Briar Cliff hosts confirmation retreats on campus

By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff reporter
February 5, 2004

Briar Cliff University students facilitated a confirmation retreat for students in the Diocese of Sioux City. The campus ministry organization at BCU sponsored the retreat, that was titled Crossroads.

"I believe it is a way for Briar Cliff to be of service to the diocese and for the parishes to have more contact with BCU students and what our ministry at BC is all about. We want to build bridges and make connections," said Sister Janet May, OSF, campus ministry director at Briar Cliff.

Students from St. Michael's Parish and Blessed Sacrament Parish in Sioux City attended a retreat at Briar Cliff University from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 1 in the St. Francis Center.

On Feb. 15, students from Sacred Heart, Nativity and Immaculate Conception parishes in Sioux City will also venture to Briar Cliff for the retreat. It is possible that students from Early will join them as well. Approximately 90 students attended the retreat on Feb. 1 and 100 or more are expected for Feb. 15.

"I think our hope is that students have a better understanding of confirmation and the gifts of the Holy Spirit and what it means to follow Jesus in their lives," said Sister Janet. "Our college students are going to be witnessing to their faith and some of the decisions they have made."

The team of Briar Cliff students was made up of 20 students on Feb. 1. There will be 23 college students helping on Feb. 15.

Each weekend there are some students involved in giving talks and all are small group leaders. There are about five high school students to one college student in the small groups. This allows for a great deal of one on one contact, where the high school students can really interact with a college student. Other parts of the retreat include icebreakers, fun time and prayer time.

One student, Sara Heiner, a sophomore at Heelan and Blessed Sacrament parishioner, commented that she learned more about confirmation in general. She added that she enjoyed the speakers because they talked about experiences in their own lives that related to confirmation. She now feels better about her knowledge of confirmation.

"I really wanted to help people grow in their understanding of their faith before they get confirmed so they really know the power of confirmation," said Jon Borer, Briar Cliff sophomore from Wahoo, Neb. "I enjoyed it a lot. I learned about myself, my faith and got stronger in my faith."

Ashley Hittle, a BC sophomore from Ida Grove, commented that she has helped with other retreats and has also helped at Camp CAYOCA. She commented that she was really excited to be helping with the retreats. She has enjoyed working with the retreat team, being a part of the students learning about Christ and helping them prepare to become adult members of the Catholic Church.

"Parishes are always looking for retreats for their confirmation students," said Sister Janet. "I think there is real value in college students witnessing to high school students. I think high school students are probably interested in knowing what it is really like when you are away from home. I think for our college students it is very good for them to be witnessing their faith and to be of service to younger people. It's like a peer ministry experience.

"Hopefully, they will have a better understanding of confirmation through it and also know how college students today are living out their commitment to confirmation."

The team at Briar Cliff would like to also offer the retreats next year to students that will be confirmed throughout the Diocese of Sioux City.

"We want to offer this option to parishes throughout the diocese for the next academic year," said Sister Janet. "It would be up to parishes to decide when they would like us to come. We want to form a variety of teams of students so that they can go out in fives and tens, or whatever number is needed, in a particular geographical area of the diocese."

Parishes will have the option to bring their students to Briar Cliff to have an experience on the college campus, or BC students would go out to their areas.

"Eventually, the dream is that we can do outreach in the surrounding states - Nebraska, South Dakota - where our students are coming from so that they could go out to their home parishes and also present it," explained Sister Janet.