By Derrick Bertram
Have you ever been on a quest? A quest to find a deeper relationship with God, or a quest to find out how to not only love others but love yourself, or maybe a quest to find some new friends? If not, I’ve got the retreat for you. It just so happens to be called the Quest Retreat.
Quest is an overnight retreat, usually during the season of Lent, where youth in the Davenport Diocese who are freshmen or sophomores in high school come together on a quest to find a deeper relationship with God, learn how to love others, and especially how to love yourself. If you are a youth or know a youth who has never experienced an overnight retreat before, this retreat is a good one to start off with. In fact, Quest was my first retreat.
Like I said, Quest is an overnight retreat, so a lot gets done on the first day. Here is a brief overview of what Quest is like, without giving too much away. On the first day of Quest, youths arrive and start to get to know each other through ice breakers. Later on, they get to listen to speakers who will share with the youth their personal experiences on how to love God, love others and themselves. Once all the speakers have finished, the youths get the opportunity to go to confession. It is also the perfect time to build that deeper relationship with God that the youth are on the quest for. After confession, the youth spend time with their new friends and before you know it, it is time to sleep.
The next morning, the youth wake up and get ready to go to Mass. After Mass is celebrated, the youth get to reflect on their experiences at Quest and talk about how they will take this experience back home and share it with their peers. Then everyone says goodbye and heads for home.
If you are a freshman or sophomore in high school, or if you know a youth in high school who would like to go on this quest, here is what you need to do. First, talk to your youth minister and ask him or her any questions you have about Quest or let the youth minister know you are interested. Second, with the help of your youth minister, sign up to participate in the next Quest retreat, which is March 26-27. And finally, pack up your personal belongings, and head for St. Mary Parish in Grinnell and enjoy the Quest experience. For more information on Quest, or other retreats and events going on in the Diocese of Davenport, go to www.davenportyouth.org.
(Derrick Bertram is a senior at Clinton High School, a member of Jesus Christ Prince of Peace Parish in Clinton, and a member of Diocesan Youth Ministry Committee, DYMC.)
