Challenge Youth Retreat

By Joe Sullivan, MJ • Phoenix, AZ

This past September, members of the Miles Jesu Men’s community in Phoenix conducted its third Challenge Retreat for youth. It was an opportunity for them to make new friends, but most importantly, to look at the direction of the world and the direction of their lives. It was encouraging for many of the youth to learn that we can live without sin by accepting the challenge of following Jesus on a day-to-day basis and to foster a deep close relationship with Him. 

Ten teenagers attended the three-day retreat. Four teens who had previously attended the Challenge Retreat helped give this retreat. It is an impressive and very effective thing to see a 16-year-old give a talk to his peers. Each retreatant had the opportunity to go to Confession, attend Mass and receive Holy Communion, adore Our Lord in the Eucharist, learn how Mary is our Mother, how to study the Faith, how to be an apostle, and how to keep his faith alive and vibrant. Many of the retreatants are now coming to our monthly Challenge Reunions. 

One of the retreatants, a 16-year-old, described the retreat as a life-changer. He was alone and discouraged about his faith. It was difficult for him keep out of sin and he did not know what to do about it. Now, after the Challenge Retreat, he says he has many brothers in Christ of the same age and with the same goals. They meet at the Miles Jesu Center every month for three days and pray, evangelize, learn the Faith, and have fun. Some of these teens have become mentors to the kids in the Miles Jesu pre-teen group that meets at our center every Saturday morning. As Saint Don Bosco said, “It is not enough to love the young. They must also know that they are loved.” Praise God! The love given and shown in the youth work here at the Miles Jesu Center in Phoenix is a great blessing.