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Youths take ‘ride of their life’ at retreat
archived from: 2009-12-07
by: John Franko

For Janet Roberto, youth minister at St. Benedict the Abbot in Peters Township, the sight of young people kneeling in awe before the Blessed Sacrament was an “overwhelming” experience.

“They want to experience Christ, but they don’t know how,” she said. “For some of them it’s the first time they’ve experienced real love, an unconditional love.”

More than 240 young people had the chance to explore their faith more deeply during “The Ride of Your Life” retreat Nov. 20-22 at Camp Allegheny in Ellwood City.

The experience highlighted the beauty of the Mass and took the young people on Kennywood Park-themed rides that explained each part of the liturgy.

“We’re trying to make it relevant and more approachable,” Roberto said. “We need to get them to understand why the Mass is so important.”

The gathering included music led by seminarian Levi Hartle, inspirational speakers, adoration, the sacrament of penance and liturgies.

“They are so hungry,” said Angela Gaughan, youth minister at St. Bernard in Mount Lebanon and a member of the core team. “They so badly want to hear the truth of our faith.”

The retreat was sponsored by St. Athanasius in West View, St. Bede in Pittsburgh’s Point Breeze neighborhood, St. Benedict the Abbot, St. Valentine in Bethel Park, St. Bernard and St. Richard in Richland Township.

Father Tom Sparacino, a member of the team ministry at St. Benedict the Moor in Pittsburgh’s Hill District, Epiphany in Uptown and St. Mary of Mercy in Downtown Pittsburgh, was the spiritual director for the team that included a number of youth ministers, religious and clergy.

Bishop David Zubik joined the young people for adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

In pointing out that we face a society of greed and selfishness, much like St. Paul did in Corinth, the bishop reminded the gathering that Jesus was just as present in the Eucharist on the altar as he was on the cross.

“That is the real Jesus,” he said. “It is his presence with us.”

Bishop Zubik said he celebrates many Masses, sometimes as many as four a day. He spoke of how he must be careful not to allow the liturgy to become mundane.

He recalled the words of a priest who uttered the phrase, “May the body of Christ enable us to embody Christ,” right before Communion.

The bishop reminded the young people of the importance of being like Christ and being a witness of him to others, even when it involves being counter-cultural.

“We need to continue to shock people with the courage to stand up for what is true,” he said.

Michael Locke, a member of St. Benedict the Abbot and a teacher at Mount Lebanon High School, presented an inspirational witness talk to the young people.

He spoke of how we all like to have control over our lives, but it is God who really controls our direction.

Like the machines they entrust themselves to at Kennywood Park, they must entrust themselves to Jesus.

“Taking that first step is a difficult thing to do,” he said.

Locke spoke of his own battles with self-image and how a medical condition forced him to rely more on God and trust in him. In the end, Locke noted, he became a much stronger and compassionate person.

He told the young people that eucharistic adoration is a perfect opportunity to reflect on what they are struggling with and how they pray about those struggles.

“For a lot of these students, to take that first step and come here shows that they are hungry to learn about their faith,” he said later. “It’s such a leap of courage. It shows that God is alive in Pittsburgh.”

Deacon Robert Fleckenstein, a seminarian at St. Vincent Seminary in Latrobe, co-presented “The Mass Undressed,” which stripped away the different parts of the liturgy and highlighted the central role of the Eucharist.

He also noted the hunger of the young people to learn about the faith, and Deacon Fleckenstein noted that he was inspired by their witness.

“It’s given me more to reflect on how I would like to live out my priesthood,” he said.

The core team spent some 10 months developing the weekend.

Roberto said, however, that all the preparation took a back seat to the presence of the Holy Spirit.

“Every year the kids surprise us by showing us what they need,” she said. “We set the stage and Jesus shows up.”

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