Seton Catholic High School hosted its first annual Adore-a-thon on Saturday, April 20th. This overnight retreat held at the Seton Intermediate building included many activities and talks to help strengthen your faith. The night started with a talk from Father Sengole and a pizza party. Students were then put into groups to go to different stations run by volunteers. Throughout the night students had the opportunity to go to adoration at any time to be able to sit and talk with God in silence. Then, when everyone might have been getting tired around midnight, all of the students were brought together to do a living rosary in the gym with lighted candles. At different times of the night, students were blessed to be able to hear talks from Deacon Jim, Mrs. Howe, Mrs. Feist and Trinity Semler. Students were also able to participate in Stations of the Cross with photos depicting the stations drawn by students of the school. After staying up all night, the retreat ended in the morning by going to Mass and then coming back to the school for a breakfast which was made by parent volunteers. During breakfast, each student was given a letter that their parents had secretly sent in with words of love and encouragement.
When I asked Mrs. Vicky Roosa, Director of Religious Education, what the Adore-a-thon means to her and what made her want to create this event she said, ¨My inspiration, zeal, passion and trust comes from the Holy Spirit and 1 Thessalonians 5:19-21 “Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophetic utterances. Test everything; retain what is good.” Hence we tried and tested the Adore-a-thon, with our teens, and it was good! I like to think outside the box, always within God’s will and providence, when planning events for teens. Many years ago, early in my ministry in Virginia, I was praying before the Blessed Sacrament asking God to inspire the teens in our youth group. He said “Bring the teens to Me … you’ve done your best … I will do the rest! So I did and the first Adore-a-thon … an All Night LOCK IN WITH THE LORD was born. I love the Youth of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish and School and see great promise. But I also see a need to inspire and challenge the faith of our youth. I heard the Lord’s call again, this past fall, while sitting in Adoration on a first Friday after the High School Mass … “Bring the Teens to Me”. SO I proposed the idea to The Faith Commission Committee and their humble and passionate “Yes” to the Holy Spirit birthed ADORE-A-THON 2024. This annual retreat, created and protected by God’s grace, will grow bigger and better every year with the YES LORD … YES LORD … YES … LORD … YES! Of our teens. God bless the teens of our parish and school. ¨
I know that not only I, but all of the students that were able to attend the Adore-a-thon, cannot wait until next year to be able to experience it all over again. When I asked student, Trinity Moses, what she enjoyed the most about the Adore-a-thon she said, " I really enjoyed the rosary, because it was unique and unlike any rosary I have done. It helped me learn some of the other students' names and then everyone would pray for them. I loved how they would light your candle when it was your turn to say the Hail Mary. The Adore-a-thon was an amazing experience and I truly enjoyed it a lot."