Staying True to the Journey

Jesuit Center for Reconciliation and Guadalupe Mercy Center teamed up in early August for an Ignatian retreat for young adults

The first weekend in August, the Jesuit Center for Reconciliation and the Guadalupe Mercy Center collaborated on a new retreat aimed at young adults, ages 20 - 35. Fourteen retreatants and five team members spent August 1-3 at The Nature Resort in Bermudian Landing.

This is typically an age group that remains underserved in our diocese. Retreats like Christ Renews His Parish tend to serve men and women in their middle ages, and school-based retreats like Kairos, Search and Encounter tend to serve the younger set.

But young adults are in a different phase in life. They are no longer in school, and sometimes they are no longer living at home. They tend to be entering into the work world and searching for long-term relationships. For many, these transitions can be tumultuous.

The retreat team was led by Ms. Melissa Espat and Ms. Emilie Magaña with the support of Fr. Brian Christopher, SJ. Team members were Ms. Lucero Cobb, Mr. Warren Garcia, and Ms. Wendy Hulse.

The retreat centered around the theme of being on the spiritual journey: we are all on the way, but we are not alone: God is with us. Life is not perfect (and never will be), we are not perfect (and never will be), but we don't need to worry. God is with us, and if we stick with God, we will be okay.

A related theme on the retreat was authenticity; that is, the need to align our actions and our values with who we most truly are. We are God's beloved sons and daughters. When we act in alignment with that, we find the peace we seek.

The retreat format consisted of talks, followed by periods of individual prayer and reflection, and then small group sharing.