On 9^th August 2024 until 11^th August 2024, a group of about 40 participants gathered for an Annual Retreat which is an annual event organized by the Catholic Lawyers’ Society of Kuala Lumpur and this year the Retreat took place at Kokol Haven Resort, at Jln Kokol-Tombongan, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah tucked away in a pristine location away from the hustle and bustle of city life,

The place was surrounded by lush greenery and cooling climate giving participants the chance to retreat from their daily professional lives and gruelling routines.

This year, the Retreat which carried the theme “Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you. (Isaiah 43:5), led by a prominent Retreat Master Rev. Fr. Dr. Charles Chiew was jointly participated by the Catholic Doctors’ Association of Malaysia (CDAM) together with a few Lawyers from Sabah, Sarawak and Brunei.

The three days Retreat was a combination of serious talks and easy going activities to enable the participants to soak in the relaxed mood of the Retreat at a hilltop resort known for its jungle treks and camping sites besides enhancing their spiritual knowledge with talks about St.Thomas More, the Patron Saint of Lawyers and his exemplary work in addition to talks about healing thyself from one’s professional career as Lawyers/Doctors besides also a session on a Catholic Lawyers’s Role in upholding the faith when faced with questionable tasks/decisions in their profession as Fr. Dr. Charles Chiew emphasized that “Truth Corrects Lies and Distortion” when one’s faith is under attack by other religions and many other aspects.

All the participants who had their respective groups were made to discuss these topics among their group members where many shared personal experiences in which they encountered crossroads where they had to make hard decisions in the course of their career where ethics and their faith was concerned and the lure of wealth and material satisfaction. The Retreat Master cleverly gave each one the space to discuss all these heavy topics in cosy settings by allowing them to venture out of the designated venue to a more relaxed outdoor setting surrounded by nature and fresh air.

The Retreat was also filled with carefree joyous moments of singing and bonding over food and drinks and even a late night karaoke session on Saturday night among the Lawyers and Doctors who honed their skills and talents taking turns to belt out popular tunes and even do comedy skits for a good laugh. All in all, it was an entertaining and vibrant night with all the participants in good spirits and they even got to try some local delicacies and learn some Sabah traditions.

The last day of the Retreat was concluded by a Mass presided by Fr. Dr. Charles Chiew and a photo session overlooking the breathtaking landscape of Kokol Haven Resort, Kota Kinabalu.

On the whole, this was a wholesome Retreat and everyone left the Retreat rejuvenated with revived energy and left Sabah bearing gifts from the local markets for their colleagues, staff, friends and relatives before boarding their flights back to Peninsular Malaysia.