MI Evangelization Team, Summer 2013
Together. Shaping the Future.
What could be more important to the hope of tomorrow than the faith formation of our young people today?The MI Movement firmly believes that well-trained young adult catechists are the "secret weapon" of the New Evangelization and are vital to the success of the Church's mission! If the life-giving message of the Gospel is to reach the hearts of the young people in today's complex society, it must be disseminated, in great part, by the youth themselves.
While Catholic young adults are such a rich resource in transmitting the Faith, they are not rich. The average student loan debt is $23,000 and in a market where jobs are scarce young people are struggling to survive. None-the-less, THIRTEEN MI Knights are giving an entire month of time, FEARLESS in FAITH, to minister to the youth at the MI Teen summer programs in Washington, Oregon and Illinois.
Confident in Divine Providence, they have booked their flights and are thanking Our Lady in advance for raising the funds needed to cover their expenses.
If you are looking for evidence of authentic faith in the midst of our struggling world, read the moving testimonies below and consider sponsoring a member of the MI Evangelization Team for Summer, 2013!
Your generous contribution of $10, $25, $100, $250 will go a long way!
Together. Let's shape the future for Christ!
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ZOE APEL
Stoughton,
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On my first retreat with the MI one of the leaders told us that, "Once you give yourself to Our Lady, she is going to take you for the ride of your life...So hold on tight!" Mary has so many incredible graces to give us if we just give her our hearts; there is never a dull moment in life when you have entrusted yourself to her loving care! Being on this evangelization team is an amazing opportunity to share the many graces that I have received through the MI and to win souls for the Immaculata! As St. Max instructed "Let us conquer other hearts for the Immaculate!"
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TIM BLANCHARD
Albany,
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I’ve been a Catholic my whole life. I’ve read the bible, taken religion classes, and attended Mass every Sunday. But I came to a point in my life where I felt like I was just going through a routine; lost in the fog and not truly understanding how important our Faith is. That all changed when I went to my first MI retreat lead by the MAX Evangelization Team. It was like being touched by the Holy Spirit Himself! A sense of peace came over me and I became aware that I was being transformed into a Knight of the Immaculata, a soldier for Our Lady, just as Saint Maximilian Kolbe was. The MI young adult leaders helped open my eyes to just how important my faith in God and His holy Mother really is. Now I feel called to help the MI give this life-changing spirit of faith to the youth of my generation. True faith is lacking in today’s world with all its harmful distractions. I want to start my journey into adulthood helping to bring as many as I can to Our Lady; praying to her, that each person may grow to love her as I have. What better place to start than at the MI Teen programs!
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JULIA DUFFEY
Norwalk,
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I grew up hearing stories about the MI from when my parents attended the programs. Although they expressed how much they loved these MI retreats, when I was told that I was going on one I did not want to go at all. I had been to a few retreats before the MI and wasn't impressed. I thought this retreat would be just another disappointment. When I found myself at Marytown’s teen summer camp, surrounded by so many enthusiastic Catholic young people, I quickly realized that I had been completely wrong. It was an amazing experience. There are no words to fully express how great it is.
The MI retreats help me to remember what is really important in life. Like the many other young people I met there, pleasing God is what I strive for more than anything else. This is definitely a challenge to accomplish, but certainly not impossible. We all face obstacles and sometimes need a little help to get passed them. The MI is filled with Catholics who are very passionate about their faith; someone is always there to lend a helping hand. Being an MI leader is such an honor. I am always thrilled to help guide others to Our Lord.
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FRIAR THOMAS FETZ, OFM CONV.
Chicago,
Our thanks to the Conventual Franciscan Friars of St. Bonaventure Province for sponsoring Brother Thomas Fetz to join us this summer! |
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Mary was always a huge part of my religious vocation, but it wasn't until after I joined the Franciscans that I became consecrated to Our Lady and enrolled in the MI. I had no idea what I was in for! My life and my vocation absolutely changed after that. The Immaculata has taken me for the ride of my life and I owe everything to her because she has made me the Franciscan that I am today.
I know that Marian consecration is life-changing: I've experienced its power myself. In a time when our young people question whether there is any truth whatsoever and doubt that life has any meaning at all, I want to share the gift of Mary. She is sure to lead each one to a powerful encounter with God.
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RACHAEL FOX
Burien,
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It's one of my greatest joys to lead at MI teen summer camps; the chance to proclaim the love of God to my campers and watch them grow in His love sets my heart on fire! I feel called to serve as part of the MI family because it has been a crucial part of what has shaped me as a Catholic and allowed me to fall deeply in love with my faith, my Lord, and my blessed Mama, and as a result has shaped my life goals, my relationship with God, and even my own self-understanding. I cherish the chance to be a tool in the hands of our Lady as she uses me in order to provide this same chance to the young men and women whom I have the privilege of serving. I ask you to keep each member of our team in your prayers as we seek to abandon ourselves and our gifts to the service of our Lord and our Lady for the sake of each teen we minister to this summer.
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LAUREN HANCE
Seattle,
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I believe young people need the MI. Catholicism encompasses everything the world cannot give and responds to the human soul’s deepest yearning for God. MI programs have a powerful way of making Catholicism relevant to young people, touching the intense emotions of adolescence, and transforming those emotions into zeal for God and the salvation of souls. Through the heroic example of St. Maximilian Kolbe and the fearless intercession our Blessed Mother, young people are given the tools to fight for the good, the true and the beautiful in our world today.
