Journey Youth Retreat 2012

November 16-18, 2012
St. Dominic Academy, Auburn, Maine

 

Journey Retreat Brings Youth and Young Adults Closer to Christ

“Journey is about helping you to discover a person, the person is Jesus.”

That was the message from Father Nathan March, director of the Office of Vocations, as he opened this year’s Journey retreat, held the weekend of November 16-18 at Saint Dominic Academy in Auburn.

“This weekend is about uncovering the mystery, maybe for the first time or maybe again for the first time. My brothers and sisters, this weekend, Jesus will be here and he wants, this weekend, for you to encounter his love,” said Father March.

Journey is an annual retreat for youth and young adults which is centered around Jesus Christ in the Most Blessed Sacrament. The retreat includes daily Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, the Liturgy of the Hours, the rosary, faith-sharing, talks, and music, all intended to bring youth and young adults closer to Christ.

“I think during confession and adoration, those were the two that were amazing. It was just powerful to see and hear from God,” said Philip Castonguay of St. Rose of Lima, Jay.

“It was amazing. It was everything and more that I could have asked for,” said Joshua Maloney of Good Shepherd, Biddeford. “It was really, really touching and great that God came to us like that.”

“There is something about Journey. It’s hard to describe to people. It’s just like a really powerful experience,” said Sophie Ouellette, a college student attending for the sixth time.

 

The theme of this year’s retreat was “Open Wide the Door of Faith,” which was chosen because of the ongoing celebration of the Year of Faith.

During his closing Mass homily, Monsignor Andrew Dubois, moderator of the curia, told the youth and young adults that Jesus is holding the door of faith open for us, and we just have to make the choice to walk through.

“What we, as people of faith have, is what awaits every person who is willing to walk through the door of faith that has been opened wide: it is Jesus himself,” he said. “For Catholics, that door of faith leads us to the Eucharist, into an intimate communion and relationship with the Lord because His Presence is True; His Presence is Real; His Presence is Substantial.”

 

 

This year’s retreat was attended by approximately 200 youth and young adults from throughout the diocese. The retreat is sponsored by the Office of Lifelong Faith Formation,

-Lois Czerniak