By Mary Pearson
On July 27-28, over 500 young adults from all over Southern California participated in a Eucharistic Revival retreat at Christ Cathedral in Orange. Ever Ancient, Ever New (EAEN) was a two-day, conference-style retreat designed to foster a deeper relationship with Christ through devotion to the Eucharist.
It was EAEN’s second year running. Initially inspired by the U.S. Bishops’ National Eucharistic Revival, Ever Ancient, Ever New is unique in that it is a collaborative event put on by the Young Adult Ministry offices of all four Southern California Arch/Dioceses, including Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, and San Diego.
Guadalupe Rosales, Young Adult Ministry Associate for the Diocese of San Bernardino’s Ministry with Young Catholics, explained the reason for the collaboration:
“Young adults are transient and nomadic by nature in their involvement in their faith, and they often cross into various diocesan and parish boundaries seeking community and growth. We saw that as an opportunity to harness that spirit and gather them as One Body of Christ, coming from all four dioceses.”
A Sense of Belonging
In speaking with attendees from the Diocese of San Bernardino, a consistent theme among responses was thanksgiving for that sense of belonging and the opportunity to connect with so many other young adults who want to follow Jesus.
“I have long hoped for a larger gathering with our region, and I was pleased that our dioceses organized this event,” said Tony Pimental, 29, who serves as coordinator of catechetical and youth ministries at St. Oscar Romero Parish in Eastvale. “It was a beautiful experience to witness multiple dioceses come together as one body, united in a spirit of holy communion.”
“Events like this help us realize just how many of us there are,” said Karla Rubi, 23, from St. Edward Parish in Corona. “It helps bring us all together.”
“What I enjoyed most was the community,” Matthew Glaudini, 21, said of his experience volunteering at this year’s EAEN. “I think events like this are important so that young adults may get together to share their own experiences of the love of God and make new friends and get closer to old ones.”
Why They Came
When asked why they came to EAEN, most people said they heard about the retreat from a friend, through their parish’s young adult ministry, or on social media. Some people went as part of parish young adult groups, though many, it seems, registered and showed up as individuals, bumping into familiar faces and forming new acquaintances during the event.
“I signed up because I felt as though I needed a retreat geared towards young adults as opposed to teens,” said Monica Marciano, who is a regular volunteer with the youth ministry program at St. Martha Parish in Murrieta, “I knew I wanted to hear some great talks and enjoy Adoration, but I didn’t have any other expectations.”
Father Rafael Partida, Episcopal Vicar for the Riverside Pastoral Region of the Diocese of San Bernardino, was a keynote speaker at this year’s EAEN and also spoke at last year’s event. He noted encouragingly that there were “twice as many participants this year,” and “definitely more enthusiasm and devotional participation among the young adults who attended.”
But if there was a comparative lack of zeal in last year’s conference, St. Edward parishioner Karen Bautista didn’t notice. “I had such a great experience [last year] that I knew I wanted to come back,” she said, explaining why she came to EAEN this year, adding that she even invited a friend. “What motivated me to sign up again was the desire to nourish my spiritual life,” Bautista explained.
Madeline Brydges is the Young Adult Ministry Coordinator for St. Margaret Mary Parish in Chino. This was also her second year attending EAEN, and she again invited the members of her parish’s Young Adult Ministry to come along. “I’m always on the search for a deeper encounter with Christ through His young people,” Brydges said.
One of the attendees who came at Brydges’ invitation was Aurelia Lespron, 29, from St. Margaret Mary in Chino. “I wanted to open my mind and heart up to God and understand more about the Eucharist,” she said.
Sacramental Graces
During his keynote address, Fr. Partida shared with retreatants his own experience of struggling with faith as a young adult. “I shared the questions I had, the naivete of my prayers, asking God to prove to me that the Catholic Church was the true religion,” said Fr. Partida, who also serves as the Director of the Diocesan Office of Divine Worship. “I shared how it was no thrills or frills, no miraculous events…rather it was silence before the Blessed Sacrament that I came to experience God’s indwelling love for me.”
With this, Fr. Partida gets to the heart of EAEN and the Eucharistic Revival. It’s not primarily about catechesis–though catechesis is essential, he said. Eucharistic Revival is about encountering Jesus Christ through His Sacraments, and that’s really what EAEN sets out to do. According to those who attended, those encounters stick with them.
“Being able to take part in Adoration and Reconciliation was such a healing and emotional experience for me,” said Lespron.
“I have never felt so much peace like I felt that night during Adoration,” Andrea Serrano, 23, from St. Margaret Mary in Chino, said.
Added Bautista, “Some of the highlights for me were worship and Adoration, which were truly powerful moments,” she continued, “Another huge highlight was Confession.”
“It was truly motivating to see just how many young adults felt moved to go to Confession, including myself,” said Rubi, “The next day truly felt like a new beginning.”
Mary Pearson is a freelance writer and parishioner of St. Martha, Murrieta.