Lenten retreat invites youth Into the Garden April 6

By RENEE WEBB
Content and Design Coordinator

Youth of the Diocese of Sioux City in 6^th to 12^th grades are invited Into the Garden this Lent.

Into the Garden is a Lenten retreat to be held from 4 to 8 p.m. on April 6 at Sacred Heart Church in Sioux City.

According to Danielle Fennessy, a faith formation coordinator for the diocese and a member of the team organizing this retreat, the event will be led by Steve Angrisano. He is singer, songwriter and storyteller – who has been described as one of the most effective and versatile ministry leaders in the Catholic Church today and one of the most recognized faces in Catholic youth ministry.

“Steve is a man filled with the Holy Spirit. He’s such a vessel and is very charismatic,” she said, noting that Angrisano has been a frequent guest speaker in the diocese. He has also emceed three National Catholic Youth Conferences and dozens of Steubenville youth conferences.

The day before this retreat, Angrisano is keynoting the Men’s Conference that will be held April 5 in Le Mars and had another speaking engagement in the area.

“This was a great opportunity to have him do something in Sioux City,” said Fennessy, who called Mary Lehr to see if Sacred Heart might host a youth event.

Planning team forms 
Lehr, faith formation director at Sacred Heart and a member of the team organizing the retreat, thought it was a great idea and opportunity for the youth of this area. From there, she suggested they invite Deacon Pat Brockhaus of Holy Cross Parish in Sioux City to join the planning team.

In selecting the title of the retreat – Into the Garden – the planning team agreed it was inspired by the Holy Spirit as it ties in well with a Lenten theme, building off the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus prayed and the disciples slept the night before his crucifixion.

Deacon Brockhaus said by attending the retreat, he hopes it prepares the youth to enter into the Passion of Christ and the Triduum in a new way.

The retreat organizers pointed out that the apostles reacted differently when the soldiers came to the garden to arrest Jesus as did individuals in the Stations of the Cross.“Veronica (wipes Jesus’ face) entered it differently than Simon of Cyrene (carries the cross for Jesus) but they were both so present in action,” said Fennessy, adding that youth participate in the Lenten season and enter Holy Week in different ways based on their own relationship with Christ.

The team mentioned the day will have a good mix and balance of activities, starting with games, dinner, a Lenten-themed talk by Angrisano, eucharistic adoration, Stations of the Cross, praise and worship. Confessions will also be available.

“We will be feeding them spiritually and physically,” said Fennessy.

Holy Spirit among invited guests
Lehr pointed out that for Sacred Heart this event will serve as their confirmation retreat and she is a firm believer “that the Holy Spirit will show up.” While this does not have to serve as a confirmation retreat for other groups, she said this would serve confirmation students well “because it’s going to be a quality retreat and the Holy Spirit will show up.”

“We’re going to ask him to be there. Come Holy Spirit. There, we asked him,” quipped Deacon Brockhaus.

On a serious note, Lehr stressed it is her hope that youth attending Into the Garden “will experience the Holy Spirit in a powerful way because that’s what changes hearts.”

The deacon mentioned that the faith journey is a continual process, a life-long process and an opportunity to gather with other youth can be very powerful environment to encounter Christ in itself.

“I cannot describe the amount of joy it is to work with these two individuals! Mary and Pat are filled with a joy that can only come from the Holy Spirit,” said Fennessy. “They each care greatly about the youth in their parish and are excited to share this event not just with their own parishioners, but those all around Siouxland.”

This is the third regional youth gathering held in different locations of the diocese this school year. An event was held in Granville last fall and another one is planned for March 1 in Ogden, near Boone. While youth from throughout the diocese are welcome to attend these gatherings, organizers know realistically it is not always easy to travel two to three hours. 

However, traveling 30 to 45 minutes is much more doable.

Better together
“It’s great to work together with all of the parishes around. It feels like we are better together,” said Lehr, who noted this youth gathering may become an annual event.

It is their hope that parishes from this region of the diocese bring a group to Into the Garden. An invitation has been also extended to youth from South Sioux City, Nebraska and Dakota Dunes, South Dakota.

“And you don’t even have to be Catholic to come to this. Check this out, come and bring a friend,” said Deacon Brockhaus, who acknowledged it can be difficult to keep the fire created at Steubenville conferences going. This type of event could either keep that fire going or be an igniter for those who’ve never had chance to attend a large-scale youth event.

Cost to attend is $20, including the meal which will be provided the Knights of Columbus from Sacred Heart.

For youth who wish to attend, Fennessy suggested they reach out to their DRE or youth ministry first if a group or going or they can register online at scdiocese.org/intothegarden. Contact Fennessy for more information and large group registration at [email protected]. All groups are asked to register by March 14.