St. Viator Catholic Community Confirmation candidates reflected on being fearfully and wonderfully made on their sacramental preparation retreat last weekend.
They stepped out of the city and their routines for a true retreat to Potosi Pines, a mountainside center outside Las Vegas, for intentional prayer and reflection. Associate Rosy Hartz, parish coordinator of youth ministry and faith formation, was joined by Fr. Dan Belanger, CSV, parochial vicar; Associate Anthony Gugino, parish music and liturgy associate; Associate Paul Hartz; Pre-Associate Cathy Flynn and her husband, Marty; and music minister Wish Read.
Fr. Dan Belanger, CSV celebrates Mass for the Confirmation retreat outdoors on the hillside.
They started with Mass but not at church. Fr. Dan accompanied the group and celebrated Mass in a little amphitheater on a hill. “Those Palm Sunday readings on the journey of Christ and the retreat setting out on the mountainside gave them the space to start coming out of their Lenten journeys toward the Sacrament of Confirmation – a fitting place to be at the end of this season,” Fr. Dan said.
Fr. Dan liked being down lower on the hillside of their outdoor space, looking upward at the sloped seating and his congregation of young people. “It’s good sometimes to get away from the familiarity of the church and potentially sterile situations. Having them out in the wilderness and open air was great. You had to let go of some of the usual structure and embrace the unique space,” Fr. Dan said, desiring to set a different tone. “Being out in the wild, I approached my homily more simply: let’s remember to be ourselves and let God talk to us. And that, no matter how any of us are feeling, it’s ok to feel that way during Mass and retreat – depressed, anxious, happy, sad, or anything else.”
Mass set the tone for reflections on Psalm 139, especially its prayer, “I praise you, because I am wonderfully made” (Ps 139:14). Participants rotated through four activities: a peace hike, a forgiveness activity, a meditation, and a lectio divina station.
Participants moved between large-group gatherings and small-group rotation activities in indoor and outdoor spaces at the retreat center.
Anthony and Wish accompanied the group to lead music ministry as well as the lectio divina workshop. “In each of the workshops, we incorporated Psalm 139 and contemplated being made in God’s image and likeness. Co-leading a workshop on lectio divina, it was inspiring to hear the teens’ perspective on how Psalm 139 plays a role in their lives and on their journey towards Confirmation,” Anthony said.
After the teens moved through the stations, they concluded the retreat with music and prayer. “At the end as we sat in large group, we said one theme that speaks to many of us is music. Even though it may seem like we didn’t talk much about music, the psalms are the anthem to our faith. This psalm – Psalm 139 – has been with us each day,” Rosy said. “We reminded them as we closed that, whenever we are lost or alone, there is only one that we need. We invited them to close their eyes and open their hands, and then we sang ‘Lord, I Need You’ and invited them to join as they listened.”
From the ordinary weekend of volunteer service and sacramental preparation to these extraordinary trips for special spiritual experiences, Viatorians in youth ministry here are living out our charism boldly. “For me, being able to provide music for Mass in the mountains was a surreal experience and reminded me that God is always present and always moving in our lives,” Anthony said. “For Viatorians, the retreat offered a real opportunity, in a literal sense, to meet young people where they are.”
Viatorians at St. Viator Catholic Community are constantly collaborating. On this retreat, Pre-Associate Cathy Flynn (top left), Associate Rosy Hartz (top left), Associate Anthony Gugino (bottom left), Fr. Dan Belanger (top left and right), and Associate Paul Hartz all played roles!
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