Diocesan youth minister recaps success of retreats
By RENEE WEBB
Globe associate editor
Posted May 9 , 2002

With the last of the overnight high school retreats held for the year, the diocesan youth minister for the Diocese of Sioux City called it another successful year.

The Office of Youth Ministry offers the Discover Retreat for freshmen and sophomores. It focuses on youth relationships - with God, friends and family. The office also sponsors a Search Weekend for juniors and seniors based on the cycle of conversion - determining one's hungers and finding healthy ways to fill them.

According to Pat Rinker, diocesan youth minister, the diocese sponsored five high school retreats with 112 students participating. He acknowledged that numbers were slightly down this year, but the response by retreatants continued to be positive.

The evaluations revealed that reconciliation services and liturgies were among the highest rated events of the weekends. Rinker said part of the reason for this is that the retreats offer a safe environment for teens to open up about their faith so they experience the sacraments in a fuller, more meaningful way.

Another aspect of the evaluation that received high marks was "experiencing a closer relationship with God."

The last Discover of the year was held April 27-28 in Sioux City. Twenty-seven freshmen and sophomores attended. While the last Search Weekend of this school year was held in April 19-21 at Kuemper High School in Carroll. With just 13 participants, organizers said the close-knit group had the opportunity for powerful sharing.

Retreat participants and workers alike found value in the retreats.

Jody Lehmann, a parishioner at Immaculate Conception Church in Sioux City, attended the most recent Discover. She explained that she learned more than expected.

"I learned about God, myself and others," Lehmann said, adding that the witness talks by the small group leaders were especially inspirational.

Wendy Schrunk, a junior at Gehlen High School in Le Mars, was part of the team that worked the Discover in Sioux City. She was inspired to work at a retreat after she attended one as a sophomore and found it to be a powerful experience.

"Discover is a great opportunity to build your faith and meet new people," she said.

Ultimately, for her it was a springboard to greater involvement in youth ministry. Along with working Discover, she serves as a member of the Diocesan Youth Ministry Core Group.

Chris Ciaffa, a senior at Gehlen, attended the Search Weekend in Carroll and found it be a good experience, providing an opportunity to meet lots of new people and reflect on his faith.

"You can get out of it as much as you put into it," he said.

Three Discover Retreats planned for next school year are Oct. 5-6 at St. Joseph in Jefferson, Jan. 25-26 at Immaculate Conception in Cherokee and April 26-27 at Nativity in Sioux City.

Three Search Weekends schedule for next school year are Nov. 15-17 at Kuemper High School in Carroll, Feb. 14-16 at Holy Family in Emmetsburg and March 14-16 at Spalding High School in Granville.