BELMONT — Authentic femininity is rarely discussed in today’s culture. But for young women on the Duc In Altum retreat at Belmont Abbey College June 25-29, living a life of authentic holiness based on the dignity and grace of their baptismal call was at the center of their time together.
This year, the Diocese of Charlotte Office of Vocations hosted more than 71 young women for the third annual Duc In Altum discernment retreat. More than 200 young women have participated over the past three years.
Open to high school freshmen to college freshmen, the five-day retreat is designed to give young women the tools to listen to the voice of God in their lives.
“Duc In Altum” is Latin for “put out into the deep.” It refers to the words Jesus spoke to Peter in the Gospel of Luke, encouraging him to let down his fishing nets for a catch.
Bishop Peter Jugis offered the closing Mass of the retreat June 29 at Mary Help of Christians Basilica.
“As we come to this last day of Duc In Altum for 2018, I hope you also have been aware of the Lord’s loving care and concern for you during this week,” he said. “It’s the same Lord who shows His care, His concern, His affection for all of His followers.”
The foundation of this retreat was set down many years ago at their baptism, he told participants.
“When you were baptized, you became a child of God. When you were baptized, you became a new creation in Christ. That baptismal grace created a new creation in the Lord.
“You were adopted into the family of God – a great spiritual family of the Church, 1.2 billion members strong.”
And because of their baptism, he continued, they entered a deeply personal and grace-filled relationship with God the Father.
“You are His daughters. He claims you as His chosen ones because of your baptism and because of the choice that you continue to make for Him, ever since the day of your baptism up to the present.
“Like St. Paul, no doubt you can also say, ‘The Lord stands by me and gives me strength. He rescues me from every evil threat,’” Bishop Jugis said.
Drawing from the writings of St. John, Bishop Jugis said we are reminded to “see what love the Father has bestowed on us in letting us be called children of God.”
“And so indeed we are. It is a great dignity, a great privilege bestowed on every one of us, especially on all of you as you participated in this retreat this week.
“As you have been going along in life, He has been providing you with nourishment at His altar – the Body and Blood of Christ – so you are continuing to grow in that love of Christ in holiness, and constantly being reminded: ‘See how much I love you. I continue to give you my Son who is sacrificed for your redemption for the salvation of the world,’” Bishop Jugis said.
During the week-long retreat the young women had an opportunity to dive deeper into their prayer lives, in their vocations as daughters of God, and considering what vocation God has for each of them – whether to religious life, holy matrimony or consecrated single life.
A goal of the retreat is to help young women develop an authentic femininity based on the role model of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
First-time participant Alivia Tettinger, 16, a parishioner of St. Matthew Church in Charlotte, said she enjoyed the retreat.
“I thought it was a great experience for all of us as women to get together to know Christ more as a community. I loved getting to know the ladies more and growing in our faith.”
She encouraged other young women to attend sometime. “I highly recommend it. If you ever feel some sort of calling for God, try to experience it and see what He is asking you to do.”
Cecilia Murrey, 16, of St. John the Baptist Church in Tryon, came to Duc In Altum for the third time.
“One of my favorite experiences was the silent retreat,” Murrey said. “Just because our world is so loud and noisy, the encouragement of our own personal silence within our lives is so important, I think, for everybody. We just get pulled in so many directions by everything that is going on in our lives. To just sit down and have no distractions – it was a relief. I didn’t know I needed it so badly.”
Elara Viens, 16, of Our Lady of Grace Church in Greensboro, is also a three-time participant.
“I love being together with all the girls, that we can all support each other in our walk of faith and in our journey of holiness and being able to pull so much good from the talks and bring that into Adoration. And really have Our Lord expand your heart and tell you what you learned and to bring that into your life.”
The world needs virtuous women and a society that supports them, she said. “We have a particular and special role in that. We have to pursue that as our vocation, regardless of what vocation that is.”
Viens said she is contemplating a religious vocation, possibly an order in the Philippines where the religious sisters offer themselves as victims of God’s love, the Alliance of the Two Hearts.
She appreciates the support she and the young women received from the religious sisters and priests during Duc In Altum.
Her mother, Lucy Viens, is thankful her daughter has found the retreat an enriching experience.
“This is a super blessing for all of us,” she said. “I just see these girls are just blossoming in their faith. I do believe it is due to the Duc In Altum experience.”
Sister Mary Raphael, abbess of the Daughters of the Virgin Mother and coordinator of the Duc In Altum retreat, acknowledges the week is grace-filled for all who experience it.
“The sisters love taking five days away from the normal schedule to make the dive with the young women of our diocese to ‘come and see’ where Our Lord is drawing each of them. Whether it is deeper into a life of prayer, or a step closer in vocational discernment, I feel humbled and blessed to walk alongside these youth – the future of our Church.
“I am grateful to Bishop Jugis for allowing the camp to take place, and to all of our priests for their time and spiritual paternity that encourages life into young vocations. I am also grateful for all in the diocese who prayed for the success of this retreat. It makes a difference!"
Sister Mary Raphael added, "To the young women who participated we say, ‘We love you and believe in you!'"
— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter. Photo by SueAnn Howell, Rolando N. Rivas and Sister Mary Raphael.
