There were those who confessed again after many years in the retreat camp organized for homeless people and people living in difficult circumstances.

The program was organized for the fifth time this year, at the beginning of July, by the Hungarian Maltese Charity Service in Budapest II. in Gercs, belonging to its district. The focus this year was on forgiveness.

In the camp organized in traditional, nomadic conditions, homeless people - by which in this case we do not literally mean people living on the street, but for example people living in temporary accommodation, who have some connection with the Maltese Charity Service - receive personal attention; they can participate in joint prayers, lectures, small group discussions and various leisure activities.

Thirty participants and 15 helpers were present at this year's event; the overarching theme this time was forgiveness.

Participants and organizers also spoke in the on-site report on Mária Rádió's Eighth Cross program, and were asked by Rozália Kocsisné Mester Erzsébet.

"I see everything completely differently than before, I have reached a higher level spiritually. I forgive anyone" -

said one of the participants, Gábor. Sándor put it this way:

“I can gather spiritual fruits that will never be taken from me. I am deeply touched by the occasions," he said, then stated: "The most important thing: I have not attended the sacraments for many years, and I persuaded myself to go to confession. On the first day, I was one of the first to go to confession, and my sins fell off my shoulders."

Father Gergő Eredics was present throughout the camp to help process the topic of forgiveness. He held the Masses, you could confess with him. As a gesture of reconciliation, the small group leaders washed the feet of the participants one evening.

"I also have something to forgive, to bring my life into harmony with myself. I really like the prayers here, the care for us, everything"

said the oldest participant, Matild, in her seventies, who came to the camp for the third time.

Many of the organizers are employees of the Maltese Charity Service, including some who do not work in homeless care. A good example of this is Katalin Vig-Major, the executive director of the Hungarian Maltese Charity Foundation, who was also able to take a lot of the reflections with her as an organizer. "I received a lot of practical and beautiful ideas and crutches for how to get to the point where a person faces his own sins and lays them down honestly before the Lord, as well as to what extent we can learn how to love ourselves and how to forgive ourselves. Also, what is very important: how can we get out of a lot of vanity and envy in order to forgive others."

The four-day retreat program can also have an impact on everyday life: for one of the participants, Mária, last year's camp gave her the impetus to start working. "After the camp, I found a job after a few weeks, I cleaned for two months, and then I worked as a nurse." He added: "This can also be considered divine help, otherwise I wouldn't have found a job quickly."

the complete composition of Mária radio's Eight Cross program HERE .

Source and photo: Hungarian Maltese Charity Service