TOUGH retreat slated for Dec. 19-21 at Pax Christi center

Twice a year the Office of Youth Ministry sponsors a high school teen weekend retreat where participants can come together and have an encounter with Jesus and make new friends from other parishes in the diocese. This retreat is called the TOUGH (Teens Open Up to God’s Holiness) and it is scheduled for Dec. 19-21 at the Pax Christi Liturgical Retreat Center.

More than 50 teens are expected to attend the retreat. Deadline for registration for the retreat is Dec. 18. To register download Registration Packet here.

"This retreat, like many other retreats, has a powerful effect on teens with opening up to one another and sharing their common difficulties in life and their journey with challenges to their faith," Jaime Reyna, director of the Office of Youth Ministry, said. "The weekend ends with teens leaving more hopeful and with more zeal about their lives and the changes needed in their relationships to live a more 'Christ like' life in this modern day world."

Past retreat participants who show interest in staffing the next retreat are interviewed as future staffers. In preparation of the December retreat, all the staff retreat members have started meeting on a weekly basis practicing and preparing for the retreat. There are 28 teens and 10 adults meeting, going over talks, planning games, practicing skits and planning other details from beginning to end of the weekend.

"Since this retreat will be the first retreat we are having at the Pax Christi Retreat Center, the staff is a little excited and nervous at the same time," Reyna said.