Collegians rekindle faith at annual retreat

ALEXANDRIA — About 100 students from Rutgers University, New Brunswick, participated in an annual retreat sponsored by the college’s Catholic Center at Camp Tecumseh Feb. 21-23.

The retreats are offered twice a year and provide the students with the opportunity to take a break the stress of school and rekindle their relationship with God. The theme for the spring semester retreat was “INHERITANCE.”

The Catholic Center sponsors events throughout the year, including Bible study, discussion groups and social events. It staff focuses on building relationships with the students and encouraging those currently attending to invite others to join.

Michelle Nguyen, one of the co-directors said, “My hope for the weekend is that everyone will have a deeper relationship with God the Holy Spirit and know that the members of the Catholic Student Association will always be there for them at any time they need us.” 

The Center is affiliated with Saint Peter the Apostle University and Community Parish. Its members and Saint Paul’s Outreach Missionaries (SPO) engage with students who attend Sunday Mass and also work on campus to meet students who do not attend Mass regularly or visit the Catholic Center.

On Feb. 22, activities featured a talk by Sister Margaret Michael, a member of the Daughters of Saint Paul in Staten Island, N.Y.

“Who do people say that Jesus is? What have you been hearing about him?” Then she asked, “Who do you say that Jesus is?

“Our parents and godparents said, ‘yes,’ for us when we were young. But have you said your ‘yes’ to him, or are you still riding on their ‘yes?’”

Sister Margaret spoke about God’s love and his desire for a relationship with them.

“God has compassion and mercy on us. His mercy and forgiveness are consistent. Go to him. Don’t be afraid to admit your sins. His love and mercy are waiting for you,” she said.

Oscar Robles, one of the missionaries, spoke to the men attending the retreat about overcoming roadblocks that may arise that could prevent them from saying yes to Jesus. Some obvious roadblocks to saying yes are sin, unbelief and fear.

“We need to say, ‘Lord, here is my sin, please forgive me and help me to turn away from it. Take my life and change my heart so I can get past the fear and say yes,’” Robles said.

The attendees also had time to share and enjoy fellowship. Talks were given by alumni, invited guests and Catholic Center staff. Witness talks were also given by members of the student retreat team.

Other activities included Eucharistic adoration, small-group discussion, Mass and the sacrament of reconciliation.

The SPO missionaries connected with students after Mass and when manning the coffee table on campus. They get to know people, invite them to Mass or meet up with them one on one to invite them to attend the retreat.

In a talk Feb. 23, Monica Butler, chapter leader for CSA, said, “Imagine the seat next to you is empty, and Jesus is there. What would be better?

“The good news is that God wants us to succeed so he gives us a lot of tools to help,” she said about prayer, Scripture, sacraments, community and mission.

“Prayer is a conversation with your best friend. You can’t get to know someone if you’re not talking to them.

Scripture, she reminded the students, “is literally God’s word to us.”

Regarding sacraments, she told the students to think of Catholics who live in communist countries, where some people go “underground to have Mass.”

“We can go to masstimes.org and find a million Masses within 10 miles of us. That is rich. We are so incredibly blessed,” she said.

Community, she said, helps us live a Christian life.

“I need you all to help me get to heaven. I can’t do it alone,” she said.

Mission requires the faithful to share the good news with others, “that Jesus died on the cross for us and loves us and knows us and made us in our womb and wants a relationship with us.”

“We have to tell people,” she said. “Our brothers and sisters on campus, they’re starving. They’re so hungry. And I’ve been them, I’ve been that girl on campus, starving for love. For someone to notice them. And guess what? We have the good news. We have the answer. It’s Jesus.”

Father Jason Pavich, parochial vicar, St. Peter the Apostle University and Community Parish, presided and gave the homily at Mass.

In his homily, Father Pavich discussed Matthew 5:38-48, which includes the line: “If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also,” and the idea of an “eye for an eye” or retaliation.

“The only way to end the cycle of retaliation and resentment and sin is for someone to have the courage to pull the plug on it. That is called forgiveness,” he said. “Where does the Lord say we have to be doormats for people? We don’t have to be the victim. For Jesus Christ and his disciples, forgiveness is a sign of strength. Jesus is speaking about maturity, about spiritual maturity.

“God does not want us to simply react, he wants us to respond. And he wants us to respond as a Christian does, not as a little baby… responding takes maturity, it takes thought, it takes strength, and it takes control.

“We all know people who are filled with resentment, constantly living in the past, and they hold a grudge. But they really don’t hold the grudge, the grudge holds them.

“Forgiveness may or not bring healing to others, but it will always heal us, and it will always set us free”