Watch the video by Fr. Ryan, or read the full-text below.  Comments are ennabled at the bottom of the page.



Hi everyone!  I’m Fr. Ryan Ford, pastor of St. John and St. Joseph Parishes in Ishpeming and spiritual director of the Youth Encounter movement.  I’m glad you’ve decided to watch this video!  We’ve sent it out to hundreds of people who’ve made their youth encounter weekend, been a team member on the weekend, or sponsored a candidate for the weekend.  We simply want to get the word out that the Youth Encounter movement is alive and well in the Diocese of Marquette!

Many of you know Marygrove retreat center in Garden, which had been the home of the Youth Encounter weekend for many years, was closed this past year.  Unfortunately, the money coming into Marygrove was not keeping pace with the costs and capital needs.  So the decision to close it was made.

We believe that God brings good out of trouble, raises up new life from ashes, and inspires new beginnings at dead ends.  Last summer, a group of adults got together at the prompting of the Holy Spirit, and committed to doing whatever it takes to continue the Youth Encounter movement.  I’m so grateful this group has taken on the responsibilities to keep the weekend retreats thriving.  Josh and Jennifer Rapavi took the task of recruiting and forming team members.  Nate and Jen Raiche oversee the registration process.  Barry and Yvonne Voss were the weekend coordinators last Fall.  Jake and Megan Hansen will coordinate the weekend coming up in March.  And Hannah and Corey Groeneveld are behind the scenes supporting the preparations. 

Last November, we held the first Youth Encounter weekend at our new location of Fortune Lake Camp, located near Crystal Falls.  A lot of preparation, prayer, and sacrifice went into making the weekend a success.  31 students from around the U.P. made the retreat, led by a team of 14 students, 13 adults, and 3 priests.  Adam Mazurek and Lily Menghini did a great job leading the retreat as rector and co-rector. We know each student had a unique encounter with Jesus as we prepared, received, and responded together to His presence.

Since that retreat, monthly follow-ups have taken place in Houghton and in Iron Mountain.  One follow-up also took place in Negaunee.  These are opportunities for weekend alumni to get together to have fun, share graces and challenges from the last month, renew their commitment to Christ, and keep each other accountable to living the Christian life of prayer, study, fellowship, service, and evangelization.

The next Youth Encounter weekend is coming up Friday, March 13^th through Sunday, March 15^th at Fortune Lake Camp.  We’re hoping for a full retreat of 35 candidates from around the U.P.  To go on the retreat, you have to be at least 16 years old or in the 2^nd semester of sophomore year in high school.  Each candidate has to be sponsored by another student who’s made their youth encounter weekend, an adult who’s made a Cursillo weekend, or a priest or religious who knows the candidate well.

The retreat is led by a team of high students with the help an adult team.  Those of you who’ve experienced the weekend know it’s an amazing time of God’s grace, where young people discover they’re not alone during the years of moving into adult life.  Those who come to the weekend experience being part of a vibrant, loving, and supportive faith community in which friendship with Jesus Christ becomes real and makes sense.

Team members give talks during the weekend and share the joys, struggles, and feelings they've experienced in their own lives.  The weekend provides a space to reflect on your own hopes, dreams, fears, and problems, and discover a God you can believe in - Jesus alive and risen and in our midst!

If you know someone who would make a great candidate for the upcoming retreat in March and want to sponsor them, please do so quickly as the weekend will fill up fast!  Candidates and sponsors need to go online to youthencounter906.com and click on ‘weekend registration’ to apply for the weekend.  Once you submit your information, Nate and Jen Raiche will take it from there to communicate with you leading up to the weekend.  Please keep praying and sacrificing for everyone who will be on the retreat, that they will encounter Jesus and begin or deepen their relationship with him in his Church!

I’m not sure if all of you watching this video still believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ or still practice the Catholic faith.  I hope you do!  But if you don’t, I bet you still have questions.  At the bottom of this page, there’s a place for comments.  I’d love to field any questions you have, which I can respond to in future videos or by typing a response in the comment box.  If you have a question, go ahead and type it up in the comments below.  I bet you’re not the only one with that question!  To post the comment, you’ll just have to login below with your social media account, or create a free account with Disquis below.  Then you’ll be able to post comments and I can respond to your questions.

I hope to send out regular videos to support you in your faith and practice of the Christian life of prayer, study, fellowship, service, and evangelization.  They’ll be posted right here on this blog at youthencounter906.com.  I hope this site will become a place to unite the Youth Encounter community, to connect and support each other in our continued walk with the Lord.  If you want to receive an email when new videos are posted, enter your email address into the form on the homepage at youthencounter906.com, and you’ll be the first to know when new content is available!

God bless you, your family, the Youth Encounter movement, and De Colores!