PORTSMOUTH — “The future is yours,” or so young people are often told. However, a group of young men and women in the Diocese of Providence refuse to wait for a distant future to answer the call to leadership. Thirty-seven students, from incoming high schoolers to college freshmen, representing 18 parishes in Rhode Island and two in Massachusetts, participated in a leadership retreat called Mandatum at Portsmouth Abbey from June 22-26.
Director of the Office of Family, Youth, and Young Adult Evangelization Dennis Sousa oversaw this event, which was led primarily by Youth and Young Adult Evangelization Consultant Hannah Jefferson. The Diocese of Providence’s Secretariat for Evangelization has recently been energized by Bishop Bruce A. Lewandowski, C.Ss.R. to further understand the needs of the diocese and evangelize throughout it. Reaching the younger generation plays a large part in that.
“A lot of times young people hear ‘You are the future’ … but it’s a little bit different in the Catholic world,” Sousa commented, “where we become fully mature members of the Church in our Confirmation.”
Sousa spoke of the importance of including young Catholics in the renewal of the diocese. It is beyond difficult for a teen today to testify to the Faith, but “The Church looks at them ready for mission; the Church has sent them out, the bishop when he confirmed them sent them on mission.”
Through Mandatum, the diocese sought to imbue in attendees the commission given by Jesus to the Apostles at the Last Supper to love others; that God is calling them to greatness and will equip them with the necessary tools and community to support this.
“They need a community to continue to grow and stay connected to, and then they have that responsibility to form the communities where God has placed them: in their schools, in their sports teams, in their homes.”
Jefferson coordinated the entire week, from advertising to registering participants to emceeing the event and leading worship music during Holy Hour and Mass with Bishop Lewandowski. She explained that planning began when she came onboard with the diocese more than two years ago. She drew on her own experiences in Franciscan Lead, at Franciscan University of Steubenville and the advice of friends seasoned in programs like FOCUS and Life Teen to create the best experience possible for attendees.
Talks were decided through a committee formed prior to her tenure, which “reached out into the fields” to youth group leaders and others to determine “what would we want a young person to know now?”
The weeklong camp began with a study of themselves—understanding who they are as individuals and as members of the Body of Christ. Part of this was a discovery of their individual charisms, or gifts given to each person by the Holy Spirit to use in service of others and the greater world.
Teaching continued both within the classroom and in casual settings such as fireside talks. The Office of Family, Youth and Young Adult Evangelization wanted to keep the week engaging as well as educational, using a mixture of games, workshops and friendly competitions with daily Mass, Liturgy of the Hours and Eucharistic Adoration. Sousa noted that the teens “liked the routine, the rhythm” of the schedule. Lessons were given by diocesan staff members like Jefferson and other members of the Church from around the diocese.
Fellowship is critical to shoring up young leaders, and Mandatum centered on that aspect of the Faith. Spending a week with peers in the Faith encouraged and empowered these young men and women to speak the truth with greater boldness.
“It’s awesome to come together with other young people who take their faith very seriously,” Sousa continued, noting that it is one thing to see Catholic teens in their parishes and another to truly witness the unfolding of their faith journeys; both their strengths and stumbles. “[Here] they really felt like … I’m not alone, there are other young people” in various places on the same path.
One of the highest points of the week was the Thursday night Holy Hour. At the end of the evening, teens were invited to share personal testimonials from the last few days. Sousa said, “It was quiet for about 20 seconds, then one brave person got up” followed by one after another until about 30 of the 37 attendees spoke emotionally about their encounters with God during the week.
“We were in the chapel for an extra hour,” Jefferson said. “It was so moving, seeing the vulnerability of the students … they were nervous but wanted to be all in.”
Sousa added, “We leaders were blown away. It was edifying.”
Teens had an opportunity to share in a similar way the next day at the closing ceremonies in front of their families, friends and pastors. Most of them shared the ways God touched their hearts.
“God was really moving this week,” Sousa said.
Feedback from parents and students alike were overall positive. Both Sousa and Jefferson are looking forward to next year’s Mandatum, hoping to make it an annual retreat. Two of the senior girls from this year’s Mandatum have already offered to help work with younger students at the next one. Jefferson said that she will accommodate any number of young people that the Lord calls to participate. Additionally, she is considering adding a second track for returning attendees who want to further their faith growth.
