Upcoming Retreats
Men – September 20-22, 2024
Women – TBA
Grow more fully into the person God calls you to be through a dynamic, life-changing weekend retreat.
Rekindle and deepen your relationship with Christ.
Come together in fellowship and friendship.
“You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.” – St. Augustine
Many Christians are not living their faith. Some go to church but don’t participate in their faith community while others have stopped going to church altogether. For many, their faith is not present in their business and personal relationships or in their actions.
At the same time, these people are restless. They sense that something is missing but they may not know what it is. They may feel lost and isolated because they are hurt and suffering. They may be carrying guilt for past failures. They may be hungry for deeper, meaningful relationships. Or, they may simply feel like there should be more to life. Many Christians feel such a ‘hole’ in their lives – and they want to fill it.
At Come, Follow Me Retreats we believe that only God can fill the hole in our lives. Each of us fills the hole by developing a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and living in it each day.
The mission of Come Follow Me Retreats is to create an environment where a personal encounter with Christ is possible for each of us. By encountering Christ, you will develop an ever-lasting relationship with Jesus. Through your personal journey with Christ, you transform your four fundamental relationships: with God, with self, with others and with the world.
Come join us!
Spiritual Director – Father Peter O’Brien
Father Peter grew up in Cheyenne, Wyoming and attended St. Mary Catholic School from grades 1 through 12. While working as an electric lineman, he discovered his calling to the priesthood which led him to Mt. Angel, Oregon and his subsequent incardination to the Archdiocese of Portland. At Mt. Angel, he achieved a BA in Philosophy and English and a Master’s Degree of Divinity. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 11th, 2005. Since then he has served at St. Cecilia in Beaverton, St. Anne in Grants Pass, St. Monica in Coos Bay and is currently serving St. Edward in Lebanon, St. Bernard in Scio, and St. Thomas in Jefferson.
What to expect
Come, Follow Me Retreats are an engaging opportunity for reflecting on your life, and your relationships with God and others. They consist of a combination of prayer, reflection, activities, song, discussion, talks, and testimonies that provide an opportunity for each participant to develop a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Each retreat is led spiritually by Fr. Peter O’Brien along with Christians from our local community. The talks and testimony are deeply personal and given by local community men and women who are called to our ministry.
The retreat talks are all built around Christian scripture. The teaching sessions include the following topics:
- The meaning of life and how we are currently living our lives.
- The love of the Father that is always there for us.
- Sin and how it affects us and keeps us from growing closer to Jesus.
- Pain and how it affects us and how Jesus can heal us.
- How Jesus brings salvation through forgiveness of sins and healing of pain and release from bondage and vices.
- How if you open yourself to the Lord, it will change your life and your relationships with others.
The retreat is located at Fr. Bernard Youth Center in beautiful Mount Angel, Oregon.
What participants have said about the retreat:
“I loved the retreat! The women were amazing, and so thankful for everyone’s kindness.”
“It meant and still means so much to me.”
“I believe the retreat has strengthened my relationship with Christ!”
“I felt that it was a very uplifting and spiritual gathering of men who struggle in life as I do. The team did an excellent job during the whole retreat. I loved it. Well done.”
“It was great having the opportunity to go to reconciliation. It was really a bonding point of the weekend.”
“It was well done. Fr Pete and the amazing men who led the retreat were awesome! Thank you for being so generous and unselfish of your time and talents!”
“I look forward to this retreat every year. It is a personal reset; a chance to step away from my everyday hustle and bustle and focus on building my relationship with God in union with other like-minded men.”