On October 21st, volunteers from St. Liborius Teen Youth Group met with the 8th graders of St. Joseph for their confirmation retreat located in the gym of St. Joseph School. To start the event, the volunteers had the 8th graders do fun icebreakers so they could get to know each other a little better. When talking to the students, they reflected on what it meant to go through this sacrament. Many were looking for a better understanding of what Confirmation meant. Georgia Mott said that she was excited to be a part of the tradition in the church. William Augustave was looking forward to a day full of activities. All of the kids were engaged in the events of the day. After having lunch, the participants took part in interactive activities. One of the activities included a skit put on by the volunteers about how God takes the heavy baggage from our lives and is always there for us.
Later, the 8th graders had time to go to church to reflect on the day in silence with God. When asked about their motivation for volunteering at events like this, Jake, one of the teen leaders from St. Liborius, said that being a part of the youth group and volunteering to host this event is what living in the faith is all about. He strives to be an example for the kids and stated, “You can’t just graduate from the church. You must continue to live the faith after Confirmation.” Throughout the event, there was a positive energy that was shared with everyone in the room. The retreat helped our 8th graders start their Confirmation journey off strong and be more in tune with God through the process.
Anna Gsell and Jurni Tollerson Confirmation Class of 2016