Meeting Jesus at the October Leadership Retreat
By Anthony DePinho
On Friday, October 3, a lot of things were going through my mind. Between the dreaded college applications and senior year courses, the school year got off to a rather stressful start. But when I pulled into the Marian Shrine that afternoon to begin my adventure as part of the October Leadership Retreat Young Team, all those anxieties melted away. I had returned home.
I was beyond excited to serve on Young Team, but at the same time I was extremely nervous. My LR experience back in March was a fantastic one; but now, it was my duty to provide an even better experience for the OLR participants and chaperons. I had never led a retreat before, so this was a brand new challenge I was willing and eager to take on.
One of my jobs on the retreat was to lead a prayer service on the theme “Meeting Jesus,” which could not have been more applicable to my life. Meeting Jesus in my life was something I thought about, prayed about, and sometimes struggled with, but could never figure out. God was challenging me, and I wasn’t sure how to respond.
It turns out that at OLR, God made this a pretty easy challenge, because I can say wholeheartedly that I found Jesus in everyone connected to this retreat, in some way. The Core Team all used their incredible skills and talents to put on a fantastic retreat; their energy and enthusiasm toward inspiring young people would have made Don Bosco, himself, very proud. My fellow Young Team members were a tremendous inspiration to me who made me feel incredibly loved and welcomed; I consider them to be a family of fifteen incredible new brothers and sisters in my faith.
The OLR participants and chaperons absolutely blew me away. I have never observed a group of hundred-plus total strangers come together and show such an incredible love for each other and a complete openness for what God had in store for them. This love for God and for one another was present throughout the four days, but when it really struck me was during Reconciliation. Seeing everyone completely pour out his or her souls to God – with no regrets or any holding back – truly was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen.
OLR 2014, I want to say thank you. The love and support you showed each other and showed to me are honestly things I will never forget. You all made finding Jesus very easy for me, because I saw Him working through you being yourself and opening up to God. I consider it an honor and a blessing to say that I was able to serve all of you. We may have convened as one hundred plus strangers, but we have emerged as a big, happy, Salesian family! To anyone considering attending an LR, I could not recommend a more rewarding experience.
I was beyond excited to serve on Young Team, but at the same time I was extremely nervous. My LR experience back in March was a fantastic one; but now, it was my duty to provide an even better experience for the OLR participants and chaperons. I had never led a retreat before, so this was a brand new challenge I was willing and eager to take on.
One of my jobs on the retreat was to lead a prayer service on the theme “Meeting Jesus,” which could not have been more applicable to my life. Meeting Jesus in my life was something I thought about, prayed about, and sometimes struggled with, but could never figure out. God was challenging me, and I wasn’t sure how to respond.
It turns out that at OLR, God made this a pretty easy challenge, because I can say wholeheartedly that I found Jesus in everyone connected to this retreat, in some way. The Core Team all used their incredible skills and talents to put on a fantastic retreat; their energy and enthusiasm toward inspiring young people would have made Don Bosco, himself, very proud. My fellow Young Team members were a tremendous inspiration to me who made me feel incredibly loved and welcomed; I consider them to be a family of fifteen incredible new brothers and sisters in my faith.
The OLR participants and chaperons absolutely blew me away. I have never observed a group of hundred-plus total strangers come together and show such an incredible love for each other and a complete openness for what God had in store for them. This love for God and for one another was present throughout the four days, but when it really struck me was during Reconciliation. Seeing everyone completely pour out his or her souls to God – with no regrets or any holding back – truly was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen.
OLR 2014, I want to say thank you. The love and support you showed each other and showed to me are honestly things I will never forget. You all made finding Jesus very easy for me, because I saw Him working through you being yourself and opening up to God. I consider it an honor and a blessing to say that I was able to serve all of you. We may have convened as one hundred plus strangers, but we have emerged as a big, happy, Salesian family! To anyone considering attending an LR, I could not recommend a more rewarding experience.