From August 1 to 5, the newly elected assistant general of the Assumptionists, Fr. John Franck, AA, preached the annual retreat for the priests of the diocese of Erie, PA.

The retreat took place on the beautiful grounds of Christ the King Seminary in East Aurora, NY, the major seminary for the diocese of Buffalo.

The theme of the retreat was "The Parables of Jesus in Word and Art." Each day Fr. John focused on two parables over the five days, unraveling their Scriptural context and content and then suggesting various applications in the lives of Christians, especially priests.

One of the participants commented, "Very impressed and interesting style and content of retreat master. Liked his stories and interpretation of the parables as applied to our life as priests." Another added, "I gained so many new spiritual insights that I hope I remember them all. 

Fr. Franck often made himself 'vulnerable' to us, which I am convinced that every spiritual director and even homilist must do in order to be effective." In order to offer the retreatants another, visual entry into the meaning of the parables,

Fr. John presented a piece of art depicting each parable, sometimes from the great masters like Rembrandt, sometimes from modern artists like the Chinese painter, He Qi.

Fr. John was elected as assistant general in May and will be taking up his new duties when he returns to Rome at the beginning of September.