Saturday, July 18, 2009

"Journey to the Father" (St. Raphael's, Ontario)


Today, seminarian Matthew Chojna and I are off to the Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall for the 10th annual High School Youth Festival which is sold out (capacity 500 with 400 volunteers involved).

In the Ruins of St. Raphael's (the original church) exciting gatherings take place; Sunday morning the walls will rock to praise and worship--Alleluia!!


Saturday afternoon's Talent Show had featured songs and skits, musical interludes and some extraordinary tap dancing!


Priests were regularly available for reconciliation and there were lots of takers:

Here's Marilyn, the lady responsible for it all for ten years!



Neighbouring bishops:



Led by the music of "The Mustard Seeds" there was joy in the air:

3 comments:

  1. What an incredibly small world - the tap dancer (step dancer) is our babysitter from when we lived in Renfrew. It was my husband who, as her highschool chaplain, convinced her to go to JTF last year. I was just wondering last night if she had gone again this year. Your post answered my question. Thank you.

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  2. I have been at Journey a couple of times, both as a participant (in Grade 11), and as a volunteer. It is one of the most incredible ministries that I have ever encountered - God has blessed it so much.

    I wish that every diocese in the country (or world, for that matter), would have an annual youth retreat similar to Journey to the Father. It would be really wonderful to see something like this in the Ottawa Archdiocese.

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  3. I had the honour of being a Disciple leader for the second time this year, and it was absolutely amazing. I had such an incredible time, and it was great to see that they really went all-out this year, what with it being the tenth anniversary.

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