Preaching Retreats-Love Casts Out Fear 55 Young Adults attended the 4th Annual
MidSummer Young Adult Retreat entilted, “Love Casts Out Fear,” at Our Lady of Florida Spritual Center in North
Palm Beach Florida, July 8-10, 2011. This was the best attended retreat yet. Due to the lack of Young Adult ministries
around the state, the retreat attracted young adults from Orlando, the Keys, and Tampa! Terence McCorry, Hand of Help
Board Member and Preacher, and Fr. Patrick Daugherty of OLOF facilitated the retreat but the talks were designed and
presented by the Young Adult core team that began planning the retreat back in March. Five of the seven members
of the core team, Joseph Couicouwho, who now preaches on Co-op missions, Cecilia Rosado, Raquel and Gary Toamino, and Karen
Ann Benoit, are part of Hand of Help's Community of Preachers program. These pictures taken during the retreat.
The Night with Fr. Henri,
OSB and the Young Adults of the Diocese of Palm BeachTerence McCorry, board member of Hand of Help, Inc. and Director
of Campus & Young Adult Ministry for the Diocese of Palm Beach invited Fr. Henri, OSB, Prior of Holy Trinity Monastery,
to Sunny South Florida. Fr. Henri, OSB was given an opportunity to visit the Diocese of Palm Beach and was able tour its communities
and parishes it serves. Also, it gave Fr. Henri an opportunity for physical and spiritual rest. During his visit, a dinner
gathering was made for a chance for Fr. Henri, OSB to see and speak with the Community of Young Adult Preachers, which is
sponsored by Hand of Help, Inc. Also, Fr. Henri, OSB got a chance to also speak with some of the young adults in the Diocese
of Palm Beach during this dinner gathering. Cecilia Rosado, preacher from the Community of Young Adult Preachers, was hostess
and cook for this lovely party we had. Through this table fellowship, we were all able to talk about ourselves by talking
about our past and Catholic faith. The young adults were able to learn some interesting things about Fr. Henri, OSB's vocation
to the Benedictines and the priesthood, and Fr. Henri, OSB was able to hear how active the young adults are in the Diocese
of Palm Beach, especially with the Community of Young Adult Preachers. We also discuss how the Church, especially the Benedictines,
can draw this generation of youth and young adults towards a vocation of religious life. The night ended, after dessert,
with prayer in Cecelia's tranquil living room. We all gathered to pray lectio divina by reading 2 Tim 1:6-14. We
called on the Holy Spirit to guide us through this prayer, discuss the passages that inspired us among the group, and remained
silent to allow God to speak to us through his Word. Not only we were spiritually fed by the Word, but we were intellectually
fed through the discussion about inclusive language and God by Fr. Henri, OSB and one of the young adults. More importantly,
we prayed to provide spiritual strength for Br. Fred Buerman, ob. OSB. Before we all went home, Cecilia's provided
us with slips that all had to pull out from a bible that had a scripture passage to provide us affirmation in our faith with
Christ. It was like breaking a Chinese fortune cookie and reading the fortune; however, the one we read are true since it
was inspired by the Holy Spirit. We said our goodbyes, and the young adults cannot wait to visit Holy Trinity Monastery to
see Fr. Henri, OSB again.
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Break
Bread & Break Open God's Word Representatives from the community of preachers along with young adult
guests greeted Father Henri from Holy Trinity Monastery. [To the tune, Give Me Oil] Give me wax for
my board! Keep me surfing! Give me wax for my board, I pray! Dinner with Father Henri was an opportunity
to hear of how God uniquely calls us by name and when we do respond to the invitation we "find" ourselves.
It took Father Henri an adventure to discover that he liked living in community and simplicity. From surf boarding,
service, and studies, God prepared his path to be a part of the church militant through the priesthood vocation. Trust
in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will
make your paths straight. ~Proverbs 3:5-6 If Father Henri's path was made straight, then there's hope for
me yet. How interesting it is to reflect on how God is having us move in our calling to Young Adult Ministry.
There are new challenges and new ways to reach our peers. Lectio Divina is a key part in the abundant fruit for at least
the YACHT Club. His Living Word applies still and if we can chew long enough on it, the path is made straight for we
discover our very identity in & through Christ. Remember your sincere faith, a faith which first dwelt in your
grandmother..., and your mother..., and I am sure dwells also in you. (2Tim1:5) Where are we headed? To the
Eucharistic Heart of Jesus! To a spring of living water, where our thirst is finally quenched so that we can take buckets
out and pour over the refreshing coolness of Christ to others. So, fan into a flame the gift of God that you possess
(2 Tim 1:6). Definitely want to catch that wave. So, yes, Father Henri's young adult prayer get's
to the heart of it.....Give me wax for my board! Keep me surfing! Give me wax for my board, I pray! Together
in Christ, Cecilia "CC" Rosado
<><
YACHT Coordinator
(Young Adult Catholics Hanging
Together)
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