St. John Paul II Sabbatical Program

01/06/2026

01/06/2026

“Work consumed my days, my thoughts, and even my rest. Self-care became almost non-existent. Leisure felt unnecessary, resting appeared unproductive, and social interactions seemed like interruptions to mission.

Meals were skipped in the name of service, and emotions were silenced in the name of commitment. I faithfully lived the words of John 10:10: ‘I came that they may have life, and have it to the full.’

Here, I have found space to breathe again. I have learned to slow down, to rest without guilt, to listen to my emotions, and to rediscover myself."

🎥 Listen to the testimony of Sr. Magdalene Ndambuki, ASN, Kenya, as she reflects on her experience during the 26th Session of the St. John Paul II Sabbatical Program, a ministry of Kenya's Catholic Diocese of Murang'a.

Meanwhile, applications for the 27th Session beginning August 3 are ongoing. Apply today:

https://stjohnpaul2sabbaticalcenter.com/application/

01/06/2026

Have a blessed Month of June, the Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. ❤️🙏
Sacred Heart of Jesus, pray for us all.

29/05/2026

When he lost his beloved mother, he began experiencing an exhaustion that felt unfamiliar. For years, he had managed the fatigue that came with ministry. This time, he assumed that 28 years of serving faithfully in the Lord's vineyard without a significant break had simply caught up with him.

Realizing that his spiritual son was "going down," his Bishop recommended he take a break to rest. It was at the 26th Session of the St. John Paul II Sabbatical Program that he discovered that what he had dismissed as mere work fatigue was actually something much deeper. Beneath the exhaustion lay a loss he had never confronted and grief he had never fully processed—that of his dear mother.

With the support of facilitators at the sabbatical program, he found the time and space to slow down, face the pain he had long carried, and begin the journey toward healing.

Read the story of Fr. Patrick Muteti of Kenya's Catholic Diocese of Wote and his journey through loss and healing:

https://stjohnpaul2sabbaticalcenter.com/2026/05/29/i-had-not-given-myself-time-to-grieve/

Meanwhile, applications for the 27th Session beginning August 3 are ongoing. Apply today:
https://stjohnpaul2sabbaticalcenter.com/application/

25/05/2026

As a young girl, long before she understood that gender shaped the vocation one could pursue, she dreamt of becoming a priest. It was her mother who gently explained that women become sisters instead, and a sister she became.

However, after 42 years in religious life, Sr. Margaret Mumbua thought she understood the demands of ministry. But years of serving the people of God without pausing to care for herself slowly drained the joy she once carried so naturally, and those around her noticed, often asking: “Who stole your smile?”

Her journey to the St. John Paul II Sabbatical Program became more than a season of rest and renewal. It became a journey of reflection and self-discovery that helped her reconnect with herself, her vocation and the joy she once thought she had lost.

Read the inspiring story of Sr. Margaret Mumbua of the Sisters of St. Joseph - Mombasa and her experience of rediscovering her smile:

https://stjohnpaul2sabbaticalcenter.com/2026/05/24/sr-mumbua/

Meanwhile, applications for the 27th Session beginning August 3 are ongoing. Apply today:

https://stjohnpaul2sabbaticalcenter.com/application/

18/05/2026

He was a successful accounting executive in Manila, Philippines, but left all that behind to answer God’s call to missionary life in the spirit of St. Daniel Comboni’s vision of evangelizing through presence, service and accompaniment.

For 11 and a half years, the Filipino missionary served in Vietnam, helping nurture the congregation’s missionary presence in the Southeast Asian nation through formation work, accompanying young aspirants and teaching English.

After years of continuous ministry, he arrived at the St. John Paul II Sabbatical Program seeking rest, renewal and preparation for a new mission in Kenya. What he found was far more than a break from ministry.

Read the inspiring journey of Fr. Moises Rellon Albarina, MCCJ, from corporate life in the Philippines to missionary service across cultures and his experience of renewal at the sabbatical program:

https://stjohnpaul2sabbaticalcenter.com/2026/05/17/fr-moises/

Meanwhile, applications for the 27th Session beginning August 3 are ongoing. Apply today:

https://stjohnpaul2sabbaticalcenter.com/application/

13/05/2026

Here are some highlights of the recent 26th Session 🎓 ceremony

Apply today to be part of the 27th Session scheduled to commence on August 3, 2026:

https://stjohnpaul2sabbaticalcenter.com/application/

12/05/2026

As we prepare to welcome the 27th Cohort of the St. John Paul II Sabbatical Program on August 3, here is a glimpse of what the program entails.

A few slots are still available, apply today and be part of this transformative journey:
https://stjohnpaul2sabbaticalcenter.com/application/

08/05/2026

The 26th session of the St. John Paul II Sabbatical Program concluded on Friday, May 8, with the graduation of 33 participants in a colorful ceremony held at the Beatitudes Christian Formation Centre, in Kenya’s Catholic Diocese of Murang’a.

Held under the theme “Rise Above Challenges,” inspired by Philippians 4:13 — “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” the celebration marked the end of a four-month residential journey focused on ongoing formation and renewal.

Read more: https://stjohnpaul2sabbaticalcenter.com/2026/05/08/26th-sabbatical-session-concludes-as-33-graduate/