Teens were brought together for an evening of faith and fellowship at two Diocese of Venice Lenten Youth Retreats in late February.
A middle school retreat took place Feb. 20, 2026, at St. Elizabeth Seton Parish in Naples, and a high school retreat took place Feb. 22 at St. Raphael Parish in Lehigh Acres. Presented by the Diocese of Venice Youth & Young Adult Ministry the retreats are designed to create a time and place for silence, reflection, and shared experience, allowing young people to step away from the pace and distractions of daily life and re-focus their hearts on God.
At St. Elizabeth Seton, the young men and women first gathered for fun and games before the retreat transitioned into a true encounter with the Lord through the opportunity for the Sacrament of Reconciliation, Eucharist Adoration, and the celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
The retreat was emceed by Sister Pamela Rose, FMA, a teacher at nearby St. John Neumann Catholic High School, and the talk was offered by Brother Andrew Olson, OMV, who assists at San Pedro Parish in North Port and Our Lady of Perpetual Help Retreat Center in Venice.
Brother Andrew spoke about how Jesus calls on the faithful to be changed by all encounters with God and how the Lord wants us all to be saints. He explained how this does not mean we are called to copy existing saints, but to become a saint by living out our lives guided by the Lord. “You are God’s beloved children. The Lord doesn’t want you to suffer and step into your mess alone. Don’t just adore Jesus at Adoration, be adored by Him.
A second high school retreat will be 3–8 p.m., March 1, at St. Thomas More Parish, Sarasota. The next middle school retreat will be offered 5–8:30 p.m., March 3, 2026, at St. Paul Parish, Arcadia. To register, please contact Andres Prias at prias@dioceseofvenice.org or 941-441-1122. The cost is $10 per student. information,
