Homecoming | November 15 - 17, 2019.

'Homecoming' is the theme of this weekend retreat at the beautiful Titoki Healing Centre. The retreat is based on the reflections of Henri Nouwen’s writing on Rembrandt's painting of the Prodigal Son. The focus of this weekend is to discover the things we carry that prevent us from being fully embraced by the Father's love.
Silent Contemplative meditation of the three main characters in the painting will be an important part of this weekend; namely the younger son, the elder son and the father.

What to Expect

• Participants can expect to be refreshed and renewed in their relationship with God.
• Develop an increasing self-awareness of the importance of interior journey and conversion.
• Learn new insights and understandings about the nature of God’s love for us.
• Learn to identify the struggles and blockages that may be separating them from God.
• Learn to cultivate & integrate silence into their prayer life.
• Experience the benefits of contemplative prayer and meditation.
• Be encouraged and strengthened on the spiritual journey by God’s grace.
• Meet new like-minded brothers and sisters.
• Song, prayer time, scripture reading, silent-reflective-guided meditation.

And More…. God may have some unexpected surprises to reveal to each participant that I do not know about!!!

What is the cost?

Retreatants are invited to arrive Friday, 15th November at 5pm. The retreat will end with lunch on Sunday, 17th November. The retreat cost includes accommodation at Titoki, facilitator's fee and all your meals.

- Premium room with ensuite, $270 (2 nights)

- Single bed and shared bathroom, $240 (2 nights)

About Myself

My name is Eamon Butler and I was born in Ireland in 1960. I come for a large family of fourteen and was brought up Roman Catholic. I trained as a carpenter at the age of nineteen and it was probably one of the best things that I did in life. Thank God! He must have known about the journey ahead of me because the carpentry became my bread and butter as is a universal trade - you can take it anywhere.

By the age of 28, I had worked in Dublin, London and New York.  Plenty of money in the trade and I made lots of it. I partied and drank a lot during the years after training.  However, I became very restless, bored and very unhappy in my work and I felt that there must be more to life. I began to search for something more meaningful and purposeful. It was not long before I became a volunteer for a year in a community teaching carpentry to mentally disadvantaged adolescence. This was an amazing time of my life; however, it was also very challenging and a wonderful experience.

When that had finished, I went on a spiritual adventure that took me across the globe in 1989 to New Zealand. After a year there, I travelled up to India and began working in the communities Mother Treasa in Kolkata. This was a life changing experience. I joined her order and that took me to London, Italy, and then Mexico. I could write a book on this experience but not here!!  All I can say that it was a deeply enriching experience living in community and serving the poorest of the poor.

I left the priesthood training in 1995 and I came back to New Zealand as a missionary. I travelled through the Canterbury and Otago dioceses for two years speaking in schools to young people about my work on the mission field. I wanted to encourage the youth to go out and experience the incredible blessings to be had from doing voluntary work for the poor.  This was a truly blessed ministry that God have given me to do.

In 2000, I began training to become a catholic priest.  I completed a theology degree by 2004 and I decided to leave the priesthood training for a second time as I felt celibacy was not for me. I returned to Ireland and started working in the ‘normal way’ again. I gradually returned to old habits of drinking that I eventually developed an addiction to alcohol. After a dark period in my life, I found help and I got completely sober.  I literally became the prodigal son and I took the gifts that God had given me as I sought my own fulfilment and happiness. I ended up becoming totally lost, but thanks to God’s unconditional love and faithfulness, I found my way Home again and I do not intend leaving ever again.

In the subsequent years, I studied counselling in Auckland, and I am presently completing training in spiritual direction. The journey continues and lots more to look forward to. I have learned that it is not so much about an exterior journey of faith, but rather, an interior journey into the heart of God’s love whereby I am being slowly transformed into the likeness of God’s love.

As a result of my Christian calling and my walk in God, I have become very enthusiastic and passionate about my own personal faith development and growth. My spirituality is contemplative in nature and I value silence, Christian meditation and prayer as integral spiritual practices. These enable me to live from an authentic place of connection with God in a fast moving and busy world.

I am also passionate about helping others, by encouraging and supporting them in their faith journey. I believe in accepting people as they are, helping them identify their position in their faith and supporting them to grow deeper in their relationship with God.

I look forward to meeting you should you decide to come on retreat at Titoki.

How do I book?

Please contact us at info@titoki.org.nz to register or call us on 07 308 6503 if you have any questions.  We look forward to meeting and hosting you.

The Titoki Team