Diocesan retreat to strengthen young adult movement
SALT LAKE CITY — Catholic adults from 18 to 39 years old will have the opportunity to participate in a diocesan retreat designed specifically for them.
The retreat will be in two parts, one in Spanish and the other in English.
The retreat in Spanish will take place at Saint Therese of the Child Jesus Parish on May 27; the English retreat will be on July 15.
“Retreats are important because it’s a way of building community and at the same time it is an encounter with God and with ourselves,” said Junuee Castro, director of the Youth and Young Adult Ministry of the Diocese of Salt Lake City.
The May 27 retreat is designed for young Catholic adults who are Hispanic or come from Hispanic families.
According to the National Catholic Network for Hispanic Youth Pastoral of the United States, 55 percent of Catholics in the United States are 18 to 39 years old.
“This is why we need to take care of them; they are a big presence here,” said Castro, highlighting that as she has visited the parishes in the diocese, she has seen firsthand the young adults helping in various ministries.
“They are here helping, but what are we giving them back?” she asked. “So this retreat is a great opportunity to do that, to give back to them a little. We want to walk together with them in this faith journey,” she said.
The daylong retreat, with the theme “With an Anchor, Let’s Bring Forward our Faith,” will reinforce Pope Francis’ words about God being a living God, Castro said.
“Jesus is alive. We have to have our anchor in him. He is our faith. Our mission as young people is to keep our faith alive, and that faith is supported in our God being a living God,” she said.
The retreat will include workshops, a Holy Hour, prayer, community sharing and social activities.
Fr. Marcos Ramos, OP, a Dominican friar of the Province of St. Martin de Porres and a resource person from the Congar Institute, will be the retreat leader.
Castro has been going to the parishes’ Spanish or bilingual Masses to invite all young adults in the diocese to attend the retreat.
“We have a Facebook page designed specifically for our young Hispanic adults in which people can enroll for this retreat, and they can also find information and resources,” said Castro.
The goal of the retreat is to start a stronger young adult movement in the diocese that includes more community involvement, Castro said, and the July 15 retreat in English will be similar. “Gathering, knowing that we are here, that we support each other, that we are a presence here in Utah, these retreats want to respect that some don’t speak English and others don’t speak Spanish, but at the end we are all one community of faith,” said Castro.
WHAT: Hispanic Diocesan Young Adult Retreat
WHEN: Saturday, May 27, 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
WHERE: St. Therese of the Child Jesus Parish, 624 Lennox St., Midvale
COST: $7, includes lunch
For registration, call 801-456-9313 or email junuee.castro@dioslc.org.
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