Another Searching in the Spirit retreat came and went, and friendships sparked at the annual retreat will last beyond the summer months.
Two participants who were getting along well at the retreat shared a story of reconnection that explained why they seemed so close and familiar with each other.
While it appeared Albin and Maty had come to Camp Jubilee in North Vancouver already best friends from the same parish or school, they actually had no prior idea they were both going to be spending five days together at camp Aug. 28 to Sept. 2.
Both in fact were pen pals through their respective schools, taking advantage of the opportunity to participate in the seemingly lost fine art of true letter writing.
They said they had only met once before at an inter-school volleyball tournament where they were introduced to each other by their teachers.
Several months after that first encounter they were reunited again at Searching in the Spirit. They immediately recognized each other and took advantage of opportunities to finally interact with each other and share their thoughts and faith in person.
Although their first in-person encounter at volleyball had been both awkward and brief, they were enjoying their time at Camp Jubilee and looking forward to being at St. John Brebeuf Secondary in Abbotsford this school year.
Making special connections at Searching in the Spirit is not something new, said Faye McCreedy. “Nor do I believe it is by chance.”
The retreat has been offered for more than 20 years, and wonderful things happen each time friendships are newly forged or rekindled, she said.
“This movement of the Holy Spirit has brought together many youth, young adults, and even older adults who first met at Searching in the Spirit, either as participants or leaders, and now some of these people are leaders in our parish communities and for Archdiocesan initiatives.”
This year’s retreat focused on the theme “We are: Sacred, Witnesses, Forgiven, Servants and One Body,” and was led by a leadership team of older youth and young adults.
During the camp participants celebrated their faith through the sacraments and had opportunities for recreational activities, small group discussions, and personal reflection.
This year’s camp was the first in-person gathering after two years of disconnect due to the pandemic.