Teens find the Source and Summit

Youth gather at Calgary retreat to adore, focus on the Eucharest

By RENATO GANDIA
WCR Staff Writer
Calgary

The 16-year-old journeyed to Calgary May 2-4 to attend a Catholic youth fest called The Source and Summit, which focused on the Holy Eucharist.

"Just the fact that it's centred on the very heart of our faith (the Eucharist), is uplifting in itself," Barter told the WCR.

"This is the source of our life. This is the source of our being. Anything that is focused on the Eucharist is always life giving."

Anywhere that she can go for Eucharistic Adoration, praying the rosary, celebrating the Mass with people as the body of Christ, she finds enriching for her own relationship with Christ.

Barter joined more than 100 youth, mostly from Calgary and area, but also some from the Edmonton area, at the weekend retreat at St. Mary's High School.

Bishop Fred Henry celebrated the Mass with the youth May 3 at St. Mary's Cathedral. Speakers at the retreat included, the four young priests in the diocese, Fathers Huy Nguyen, Malcolm D'Souza, Mario Basque and Wojciech Jarzecki, Deacon Avinash Colaco and vocations director Father Myles Gaffney.

Susan Suttie, who organized the event with Gaffney, told the WCR, "It has been a prayerful experience. It has been a very interesting experience working with a group of young people, who are very intense and involved in their faith."

She stressed the weekend was for those who were looking at a different level of faith enrichment. "It's more in depth than what we would normally do with high school students.

It gives more encouragement because you're not alone - the fact that you can go out and show yourself as Catholic with your friends." - Jamie Keess

"We often have rallies, more fun types of events. This is a different event because the Eucharist is foremost, the source and summit. Our intent is to fill those tanks for those young people, who want more."

Having the four new priests as speakers was rich for the young people because most of the youth were at their ordination July last year, noted Suttie.

The four priests were ordained last year during the Days in the Diocese celebration in Calgary prior to the Toronto World Youth Day.

In observance of May as the month of Mary, Gaffney gave a talk on Mary, Star of the New Evangelization, which was concluded by a crowning of Mary in the grounds of FCJ Christian Life Centre.

Replete with spiritual talks and different activities like a holy hour and rosary making while praying, the young people believed it was a weekend that nurtured their faith.

Barter said, "My faith is the heart of me. I would be nothing without my faith. Just because I'm human, every day I'm learning something new, every day I grow."

Teenagers like her usually spend their weekends with their friends.

But for Calgary's Jamie Keess if spending time with friends is one of the fun things to do as a teenager, it is therefore "right to spend Saturday night in adoration with the person who should be your best friend, Jesus Christ."

"I love coming to these things because they help you fall in love with God. It gives more encouragement because you're not alone - the fact that you can go out and show yourself as Catholic with your friends."

Michael Korenowski, from St. Peter's Parish in Calgary, said, "One of the best aspects of this retreat is its social component. People have the same faith as you . . . you can talk about problems and relieve some stress."

He likes attending retreats like this because it's not often that he can be with a lot of Catholic youth in one place at one time.

"I could be sleeping right now. I'm sick and I have a hard job that I do Monday to Friday but I'd rather sacrifice to come out here . . . because the source of my life is Jesus and the summit of our journey on this earth is to continue his mission."

Sherwood Park's Mark Isinger, said, "It's really great to hang out with all the Catholic kids. It's kind of a positive peer pressure."

At the Saturday night benediction, he felt like he was experiencing God's love. "It's really a great feeling," said the teenager, who is also involved with Alberta ProLife.

"I feel like it's a weekend well spent. It's a spiritual high that you don't get quite often and you know you're going to get it when you come here."

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