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“Few souls understand what God would accomplish in them if they were to abandon themselves unreservedly to Him and if they were to allow His grace to mold them accordingly.” - St. Ignatius of Loyola
High school juniors and seniors are invited to Saint Alphonsus Liguori’s very first Antioch that will begin at 7 p.m. on Friday, October 28 and conclude in the afternoon on Sunday, October 30. The weekend - for teens and run by teens - is sure to be an unforgettable experience as it has impacted youth throughout the faith. Music, laughter, presentations and thought-provoking discussions are hallmarks of the retreat speaking directly to participants on their individual spiritual levels, while at the same time, challenging each one to dive a little deeper into the Catholic faith.
"This is an opportunity to foster community centered around the sacraments and the living God." said Paul Sifuentes, Director of Youth Ministry at St. Alphonsus Liguori. “An open heart is the only thing that is required to make it a meaningful weekend.”
“To keep a lamp burning we have to keep putting oil in it.” - Blessed Mother Teresa
Building on this weekend and by the power of the Holy Spirit, St. Alphonsus Youth Ministry hopes to develop its own teams for future retreats. Very often, Antioch attendees will develop the desire to repeat the weekend (something that is highly recommended), knowing that each occasion refuels their lamps until the next time.
The parish prays that this is the beginning of a long tradition of Antioch retreats at Saint Alphonsus Liguori. "Antioch retreats have had profound effects on many high school youth, so I am thrilled to provide that same opportunity for the youth at our parish,” said Sifuentes.
Parishioners can play a special role in this opportunity for youth
Even though retreat participants are high school aged youth, the entire program is a community effort with the help of a church's membership. Parishioners of St. Alphonsus Liguori are invited to help make with this amazing experience for youth through various ways. Interested volunteers can chose from serving meals or donating food for the weekend's meals, opening up a home for a student(s) to sleep overnight before returning to the next day's activities or helping drive youth to and from their host families.
Adults and youth from Our Lady of Mount Carmel (OLMC) parish have generously agreed to prepare and present the Antioch program to St. Alphonsus participants - which speaks volumes as to the extraordinary influence of this particular experience. A special thank you sincerely goes out to the OLMC ministry for their service and outreach.
For further information about volunteering, please call Paul Sifuentes at 873-2885 or email [email protected].
Participant Registration deadline: Friday, October 21; Cost per student: $60 (includes all meals)
Participant Housing: Following the activities on Friday and Saturday, students will stay overnight at the homes of local parishioners serving as host families. In the mornings, students will return to the parish campus for the next day's activities. Ride services to and from campus will be provided for students.
Register your student now (pdf)
Registration form and checks can be mailed to: St. Alphonsus Liguori Church Attn: Terie Thompson 1870 West Oak Street Zionsville IN 46077
Read more about Antioch at ZionsvilleCatholicYouth.com