The retreat invited young men and women who are discerning their future and seeking a deeper understanding of God’s plan for their lives.

Led by Fr. Ivan Dzhur, C.Ss.R., the weekend offered 12 participants an opportunity to prayerfully reflect on the possibility of a vocation in the religious life. Through moments of prayer, personal reflection, group discussions, and fraternity, participants were encouraged to listen attentively to God’s voice and to consider how they might respond to His call.

Here is a testimony of Nadia Melinda Loupeda, one of the participants of the programme:

When I first understood that God wanted me to participate in the Vocational Retreat, I imagined that I was going there simply to spend time with Him, away from the busyness of the world. I asked Him to help me receive everything He had planned for me there, whether it was knowledge, wisdom, new ways of thinking or doing things, or even discovering my vocation. What I didn’t expect was to also meet such amazing people who are seeking God’s heart.

This retreat was far better than anything I expected—from discovering the Divine Liturgy, which is such a beautiful way to worship God, to learning about the Redemptorist ministry, to spending so much time in God’s presence, both alone and with my fellow brothers and sisters. It was truly precious to worship in community

God is working in everybody’s life, and even more happens when we lean into what He is doing within us. I had the privilege of seeing that in everyone that weekend. The place itself was beautiful, but it felt even more special because you could truly feel His presence. There was nothing pushing you to rush your time with Him because you had to be somewhere else by a certain time. There was space simply to be with God.

Having a conversation with Father Ivan was also a moment I cherish because I was able to unload everything I had been holding inside—things I needed to talk about with a leader in the faith— and he simply listened. He listened, and we spoke about it. He encouraged me to keep going and helped me understand that God isn’t looking for us to be perfect, only to keep trying. Father Ivan is such a kind and inspiring man. What a blessing it was for us to have him with us that weekend. I hope to have him as part of every retreat I attend from now on!

One thing I took away from the retreat and the Divine Liturgy is the desire to keep worshipping God in my heart at all times. I now find myself constantly repeating, “Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Keep us in Your holiness.” Those words from the Divine Liturgy truly pierced my heart and make me want to cry because they emphasize just how deeply we, as sinners, need God to have mercy on us. We cannot do anything without His mercy, and we absolutely need Him to keep us in His holiness at all times because purity and holiness are a battle. The heart of man can be defiled, and we need God to continually keep us close to Him.

Another thing I took away from the retreat is the importance of being intentional and firm about the times I set aside to spend with God. Regardless of where the world is pulling me or where I feel I need to be, I want to remain faithful and committed to my meeting times with God because I know He will show up—and He will always be on time.

This experience was truly one that my soul and spirit needed. Thank you for hosting this retreat. I am already wholeheartedly looking forward to the next ones! I also hope to see many of the same people again because the group was wonderful, and sharing this experience with them made the retreat even more special.