Lent: Week Six

Submitted by Suzy Amundson, Youth Minister

Every year for the past 32 years the St. Cloud Area Youth Ministers have gathered youth from around the St. Cloud Diocese to experience their faith through a weekend retreat know as Castaway. This year over 450 youth and 100 adults participated in the retreats.  15 youth and 2 adults from St. Augustine’s took part in Castaway March 31- April 2.

Each Castaway weekend is made up of five clubs with music, skits, and a speaker who talks about our Catholic Faith.   The youth have small groups to discus and ask questions about what the speaker says.  There is time for the youth to get to know people from other parishes in structured games and during free time.   The weekend ends with the celebration of Mass.

This year we had the blessing of having three priests: Fr. Dan Waltz, Fr. Matthew Luft, and Fr. Scott attend and participate in the weekend.  They really got into the singing and actions of the songs and had a great time getting to know the youth attending the weekend.

I asked each person who attended the Castaway weekend from St. Augustine’s to share a part of the weekend they liked best:

Castaway was enjoyable, lovely, and all sorts of other peachy adjectives. I had a great time meeting other kids.  Mary C.

Castaway is great.  It is also fun and a great learning and growing experience.  I experienced a lot of love with God and the adults and youth.  I also grew with God.  My relationship with him has grown and will continue to grow.  (Youth)

The clubs were great.  It was really neat to see the changes during weekend as thier participation increased.  The music was great and everyone enjoyed it.  The best part was seeing the priest being involved with the youth and the youth responding to them.  (Adult)

At Castaway I learned many new songs.  I came away with a stronger faith and learned that God helps us through life and is there us all the time.  I also loved our small group.  Liked our prayer things and lighting ceremony. (Youth)

This Castaway experience had taught me to really see Jesus in everyone.  I always knew that Jesus lives in everyone but I never really was able to see him in them. Now I feel like I can look at somebody and truly that Christ lives in them.  This experience has truly been life changing and an all around great experience.  Cecilia

For me Castaway was a very powerful and very moving experience.  This past weekend while I was there, I dedicated my life to God, prayer, and living a life Jesus would be proud of.   Through the fun music, the whole camp seemed to be connected and through small group discussions I felt God’s presence like never before.  Because of Castaway I feel like a renewed Christian- ready to go out into the world and live out the work of God. (Youth)

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