You can never prepare for what will happen at a retreat.

Catechist

For the past five years I have volunteered as a catechist for our parish. With each year brings new adventures. Last year I had the pleasure of having an assistant to help me with the students. I was elated to discover that Yosellin would be my aide.

The 2024 Class

Yosellin was one of my former students, so for two years she was one of the group I helped prepare for the Sacrament of Confirmation. Yosellin’s  introverted and quiet demeanor made me notice her. She was in a class with strangers, but quickly made her way into a group of friends. I will never forget that class because it was the most diverse. Half of the class was made up of students from private Catholic schools, while the other students came from five different local public high schools.

The students from the Catholic schools all knew each other, some of them were friends from elementary at St. Norbert School. They were comfortable and adjusted well. It took some time for the other students to warm up to the rest of the class.

Preparing For Public Speaking

Yosellin approached me and said that she wanted to share her testimony at the retreat. This came as a total surprise for me because she is so introverted. When she shared the subject matter, I, too felt that it was important for her to share her story. But at the following meeting Yosellin was uncertain about getting up in front of the group.

The Holy Spirit moved her to speak and, though she followed the main speaker, I was completely taken aback by how eloquently she spoke. She came across as a natural, and her words touched the girls in a special way. You see, Yosellin suffered from a depression that led to suicidal thoughts.

Depression

Yosellin’s depression started early.  Her strained relationship with both her parents made her feel ignored. With her father always working long hours,  by the time he got home he was too tired to deal with his daughter’s emotional needs. Her relationship with her mother was always unstable and strained.

Yosellin was in the eighth grade when she started having suicidal thoughts: she felt alone and that her parents were incapable of helping her.

The Plan

In her mindset she believed that no one cared about her, so she decided to end her life. Alone in her bathroom she cried and was ready to harm herself.  But something happened; although she did not make the connection, God intervened on her behalf.

Because she needed  inner healing, Yosellin turned to drugs. She started smoking pot with one of her classmates. When she felt sad or unhappy marijuana boosted her adrenaline. This cycle continued for two years. The sadder she felt, the more she’d smoke pot. She loved the instant gratification she received.

School Counselor

Because she continued smoking pot, Yosellin’s grades dropped. She sought help from the school’s counselor, who expressed concern and said that her feelings aligned with clinical depression. She was then told that the counselor would contact her mother to arrange for therapy. But nothing came of this and she never asked her mother about it. Her disappointment was just another emotion swept under the rug.

Yosellin’s Sister

Yosellin found solace in her older married sister. She always felt a loving bond with her. Her sister  was worried because she recognized that Yosellin was in a dark place. Her sister spoke to her, “Don’t let the depression define you, and do not allow it to be who you are.” Yosellin held onto these words. After the conversation with her sister, she eased up on smoking pot.

The Spirit Returns

The Devil knows our struggles, especially for a young lady who is attempting to clean up her life. The spirit of depression once again reared its ugly head, but this time it wanted to do real damage. Yosellin started mixing the marijuana with other synthetic substances. At one point it almost took her life. Her heart rate was so accelerated that she thought she was going to have a heart attack. This scared her straight.

Survey

According to a 2023 national Youth Risk Behavior Survey of high schoolers, about 53% of female students report persistent feelings of sadness or helplessness, compared to about 25% of the male students.

Her Confirmation

Shortly after the retreat in 2024 Yosellin’s drug abuse slowly came to an end.  She discovered that she wanted a stronger prayer life and was curious about drawing closer to God.

Our parish has “Vision,” an organization composed of students who have recently been confirmed. They are the youth who are making a difference in this program. The members of Vision help mold the younger Catechumens into the Sacrament of Confirmation. Out of the class of 2024, 10 are now Catechists, including Yosellin.

Confirmation

When the Bishop anoints the catechumens with the Chrism Oil, they are transformed. After Yosellin’s Confirmation she stopped using drugs.

This year’s retreat was about transformation. What I witnessed this weekend was nothing short of a miracle. God moved mightily in the souls of these kids. I know that many were indeed transformed. Although  my group was scattered throughout the hall, I tried to find them to pray with them and to convince them to go to confession. We had a total of four priests hearing confessions, and more than half of the students confessed their sins.

My Prayer

Dear Lord, thank You for Your Holy Presence at the retreat. I pray for all the young  men and women who participated in the retreat. Thank You for using all of us who volunteered to guide them into Your loving arms. Amen.