaments”. We explored how our emotions, motivations and environment influence our reactions and choices. This led to a deep dive into how God created us differently on purpose, complementing (vs. competing with) each other’s gifts and strengths. A beautiful theme that was so relatable and sparked much conversation.

Overall it was pure joy to be in community with and learning alongside wonderful women of faith. A huge THANK YOU to our CWL Faith Committee, for creating this incredibly meaningful opportunity to bless so many women.