10-4-09 Peer Leaders, Miami

(Posted: 18:48:52 10/04/2009)
Event:        Florida Catholic Conference (Ft. Lauderdale FL)
                   St. John Neumann Peer Leader Retreat (Miami FL)
 
Dates: September 30-October 4, 2009
 
Contact person: Ana Garcia (FCC); Susan Vanderwyden (St. John Neumann)
 
Theme/main message: Campus Ministry
Servant leadership
 

Highlights/neat stuff:
+ Giving small workshops at the Florida Catholic Conference…a gathering for Catholic School principals in Florida. The small workshops were a challenge but also very personal and filled with good conversations about campus ministry. My workshops were given for 8, 4 and 2 people. (If the trend of dividing by half continued, it would have been a very personal workshop!)
 
+ The lovely Marriott Spa where the conference was held. Very posh by my standards.
 
+ Re-connecting with St. John Neumann Parish—I have worked with the confirmation retreat for 3 years now (every January) and it is one of the few Confirmation retreats I still do. Much of it is because of the spirit I feel among the adult leaders and teen peer leaders. This was my first opportunity to be a part of their training retreat.
 
+ I am in awe of Susan Vanderwyden, coordinator of youth ministry, and the adults present this weekend: Al, Lourdes, Val, Gina, (Michelle—who was in the hospital), Stephanie, David, Alfie and Raoul…there is a strong desire to awaken young people in living out and sharing their faith. Susan tries new things and has a wonderful nurturing spirit for the teens and her adults (and her speakers).
 
 +Getting to shoot some hoops---even made a couple of them.  (note the wonderful defensive position)

 
+ But I was blown away by the sharing and input of a very diverse group of young people. They showed a lot of wisdom, and insight. They were very eager to take up this role of working on their own faith and being peers with other teens searching and seeking good experiences of our Catholic faith.
 
+ Watching these teens be a positive witness by attending the 7:30 am Sunday parish mass to be commissioned.
 
Summary: I came away filled with gratitude---for the leadership of this parish and their friendship. I also feel a spirit of anticipation; I am so looking forward to watch these young people when I am with them in January.