October 22, 2024 // Diocese
Diocesan Confirmation Retreat: A Day of Faith and Fellowship
More than 300 area youths participated in the bi-annual Diocesan Confirmation Retreat on Saturday, October 19, at Saint Joseph High School in South Bend.
Throughout the day, the students were able to hear testimonies and talks from Father Ben Landrigan, Brittany Tull, Franciscan Sister Joan Roeder, and Jocelyn Alcalá. In addition to the speakers, the young people had an opportunity for small-group discussion, Confession, and Eucharistic adoration. The day culminated with Mass.
When asked about what she took away from the retreat, Mariel Nieves from St. John the Evangelist Parish in Goshen said she saw a “lot of people concentrated in their prayer, and personally, for me, I can’t focus very well, so I thought about ways that I can focus during prayer and adoration.”
Eugene Gbologan from St. Augustine Parish in South Bend said the retreat gave him a fresh perspective on the Sacrament of Confirmation.
Photos by Jocelyn Alcalá
Students bring the gifts of bread and wine to the altar during Mass for confirmation candidates, their families, and organizers of the annual Diocesan Confirmation Retreat at Saint Joseph High School in South Bend on Saturday, October 19.
“Before the confirmation retreat, I treated (confirmation) like another class, but now I’m seeing it as something I should really use, and it’s really going to help me throughout my whole life,” Gbologan said. “I can really use my own gifts that I get from my confirmation to really help out other people in need.”
An event that includes so many young people is no small undertaking. While the retreat was hosted by the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend’s Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry and guided by a core team, dozens of volunteers from across the diocese helped ensure every aspect of the retreat ran smoothly. Special support was provided by the members of the College Student Leadership and Diocesan Youth Leadership teams.
When asked about her experience, Lorena Navarrete, a chaperone from Our Lady of Hungary Parish in South Bend, told Today’s Catholic: “I felt like the kids had an encounter with the Lord; I felt the Holy Spirit was here, especially during adoration. The speakers and their testimonies were beautiful.”
Young women receive Communion during Mass at the annual Diocesan Confirmation Retreat.
The jam-packed day concluded with a vigil Mass in the gymnasium that was attended by the students, organizers, and hundreds of parents. Music was provided by Shema Culture, a local praise and worship group based in Fort Wayne that has been a part of numerous diocesan events, including World Youth Day in Portugal.
Retiro Diocesano de Confirmación: Un día de fe y compañerismo
El sábado 19 de octubre, en la Escuela Saint Joseph en South Bend, más de 300 jóvenes del área participaron en el Retiro Diocesano de Confirmación bianual. Durante el día, los estudiantes pudieron escuchar testimonios y charlas de Jocelyn Alcalá, el P. Ben Landrigan, Brittany Tull y la Hermana Joan Roeder OSF. Además de los oradores, los jóvenes tuvieron la oportunidad de compartir en grupos pequeños, confesarse, participar en Adoración Eucarística y culminar con el Santo Sacrificio de la Misa. Cuando se le preguntó sobre las conclusiones, Mariel Nieves de San Juan Evangelista dijo: “Para ser honesta, vi a muchas personas concentradas en su oración y, personalmente, no puedo concentrarme muy bien, así que pensé en formas en que puedo concentrarme durante la oración y la adoración”.
From left, Jaxson Doaks, Lele Charlton, Annie Tardy, Ayden Woods, Deacon Mel Tardy, Eugene Gbologan, John Charlton, and Lucy McVeigh pose during the confirmation retreat at Saint Joseph High School in South Bend on Saturday, October 19.
Eugene Gbologan de St. Augustine, South Bend, recibió una nueva perspectiva diciendo: “Antes del retiro de Confirmación, trataba (la confirmación) como otra clase, pero ahora la veo como algo que realmente debería usar y realmente me va a ayudar a lo largo de toda mi vida. Realmente puedo usar mis propios dones que recibo de mi Confirmación para ayudar a otras personas necesitadas”.
Un evento de esta magnitud no es tarea fácil. Mientras fue organizado por la Oficina del Ministerio de Jóvenes y Jóvenes Adultos y guiado por un equipo central, docenas de voluntarios de toda la Diócesis ayudaron a garantizar que todos los aspectos del retiro se desarrollaran sin problemas. El apoyo especial fue brindado por el Liderazgo Estudiantil Universitario y el Liderazgo Juvenil Diocesano. Cuando se le preguntó sobre su experiencia del día, Lorena Navarrete, chaperona de Nuestra Señora de Hungría, compartió: “Sentí que los niños tuvieron un encuentro con el Señor, sentí que el Espíritu Santo estaba aquí, especialmente durante la Adoración. Los oradores y sus testimonios fueron hermosos”
El día concluyó con una Misa de Vigilia en el gimnasio, a la que asistieron cientos de padres. La música estuvo a cargo de Shema Culture, un grupo local de alabanza que ha formado parte de numerosos eventos diocesanos, incluida la Jornada Mundial de la Juventud en Portugal.
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