Upcoming Events

Young Adult Retreat: Back to the First Love

Saturday, January 31 10:00 a.m. – 5:15 p.m.

Before Peter could be sent out, he had to come back—back to the shoreline, back to Jesus, back to that simple, life-defining question: “Do you love me?”

Pope Leo XIV—a Chicago native (oh yeah – still incredibly excited!)—beautifully reminds us: “Together, then, we will rebuild the credibility of a wounded Church, sent to a wounded humanity, within a wounded creation. We are not yet perfect, but it is necessary to be credible.”

Each of us has a part to play in the mission the Lord is entrusting to His Church. But before we are sent, we are called to return—to come back to the One who loved us first. It is an invitation to revisit that first encounter with Christ—the moment His love became real, personal, and transformative. Just as Peter was called back to the shoreline to hear Jesus ask, “Do you love me?” before being sent again on mission, so too are we invited to return to our own “Galilee moments.”

As we begin a new year, this is more than a time to set goals. It’s a time to realign our hearts with the One who first called us. It’s a chance to rekindle the fire of God’s love, to rest in His presence, to remember who we are in Him, and to renew our “yes” with clarity, peace, and passion.

This Retreat’s Purpose

This retreat invites young adults to return to that first love—that moment of encounter when we first recognized Jesus in our lives. Life gets busy, distractions pile up, and even faithful hearts grow distant.

As we begin a new year, it’s time to pause, rekindle the flame, and let His love clarify our identity and reignite our passion. From that place, we can set goals not just for achievement, but for mission.

Our Retreat Speakers

Fr Joshua Caswell, SJC

Fr. Pat McGrath, SJ

Young Adult Panel

Sister Charbel Joseph, OP

Emily & DJ Zimmerman

Matt Duff

Outline of the Retreat Day

10 am: Check in – Coffee and Bagels

10:30am: Morning Prayer

11 am: Talk 1

12 pm: Small groups

12:20 pm: Lunch

1:30pm Adoration with Music

(Confession available during Adoration)

2:30pm: Café break

3pm: Talk 2

3:45pm: Small Group Reflection and Conversation

4pm: Witness Panel

Questions? Email Fr. Ton tnguyen@holynamecathedral.org