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2022 MS and HS Summer Youth Retreat

Goals

  • Give them an opportunity to discuss, vent, and ask questions related to the modern day push of homosexuality, transgenderism, abortion, etc.
  • Day 1
    • Provide a structure of defense against the issue of homosexuality in society
    • Provide some answers about where homosexuality comes from, the history and negative social effects
    • Address Current Events (e.g. House Bill 1557 "Don't say Gay Bill", Disney Supporting it, Schools Protesting it, etc.)
  • Day 2
    • Clearly detail the role of men and women and their equality in God's eyes and in the Church
    • Provide a structure of defense against the issue of abortion in society 
    • Address Current Events (e.g. Roe v Wade overturning)

Day 1 - Homosexuality

Resources

Outline

  • Introductory Topic: Truth
    • What is Truth? What is Absolute Truth? Where do we get Truth?
    • What about "that's just your opinion"?
    • The goal is not to convince you that homosexuality is a sin - most of you are already convinced of that. The goal is to equip you with the tools and information needed to support your stance and to give a defense for your faith.
    • Outline of the Day

  • Station: Where does Homosexuality Come From?
    • Nature vs Nurture
    • How does genetics play a role?
    • How does the role of parents play a role?
    • How does society and the media play a role?
    • Is there a spectrum of sexuality?
    • Don't forget to include Bisexuality and Transgenderism in this discussion

  • Station: Biblical View of Homosexuality
    • Where is it seen in the Old Testament?
    • How is it addressed in the New Testament?
    • How about supporting the sin? (Romans 1)
      • There are some ways that we support the sin without knowing (e.g. by putting pronouns on our profiles)
      • What does it mean to "hate the sin love the sinner"

  • Station: Social Effects of Homosexuality
    • Many people use the argument now of "it's not hurting you"
      • Homosexuality harms the person practicing it
      • Homosexuality harms children and families
      • Homosexuality harms society

  • Station: The Holiness of Marriage
    • Definition of Marriage
    • Biblical Marriage (Genesis + the Lord quoting Genesis)
    • Church Rituals about Marriage

  • Closing Topic: Final Debate and the Apologetics of Homosexuality
    • Common arguments and fallacies and how to answer them
    • We should prepare certain questions to ask them and await their response
    • If they are unable to answer, then we will give them the answers and the way to respond to them
    • How to deal with the ad hominem fallacy

Day 2 - Feminism

Resources

  • Feminism and Tradition - Fr Lawrence Farley
  • St Mark ATL Lectures
  • Stephanie Gray
    • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGPudL_GQ3Y
    • Abortion Apologist
    • Most Anti-Abortion arguments center around the fact that the Embryo is a living human being and terminating him/her is murder. Unfortunately, now many pro-abortion people are saying "yes the Embryo is a living person, but the right for bodily autonomy is more important" - how do we answer that? - Stephanie Gray  addresses that here

Outline

  • Introductory Topic: Introduction to Feminism
    • Relate Homosexuality to Feminism via Transgenderism - many feminists are supporting Transgenderism even to the point of not being able to "define woman"
    • What is Feminism
      • Feminism is defined as "Advocacy for women's rights" and yet it has devolved to oppressing women...
      • They want men who call themselves women to use girls bathrooms, to play in girls' and women's sports, etc.
      • They want abortion and argue that it is a fundamental right and they can't function without it
    • Importance of studying the topic of Feminism for Boys and for Girls
    • Outline of the day

  • Station 1: Does it fight for women's rights?
    • God made man and woman
    • The role and equality of man and woman designed by God in the church
    • Priesthood only for men?! Deaconship only for men?!?!?
      • The apostles would go to St. Mary for prayers and blessings, but St. Mary would go to them for Eucharist. I feel that if the servants and the youth have this concept clear in their minds, it's a good door for the rest of the topic
      • And this is the equality God has for us. And equality doesn't delete the fact that women has a role as well as men. No person on earth was/is greater than St. Mary, but she was never a priest, never administered any sacraments. The apostles also know and appreciate St. Mary so much that they would go for her opinion/blessings/prayers. St. John never left Jerusalem until her body's assumption.
      • God picked men to be the apostles, but also the women to anointed his body.
        But He also picked EVERYONE to be His disciple (you mentioned this part)
    • Similarities and differences in men and women

  • Station 2: Does it fulfill God's will?
    • Feminism is the advocacy of women, and God's will is for the equality of men and women... so is feminism fulfilling God's will?
    • This station should focus on the topic of Abortion
    • Some believe that abortion is fundamental to the functioning of a woman... (e.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZYQpge1W5s 12:00 "I think abortion rights are fundamental to women being able to function as full humans in society") and they call this feminism
    • Some people ask why do we let a person live without a father? abortion is a solution for this. Why would someone that got raped live with a baby that she didn't want? abortion is a solution
      The real answer for these is that God has a plan (even if it seems unclear)

  • Station 3: Is it fair to everyone?
    • Historically, Christianity was the first institution in the world to be openly for women and liberating to women...
      • Jesus accepted women to be His disciples, they had a very specific ministry (i.e. Luke 8) in providing financial support, meals, etc. He appeared to them first after His Resurrection
      • Christianity was open about accepting women and this attracted many women to join the faith in the Early Church
      • "There is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28)
    • The feminist movement disregards all of this and calls the Church unfair to women and oppressive to women
    • The feminist movement is unfair in its judgmental attitude towards the church

  • Station 4: Does it help build society?
    • Promotion of independence and individuality

  • Closing Topic: ???
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