Men’s discernment retreat set for July 12 at Newman Center

By Michael Lehnertz

COLORADO SPRINGS. The Diocese of Colorado Springs will host the third annual Discernment Retreat for single men between the ages of 18-40 on July 12 at the St. John Henry Newman Center, 4785 Stanton Rd., Colorado Springs.

The format and schedule is similar to last year’s retreat. Registration begins at 1:30 p.m. The retreat will start at 2 p.m. with opening remarks by Bishop James Golka.

“I was very pleased with the response for last year’s Discernment Retreat,” said Michael Lehnertz, an organizer of the event. “One of the high points was the seminarian panel; four seminarians discussed and answered questions about their discernment process and their calling. It was well received. These retreats are paying huge dividends in that we have two or three men from previous retreats who have enrolled in the seminary for this fall semester.”

The retreat will consist of three presentations: one from a priest, the seminarian panel and one from a parent of a priest. 

The retreat will also offer adoration, the rosary and confessions.  At approximately 6 p.m. there will be a barbecue featuring hamburgers and bratwurst at the Newman Center for all of the discerners and their parents.

Like last year, there will be a separate retreat for boys between the ages of 11-17 on Aug. 16. Times and location will be published at a later date.

Those who plan to attend are asked to RSVP to Lehnertz by July 9 at mlehnertz@icloud.com. 

For any questions regarding the discernment or application process, please contact Father Kyle Ingels, Vocations Director and Vicar General for the Diocese of Colorado Springs.  He can be reached at kingels@diocs.org.

(Michael Lehnertz has been a parishioner at Our Lady of the Pines in Black Forest for 21 years and serves as the director of the parish vocations ministry. His son is a priest in the diocese of Orlando, Florida.)