I believe wholeheartedly in the spiritual mission of the MI and that the lives of young people today are being transformed through it. There is nothing I desire more than to be a part of this; the Church’s mission to pass the Faith on to the next generation of believers.
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ADELE KELLY
Deerfield,
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I feel so blessed with the opportunities to help with the summer retreats this year and give back, because the MI has been a significant part of my life ever since I began attending the youth retreats at Marytown when I was a teen. Ever since, the MI has held a special place in my heart, and it is something I would love for all people everywhere to experience! My goal as an MI leader is to bring as many souls as I can to Jesus through Mama Mary, to let her use me as an instrument to reach out to others, and to do so as soon as possible. I find the MI as an oasis from this crazy world that allows myself to connect with these supremely important aspects of my life. All for the Immaculata!
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SHANNON NOLAND
Richmond Hill,
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As a student just coming out of high school, I am both excited and a little bit daunted by the prospects and possibilities before me. My future seems vague and uncertain, and my life-plan reeks of incompletion and a serious lack of direction. But despite all of the unknowns and my endless imperfections, there is one thing that has always remained constant and will never change or move out of reach, one thing that will forever endure as a steadfast stronghold and rock on which to hold my ground. This one thing is God. No matter what we do or where we end up in our lives, God will always be there. My Catholic faith is something I know will always exist in my life, and I look to it when the road seems most hazy. So I am immensely thankful for the opportunity to help out in a ministry that I know is serving our Lord and His mother in such a wonderful way. The youth of this time are in dire need of something more than what the world can offer. They need Love - God’s Love. I can think of no better way to start out my adult life than to offer myself into the service of the MI. This universal faith is something I want so much to share with the world; because when you long for something real, something you can hold on to forever, Jesus in the Catholic faith never lets you down.
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JOEY PONTARELLI
Spring Grove,
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Nearly 1500 years ago St. Augustine said, “You created us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.” The significance of this saying rings especially true for our time. People are lost, searching for meaning. Ultimately, they search for Jesus. That’s why I’m serving this summer: to bring restless hearts to Jesus, under His Mother’s guidance.
Like last year, I look forward to working with the teens. They are incredible. I love seeing them grow, step by step. Like me, they are thirsting for happiness and truth. Our world expects very little from us young people, proclaiming us incapable of heroic lives. Nothing is further from the truth and we are tired of it. By giving her “fiat,” Our Lady shows the true path to greatness. Through her loving hands, I pray Our Lord showers the retreats and teens with a multitude of graces. MI has been a gift to me; I hope to pass it on to others. Regardless of the sacrifices involved, I couldn’t be happier than to work with MI this summer!
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MICHAEL RAWLS
Warrenville,
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The Militia of the Immaculata (“MI”) has had an enormous impact on my life and has helped to shape me into the person I am today. I am blessed to be a part of the MI family and am so grateful for all the past young adult leaders who have made great sacrifices to provide me with the amazing retreats I was able to attend as a teen. I want to help teens to receive and realize the beauty of the gift of faith that others have shared with me and that my family has taught me to cherish.
The MI summer camps were also where I first truly started to appreciate and understand Our Lady and her role in helping me live out my faith. My deep dedication to Our Lady and her mission in the world has led me to want to increase her “glory to the maximum in all the many strayed and indifferent souls, and thus help extend as far as possible the blessed kingdom of the most Sacred Heart of Jesus.” (St. Max) I believe that by joining the MI Evangelization team this summer I will be an instrument in doing exactly that.
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BENJAMIN RECORD(and his proud mama)
Selah,
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The MI has been such a blessing to my life and a huge reason I am who I am today. When I was a teen, Mamma Mary made sure I went every summer to MI Camp, because she knew it was what I needed to get through another year of the tough life in high school. I know that the MI has been able to impact so many teens' lives, because of the young adult leaders who have all been open to the Immaculata using them as her instruments. What a grace for us all! From the day I first attended camp until now, I have always known that my MI family is right there beside me. I want to give back!
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EMMA SCUGLIK
Waukegan,
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The MI is where my heart finds its home. Growing up with the teen retreat programs has really shaped who I am today and led me to pursue a career that involves my faith life. I firmly believe that my MI Consecration played an integral role in determining my vocation to study Theology and follow wherever that will lead me. I would love to continue to help the MI impact the lives of young people and show them the joy found in living their Catholic faith to its fullest potential.
The time to live an active faith life is now. The young generation today is thirsting for something more in life, and searching in all the wrong places. The world needs people who can reinvent what sainthood in our modern society means and pursue their lives with love. Amazing and influential saints like St. Maximilian Kolbe are not a thing of the past, they are happening this very moment, right before our eyes.
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MEGAN SUMMERBELL
Janesville,
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As a teen, I knew my faith, but I don’t think I knew it in my heart. On my first MI Youth program, my heart was set on fire. Ever since that retreat, I have found such a love for life and for my Faith. I have placed my trust in the Lord through his Immaculate Mother Mary. This trust and my MI consecration have taken me places I could have never imagined and have made me the person I am today. During this summer with the MI, I want to be a witness to our Faith and help bring our young people to Jesus through Mary, so that they may feel that same love and that same fire in their own hearts.
