Young adults from all over the Diocese of St. Augustine and beyond came together for a three-day retreat focused on strengthening their hope of finding communion with each other and the church.
The retreat was hosted by a collaboration of diocesan offices and Catholic Campus Ministry Jacksonville at Camp Kulaqua in High Springs on Sept. 26-28.
The weekend focused on addressing the feeling of loneliness that many young adults in the country have experienced by helping them grow in the understanding of the gift of self, others, communion, and God.
“It was such a blessing to be on a retreat this weekend and receive all the graces that the Lord was pouring out,” Alyssa Massias said. “Focusing on the need for strong community was so timely and such an important reminder, since so many of us have faced challenges navigating community after leaving our college campus ministries.”
Each young adult in attendance had the opportunity to participate in engaging talks, activities, a low ropes course, the sacraments, and communal time.
Bishop Erik Pohlmeier ended the retreat by celebrating Sunday Mass and giving a talk.
He dove into the parable of “The Samaritan Woman,” and quoted from John where Jesus expressed, “if you knew the gift of God and who is saying to you, ‘give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”
Bishop Pohlmeier emphasized that to understand yourself and others as a gift, you must first begin to understand the gift of God in your life.
According to the retreat’s organizers, there was enthusiastic feedback from those who attended and a growing interest in having more similar retreat experiences in the future.
Photos by Elena Schiavo
