St. John Brebeuf High School graduates Michael Winterhoff (left), Cecilia Nguyen, and Chris Van Vugt. (Photo submitted)
ABBOTSFORD—As graduation season flies by, Grade 12 students are declaring their intentions to continue studies in post-secondary institutions or find full-time jobs. But three Abbotsford students have other plans.
Michael Winterhoff, Cecilia Nguyen, and Chris Van Vugt of St. John Brebeuf Secondary will join National Evangelization Team (NET) Ministries for one year – Cecilia in Canada, and Chris and Michael in Ireland.
According to the school’s Anne Fronteddu, they are not alone. Twenty-eight students from St. John Brebeuf High School have joined NET in the last nine years. With NET, students travel by van and live in host homes as they lead retreats, run Bible studies, and launch youth groups.
Archbishop J. Michael Miller, CSB, encouraged young Catholics to take a gap year for the sake of the Gospel when he announced Getting Closer to Jesus as one of his archdiocesan priorities. More information about gap years, including available bursaries, is available here.