What is God’s plan for my life? Eight young men and women were seeking answers to this question at the Young Adult Weekend Retreat which took place March 23-25, 2018 at Graymoor. “Many young adults in their 20s and 30s are trying to figure out what God wants them to do with their lives. This retreat helps participants to sort through all of the competing ‘voices’ from our over-stimulated world seeking their attention and hear God’s voice above all else,” according to Paul Krenzelok, Director of Discernment Ministry for Young Adults. Talks by Fr. Bernie, Palka, SA, Sr. Lucinda Patterson, SA and Paul Krenzelok offered practical steps for how to spend time in discernment. The weekend was also rich in prayer with Mass, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and beautiful prayer experiences led by Br. Joe O’Gara, SA, and Br. Paolo Nicosia, SA.
In the words of participants, here are a few takeaways from the weekend:
• “I will take away the understanding that discernment takes time and that is okay. Taking it day by day and letting God lead the way can be so helpful and powerful!”
• “I am grateful to the Lord for freeing me from the fear of making the wrong decision; we really can’t make a “wrong” decision if we are sincerely striving to follow God’s will.”
• “Discernment is not something we are called to do occasionally but something we are called to make part of our daily prayer—it must become second nature.”
• “I have a much better grasp of what discernment means and how to work with it in order to let it guide me to where I need to go.”
Our next discernment weekends take place later this year. Our next Come and Discern Vocation Retreat for young men considering a religious vocation with the Friars occurs October 18-21, 2018. Our next Young Adult Weekend Retreat is December 7-9, 2018.