Antioch Retreat

“We are one body, one body in Christ.” These lyrics are repeatedly sung during the

surprise candle ceremony for retreatants at the annual Loras Antioch retreat. Truly, we as a

Catholic Church are called to live these words as reality. Through fostering an environment for

encountering those different from us, Antioch provides a launching point from which to engage

in intercultural relationships and grow towards our shared vocation as on Body in Christ.

During the three-day retreat, students from all walks of faith and areas commune for

witness stories, small groups, the sacraments, and games. Individuals come into the weekend

complete strangers and leave with a sense of belonging to a community. According to Antioch

retreat coordinator, Jake Heidenreich, the experience of Antioch is made most effective when we

encounter silently and “listen first.” Fr. Dustin Vu, chaplin, adds that “to be open to another

culture, we must have enough humility to embrace them.” Culture, understood as a “learned set

of shared interpretations about beliefs, values, norms, and social practices belonging to a large

group of people,” is provided a space to be expressed freely on Antioch (Lustig & Koester). This

space is precisely what was created during my one on one Emmaus walk with a first year who

was struggling with the transition to college life. This one hour walk gave me the opportunity to

merely listen to the heart aches of this student: leaving family for the first time, undergoing a

breakup, and feeling excluded from her freshman cohort due to her faith. In her place of

suffering, I was able to truly embrace her with a receptive heart. While I felt unworthy to hear

her story, the words of Fr. Martin speak to me now: “it was I God wanted there, for some reason”

(Martin 6). Even though I talked very little in this encounter, at the end of the retreat, this
individual was brought to tears explaining how I was like the sister she needed in that very

moment.

This sense of unity was enkindled across the retreat as a whole. Coming from a different

culture himself, Fr. Vu noted that when he first came to the United States, he felt like everyone

was “strangers in mass. I didn’t feel a sense of belonging.” The culture was vastly different in the

casual Midwest church versus the elaborate, extremely reverent service Fr. Vu had grown up

with. He went to mass for the sacraments only and not for his fellow worshippers within the

Body of Christ. However, at Antioch, after laughing together while making ridiculous skits,

sharing a meal together like Jesus’ disciples, and inviting one another to help carry each other’s

crosses in small groups, the Sunday mass includes ten minutes for loving embraces as hugs are

shared among retreatants. This symbolic image of embracing one another reflects the relational

connectedness initiated throughout the weekend. Our identity as sons and daughters of Christ

spans across cultural boundaries and provides a point of likeness for all present. Further, during

affirmations at the end of the retreat, retreatants identify strengths and gifts within their fellow

small group members and share a few words of affirmation with one another. These strengths

and gifts are no doubt partly a reflection of each individual’s story and culture. One student from

Colombia in our group smiled shyly as each group member recounted how her peaceful, witty,

gentle persona had touched each of us in a distinct manner throughout the weekend. In reflection

afterwards with her, I realized for the first time that she had finally been truly seen in this new

culture. Instead of being an invisible student on campus, she was seen, known, and loved by a

small group -- friends she still holds closely today. Highlighting the unique contribution of each

individual to the group amplifies and elevates the particular traits of every member. As the body
has many parts, so too does each individual have special gifts to present to the overall body of

Christ.

It is important to note that for both growth in the faith and intercultural competence

with our neighbors, it is not enough to stay in this early place of encounter. Intercultural

competence is in part “the ability to communicate and work with people from different cultural

backgrounds” (Lustig & Koester). To be effective in this practice, one interaction is not

sufficient. Rather, Antioch serves as a launching point for divine intimacy and intercultural

connectedness. The Catholic faith, as the universal Church, calls each individual to recognize

and engage with those of different cultures. The faith serves as a commonality and bridge for

such mutual respect and connection. Following the retreat, it is beautiful to see retreatants saying

“hi” on campus to one another: a reminder of their kinship within the Catholic Church. Small

group leaders call their groups back together to share a meal or get ice cream following the

retreat to continue to build upon this foundation. This environment that provided space for

encounter with others was an area of great joy for me. In my vocation as a future missionary for

the Catholic faith, I will be working to draw students near to both the heart of Jesus and to one

another. Listening, fostering, and uniting will be key components necessary to be successful in

my encounter with others. To spread the faith to all people, I must first have the humility to

embrace each person and their experience with a receptive heart. Antioch truly fostered a space

to begin this journey, as it lit my fire of zeal for souls ablaze.

As a little oasis for students yearning to encounter the Lord and his greater Body of

Christ, Antioch opens a door into relationship. How to move forward in the faith and

connectedness with one’s peers is up to the student. As a director, I have been able to utilize

Antioch as a starting point for my investment in relationships with those different from myself
and a sense of peace with my vocation as a missionary. It is my prayer that the Antioch

community can continue to draw in individuals from all walks of life to find a sense of belonging

within the Body of Christ.

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