2017 Lenten Retreat – Lent: What's in it for Me?

Friday, Feb. 24, 2017

WEST JORDAN — A Lenten retreat hosted by St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church, is intended to give Catholics a different view of the penitential season, and to understand it better.

The retreat, titled “Lent, What’s in it for Me?”, has been in the works for months, said Deacon Sunday Espinoza, who will present the retreat.

The title of the retreat intrigued him and gave him a direction for the presentation, Deacon Espinoza said. “I want to take people away from ‘What’s in it for us?’ to ‘What’s in it for God?’”

Sometimes Catholics don’t get the correct idea about Lent, and celebrate the Holy Week without even knowing what they’re doing or why they’re doing it, the deacon said. “In this retreat, what I want to do is help out parishioners, help them focus a little differently on Lent. What I want to do is take them to a different arena of Lent.”

The goal of the retreat is for people to “leave the retreat with ideas on how to refocus and revitalize their relationship with Jesus,” said Suzie Brown, a St. Joseph the Worker parishioner who, with her husband Todd, has helped organize the event.

“Hopefully, [the retreat attendees] will gain some ideas to bring their relationship with Jesus to the forefront,” Brown said.

Deacon Espinoza echoed these sentiments.

“I’d like to see people come away from this retreat with a better idea of their spirituality,” he said. “All of Lent, all of our lives, are about spirituality. If we can have this idea ingrained in our minds, it will serve us well not only in this Lenten season, but in every Lenten season.”

The retreat will begin with a two-hour presentation by Deacon Espinoza, followed by a time for private prayer during Adoration and Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, said Brown. 

“Come whenever you want, you can stay for part or all of it,” Brown urged fellow Catholics, stating that the retreat will be useful for anyone, not just for St. Joseph the Worker parishioners. 

“People in the diocese are looking for ways to improve and enhance their Catholic faith,” and the retreat at St. Joseph the Worker Parish will be one way for Catholics to deepen their faith, she said.