A Heartfelt Journey: Young Adults Gather in Mittagong for an Inspiring 3-Day Marist Retreat

From 6 to 8 July, young adults from across Australia gathered at The Hermitage in Mittagong, New South Wales, for the Young Adults’ Retreat. Takdoda Cheng from Marist Youth Ministry was among the participants. What follows is a heartfelt reflection on the experience he and the other young adults shared.

Without knowing much about the coming days; we opened our hearts, minds and souls to each other and to God. We started physically unpacking our bags into the spiritual home of Mittagong, but also spiritually unpacking the meaning behind a pilgrim. In our conversation, we explored questions like: What would you put in a backpack? What journey has transformed your worldview? Who has walked alongside you through an important season of life? These simple yet insightful questions encouraged us to open up, share our stories, and better understand each other's experiences and values.

Continuing from this, we reflected on key moments from our lives; our early childhood, primary school years, early teenage years and young adulthood. It provided an opportunity to truly see how far we’ve all come in our own lives, reassuring us even though we may feel stuck or unsure of what the future holds - we still have the chance to learn and mature further.

Our next day started with a journey around Mittagong, taking in the beauty and natural sounds of God’s creation - giving us the chance to slow down and be in our own thoughts. While walking to a new space, we were given the chance to reflect upon how we are able to heed our vocations, and to be guided by Mary’s tenderness and Christ’s love. However, we also acknowledged the grief, disappointment and challenges that we may encounter on the journey - leading to a deeper reflection about the seasons of life.

Just as the earth moves from a cold and bitter winter into an inviting and flowering spring, and then into the warmth of summer, so too do our lives move through seasons - times of loss and darkness that, through love and faith, give way to growth and renewal. This image of life’s journey led us to ponder another question - What truly defines a pilgrim? Is it their faith, their openness, their path? One girl offered a beautiful response, “A pilgrim requires a malleable soul" - a willingness and vulnerability to be changed. Later, in conversation with our Emmaus partners around The Hermitage, we shared moments of joy, loss, transformation, and our hopes for the future. In that sacred space, we recognised that each of us was a pilgrim, walking our own unique journey of faith and life.

At the start of our last day, we walked through the labyrinth with something which stood out to us from the ground - a leaf, a branch, a stick - an object to symbolise something we were letting go of. From negative feelings of resentment, regret, sorrow, to something that was holding us back - it was a chance to let it go and move forward in our lives. At the end of the retreat, we moved to the chapel for the last time, giving affirmations to a partner whom we prayed and walked with from the first night. We gave them a shell to remind us of our pilgrimage together at Mittagong and place our names in the sacred heart so that we may continue to walk with Jesus.

The retreat gave us a chance to step away from our busy lives with studies, work and the stresses of life, and look within ourselves. It was beautifully structured in a way which looked to our past; uncovering pivotal moments of our lives which shaped the person we are today. It also gave us the opportunity to reflect; what was holding us back? What could we try to improve in our lives? How could we look beyond?

We all came from different stages of life: some just starting uni, others nearing the end of their tertiary education and some already working full time. Despite these differences, our little pilgrimage to Mittagong united us together: allowing for introspection and the sharing of wisdom with others - forming noteworthy relationships in the process.

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Contributed by Takoda Cheng

Pics by Marist Youth Ministry