By John Rohlf, The Message assistant editor
With over 475 youth participants and 165 team members, most of which were youth and young adults, this year’s Source + Summit retreat was one of their largest retreats.
The youth and team members participated in the three-day retreat at Reitz Memorial High School in Evansville. The retreat featured numerous speakers, daily Mass, time for adoration and Reconciliation and a Eucharistic healing service.
Source + Summit organizer Gail Shetler said the hope for the retreat is that each participant now has a deeper and firmer relationship with Jesus, as well as a better understanding of their Catholic faith and developed new friendships with other participants from other areas of the Diocese of Evansville.
“I am very grateful to God for all of the many graces that were poured out on all who were there,” Shetler said. “He promised he would in this Year of Jubilee of Hope and He was true to his word. Thank you Jesus!”
At the end of the retreat, several participants gave testimonies from the retreat. Several participants focused on the impact of adoration. Daniel Hillenbrand, an eighth grader and member of Holy Rosary Parish in Evansville, said prior to Source + Summit he never saw Jesus in the Monstrance.
“As hard as I’ve tried, I never have,” he said.
Hillenbrand came to Source + Summit expecting it to be the same situation. While sitting in the front row during adoration late in the night, he saw others crying, which he said he sees a lot. He wondered why they can feel the Holy Spirit but he feels nothing when he is present in adoration, he said.
“I remembered one of the Sister’s talks and she talked about being a Protestant and she saw all these Catholics that had such a great prayer life,” Hillenbrand said. “And she asked God I want that, may I have it? And that’s what I said. I said I want this feeling. May I have it? And I cried right there in front of the Monstrance for the first time. And it felt so good. And I thank God that he did finally give me the feeling of the Holy Spirit.”
Prior to hearing testimonies at the conclusion of the retreat April 6, the youth participants, team members and families of those in attendance filled the Reitz Memorial High School gymnasium for the retreat’s closing Mass April 6. Bishop Joseph M. Siegel celebrated the closing Mass for the three-day retreat.
During his homily, Bishop Siegel said in the Gospel for the Fifth Sunday of Lent, Jesus is presented as the original and greatest missionary of mercy. As the Son of God, he was sent by the father to proclaim the mercy and love of God and calls to repentance and Reconciliation, Bishop Siegel said. He also brought about the forgiveness of our sins by his passion, death and resurrection, he added.
Bishop Siegel said on the Fifth Sunday of Lent, they stood on the brink of Holy Week. He said if we are honest, we know that there is much in our lives that needs repentance, confession and forgiveness. Our lives could not bear the scrutiny of condemnation that we are all too often ready to inflict on others, especially those whose sins are more public, he said.
Bishop Siegel noted the Missionaries of Mercy, who were established by Pope Francis as part of the Jubilee of Mercy in 2015, were charged with traveling around their countries to preach and teach about love and mercy of God, while promoting the sacrament of Reconciliation.
Bishop Siegel said we are all called to be missionaries of mercy, to go forth today to share what Jesus has done with us with others. He said we all need to hear and heed the tremendous words of Christ that he does not condemn you and to go and sin no more. As pilgrims of hope, let’s go out and share that good news, Bishop Siegel said.
Concelebrants for the Mass were Father Lowell Will, senior priest in the diocese; Father Caleb Scherzinger, Source +Summit Chaplain and priest in the diocese; Father Tyler Tenbarge, Diocesan Director of Vocations; Father Andrew Thomas, pastor, St. James Parish and Sts. Peter and Paul Parish, Haubstadt; and Father Giles Barrie of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal. Transitional Deacons Nick Biever and Keith Hart assisted. Several diocesan seminarians were altar servers for the Mass.