Upcoming Retreats & Events

March 28-30, 2025

This retreat is for any 8th grader who wants to grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ and His Church, build good friendships, and have fun for one night away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Through engaging talks and time spent in prayer, attendees will be able to grow in their personal faith. Time spent with other 8th graders striving to know Christ more deeply will provide opportunities to grow in friendship with other like-minded peers.

St. Thomas More Center will provide faithful, joyful, and responsible young adults to facilitate the retreat. Supervision of the attendees will follow the same guidelines Catholic Youth Camp families have come to expect during the summer.

This will be an overnight retreat at the St. Thomas More Center in Panora, IA, starting on Saturday morning and ending Sunday after Mass.

Registration for the retreat is $50. This covers the cost of lodging, retreat materials, meals, and snacks. If cost is a concern, financial assistance is available.

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April 11-13, 2025

Suscipe is the Latin word for 'receive'. The term was popularized by St. Ignatius of Loyola and his Spiritual Exercises and is the name of one of his famous prayers, the Suscipe.

Take Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, and my entire will, all that I have and possess. Thou hast given all to me. To Thee, O lord, I return it. All is Thine, dispose of it wholly according to Thy will. Give me Thy love and thy grace, for this is sufficient for me. - St. Ignatius of Loyola

This three-day weekend retreat for high school seniors is an opportunity to step out of the hectic nature of their last semester and into a relaxing and prayerful experience, where they can say, "Take Lord, and receive..." and prepare to live their faith beyond their high school years.

Registration for the retreat is $160. This covers the cost of lodging, retreat materials, meals, and snacks. If cost is a concern, financial assistance is available. Please reach out to Jessica Pancho, Director of Youth Ministry, at [email protected].

Participants will need to bring a printed and completed waiver form with them to check-in on Friday evening at 6 PM.

Please register by March 7th, 2025.

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May 9-11, 2025

The Diocese of Des Moines is excited to partner with NET Ministries for a retreat for high school freshmen and sophomores.

NET Ministries is a missionary organization that focuses on inviting Catholic youth into a deeper relationship with their community and Jesus. During NET Retreats, youth play games, hear a Gospel message, and participate in a time of prayer.

The theme for this retreat is “Never Alone,” which focuses on the gift of the sacrament of Confirmation. At Confirmation, Christ seals us with the gifts of the Holy Spirit so that we can be better equipped to spread the Gospel like the Apostles at Pentecost. But it’s not enough to just receive these gifts. We have to accept them and choose to use them.

This will be an overnight retreat at the St. Thomas More Center in Panora, IA, starting on Friday evening and ending Sunday after Mass.

Registration for the retreat is $125. This covers the cost of lodging, retreat materials, meals, and snacks. If cost is a concern, financial assistance is available. Please reach out to Jessica Pancho, Director of Youth Ministry, at [email protected].

LEARN MORE & REGISTER