Lenten Eco Retreat in Goa Helps Participants Find God in Nature

BAGA, Goa, April 5, 2025 — The Xavier Retreat House in Baga, Goa, hosted a two-day Lenten retreat titled “Finding God in Creation during Lent” from March 22 to 23, 2025. Organised by the Eco-Consciousness Core Team of the retreat house, the event drew participation from lay faithful, B.Ed. students from the Nirmala Institute of Education, and several religious sisters. The retreat aimed to help attendees deepen their spiritual connection with God through the natural world.

Focusing on the themes of God’s creation and the "Virtue of Hope"—in line with the Jubilee Year 2025—the retreat invited participants to reflect on Church teachings, especially Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’. Through these reflections, participants explored ways to recognise and honour the divine presence in creation.

The retreat featured outdoor, hands-on activities such as composting, potting and nurturing plants, and environmental stewardship projects, including the collection of plastic and waste from nearby areas. These practical experiences encouraged ecological awareness and inspired a commitment to sustainability for future generations.

Set against the serene backdrop of the seaside, the Xavier Retreat House provided attendees with a perfect environment for spiritual renewal. Reflections during sunrise and sunset, accompanied by the rhythmic sound of the ocean, offered participants quiet, sacred moments to reconnect with God, nature, and themselves.

The eco-retreat helped participants better understand God’s creation, its purpose, and humanity’s role as stewards of the Earth. It renewed their commitment to live out their faith through care for creation, echoing the Church’s call to embrace environmental responsibility as an expression of divine love.

Courtesy: Diocesan Centre for Social Communications and Media,

Archdiocese of Goa and Daman