The following article first appeared on the webpage of Christ the King Parish in Daphne, AL
During the weekend of November 6-8th, our parish had the unique experience of integrating our new Confirmation class composed mostly of 9th-graders from our parish, into the dynamic Men of St. Joseph (MOSJ) Outback retreat held at beautiful of Camp Grace in Mobile County.The MOSJ Outback retreat is designed for two persons to attend together, thus our retreat was composed of mothers and fathers attending with their teen sons and daughters as "campers". The campers experienced several reflective talks and outdoor activities that included a challenging high-ropes course, all designed to build, restore, and strengthen relationships with each other and with God.
In order to facilitate this event, a volunteer team was formed made up of over one-hundred lay persons, largely from CTK and St. Lawrence parishes, and integrated with MOSJ volunteers from Mobile. Fr. Victor of Christ the King Parish led the campers through celebrations of the Mass and adoration, and confessions were heard with the help of six assisting priests. The Holy Spirit clearly had a large impact on both the campers and volunteers during the weekend, and it is hoped that the MOSJ Outback retreat will continue as part of our Confirmation program, with both the support of all involved, as well as those called to assist with this great event in the future.
Having had the MOSJ invest in our parish in such a big way, it's now our chance to "pay it forward" and keep costs low so everyone in our parish can benefit from such a dynamic, faith building experience.
This retreat, the first ever MOSJ Outback retreat used by an entire parish as a jumpstarter for Confirmation formation, was made possible by the extreme support and generosity of the MOSJ. An experience which normally costs a parent/teen couple $295 was offered to our parishioners for only $25 a couple! Moving forward, we need your support to be able to offer this program to next year's Confirmation class and hopefully many classes to come.
Consider making a donation to support this bold new ministry in our parish family by going to the following link: Donate to MOSJ Outback, select the amount of your donation, and marking "MOSJ Outback" before finalizing payment.
