Youth Immersed in Catholic Faith During Franciscan Experience

Youth attending The Franciscan Experience (TFE) expressed that “everything” was the highlight of their week – including toiling in the graveyard, engaging in deep theological discussions, and hanging out at night.

Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University (FranU) sponsored TFE, which was held July 14 – July 19 at the Bishop Robert E. Tracey Center in Baton Rouge. 

Participants engaged in theological discussions with FranU faculty, participated in service projects, prayed and partook in the sacramental life of the church, and built Christ-centered friendships. 

Father Brent Maher celebrated an opening Mass at St. Joseph Chapel. During the week students screened the documentary “Homeless but Human,” displayed their gifts during a coffee house talent show, and visited FranU’s simulated urgent care training room.

Attendees talked about  the highlights of their week and asked their theology professors questions during a live podcast recording, “The Dunce’s Corner.”

The youth also prayed before the Blessed Sacrament during adoration and benediction at St. Joseph Chapel.

The students performed corporal works of mercy daily by serving at the St. Vince

Above photos: Working in Sweet Olive Cemetery and serving at the St. Vincent de Paul Society were part of the TFE service activities. Photos by Taylor Crochet and Debbie Shelley | The Catholic Commentator
 

t de Paul Society and by cleaning up Sweet Olive Cemetery, the oldest African American Cemetery in Baton Rouge.

The service opportunities impacted many of the youth.

“The people I came into contact with have the most wonderful faith I’ve seen,” said Natalie. “I barely know them, but they have the most wonderful faith I’ve seen. I can see Jesus shining through them and bringing them joy in their life in (difficult) situations. They are very grateful.”

The theology discussions also intrigued Natalie. She and her peers enthusiastically compared the church’s moral teachings to the moral relativism the secular world.

“I wanted to know more, so that satisfied my craving for knowledge,” said Natalie.

Emma enjoyed the Lectio Divina lessons by Dr. Christopher Ragusa, assistant professor of theology at FranU.

“(Dr. Ragusa) walked us though the Scripture passages sentence by sentence. He would say, ‘Jesus is walking down the road … What is the weather like? What is he wearing? What does he look like? Where are you? What does the rich man look like? Put yourself in the scene,’” said Emma.

She also relished the nightly hangouts.

“We played games. We had a really intense musical chair night,” Emma said with a smile.

Even working at Sweet Olive Cemetery led to community bonding, according to Emma.

“We painted graves. I had a roller paint brush and there were parts where the roller couldn’t get into. I had to have someone come in behind me and get those cracks and crevices filled in. We couldn’t do it alone. We needed each other to fill in the cracks,” said Emma.

Likewise, Rie enjoyed the Lectio Divina class and working at Sweet Olive Cemetery.

“Going to the graveyard was eye opening,” said Rie. “My siblings are buried in a really nice graveyard, but not too far from it is a graveyard that is in similar shape (as Sweet Olive Cemetery), that is in bad disrepair. And it occurred to me to get something started, like a service project, in repairing graveyards in need of such repair.”

Drew found that the service projects and activities that required teamwork boosted his self-confidence and social skills.
 Father Albert Blount, pastor of St. Gabriel Church in St. Gabriel, speaks to TFE attendees about discerning their vocation. Photo by Debbie Shelley | The Catholic CommentatorAlb“They've definitely helped me with my social life. I used to struggle a lot with talking and being with people, but being here has definitely helped diminish that fear,” Drew said.

Rachael Duchmann, who served as director of TFE, said this year’s participants were “all stars.” They quickly dived into any activity, lecture, and service project. She noted that they were prayerful and contemplative, smart, and witty. 

“The Franciscan Experience is a weeklong theology institute that fosters growth like none other that I have ever encountered,” said Duchmann. “I have watched groups of teens attending TFE since 2021, and every year it’s different. This year, it was easy to see how hungry these teens were for the truth. I was inspired by the teens throughout the week, watching them learn how to pray with Scripture, encounter Jesus Christ in the Eucharist, learn how to pray the Liturgy of the Hours in communion with the Church, and to see them be excited for what each day might hold.” 

Ragusa said he is proud of the way the retreat is part of the formation of not only the high schoolers but also the participating FranU students. 

“Our college team students were theology majors, great books majors, and nursing majors,” said Ragusa. “They worked for a full year coming in outside of class to plan the retreat, pray together monthly, work on their own testimonies and how to witness to Christ, and make their own retreat.

TFE included time for mentor witnesses where FranU students talked about w here they saw God working in their lives. Photo by Debbie Shelley | The Catholic Commentator

“Seeing their growth in their relationships with God, in being able to comfortably reach out to those who are marginalized, in proclaiming the Gospel, was no less a joy for me. They—like the high school students— grew in integrating the intellectual life, with a life of prayer, and direct service to the poor.” 

He added, “This extended to the way that FranU alumni came back to help run some of the service sites (especially the cleaning of Sweet Olive Cemetery) for the retreat, providing a living witness to the high school students and college team that living the Gospel and living one's vocation of discipleship is not something one ‘graduates from.’ It is a whole life calling.”