The Kauai vicariate confirmation retreat in November for 100 students at Holy Cross Parish in Kalaheo wasn’t your typical, adult-led experience. Facilitated by the Basic Christian Community of Hawaii, the leadership team included an important group — high school seniors fresh from their own confirmation.
According to Lisa Gomes, director of the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry, the model of youth leading youth is a successful, fresh approach.
“The whole model of the BCC retreat team — a mixture of youth and adults — really empowers their own team members to be leaders,” Gomes said.
She said that from the retreat, youth team members gained leadership skills and learned how to lead small group discussions.
“If they feel comfortable about being leaders in this situation, then they will feel comfortable in the larger church community,” Gomes said of the BCCH youth team members.
“I loved the retreat!” Janica Marie wrote on a comment card after attending the Kauai retreat. “The whole crew was so nice. I could see God in every single one of you. All the activities we did made me re-evaluate myself and my relationship with God, and it really made me feel closer to him.”
According to Mason Matsuda, president of the BCCH, the retreat objectives were to connect youth to God through Jesus Christ, to the church, to the community, to the mission of the church in the world, and to a peer faith community.
“We will always help youth know they are loved by God and others beyond their family by always pointing to Jesus Christ as the ever present solution for strength and guidance,” said Matsuda.
Although the Kauai vicariate has done vicariate confirmation retreats for many years, this is the third year the BCCH has facilitated the retreat, and the first time it received With Grateful Hearts funding. The grant was for $1,000.
“It’s great to know that 100 youth are going to go forward from this confirmation retreat,” Gomes said. “Hopefully it will give them a deeper connection to their faith and their parishes.”
“It was great,” wrote Abygail Bueno. “(It) honestly changed my life and perspective of God. (It) made me open up, which isn’t easy for me to do, but with everyone there to support you and be there for you, (it) made it easy.”
This retreat supports the priority that the Diocese of Honolulu’s strategic plan, “Witness to Jesus: Diocesan Road Map for Pastoral, Program, and Facility Needs,” places on youth and young adults and faith formation.
According to Gomes, the Kauai confirmation retreat is part of the wider mission of her office, which is to help youth realize their value in the church community.
She said she hopes to provide programs and opportunities for them to grow in their faith. She hopes they recognize that they are never too young to make a difference in their parishes, whether they choose to serve as lectors, greeters, altar servers, or religious education assistants.
“Youth and Young Adult Programs are an integral part of the Diocesan Road Map,” Gomes said. “The Road Map states that parishes ‘welcome and incorporate youth, young adults and their families’ into the life of the parish.”
She said she values the With Grateful Hearts funding the youth and young adult programs receive.
“We are very grateful to With Grateful Hearts donors,” Gomes said. “Without funding, we would not be able to do any of what we do.”
Grateful Hearts support makes it possible to connect with the group voted most important in the Road Map — the youth.
“I felt more in touch with God, Jesus, and my religion,” wrote Curtis “Curty” Santos after the retreat. “I also felt loved because of all of the kind people around me.”
