College student retreat 2019 – Midwest Diocese

The day started off with registration and pitch-in luncheon. Following lunch there were three short but profound presentations on faith and science. At 5 PM we all went to Vespers at the St. Sava Monastery in Libertyville to be blessed by our first Bishop on this continent – St. Mardarije, whose incorrupt relics are at the monastery. Surrounded by one of the oldest cemeteries in United States, we realized it needed some TLC, so we went around collecting 30 bags of trash. We were then invited for a pizza dinner at our bishop’s home across the street. We had the most amazing time with Bishop Longin, who spent over an hour answering questions after which he offered a great message to the young people, asking them never to forget who they are, where they come from and where they are going, while always making an effort to keep both their body and their soul clean and pure. After arriving back to the New Gracanica Monastery, we sat down in a circle playing guitar, singing songs, and recited poetry. The night continued on with a discussion of several controversial topics.