Youth News: Student Retreat In 2002 Started FLAME At OLM

STEPHEN LENAHAN, GB Youth Board

Published: November 18, 2004

FAIRBURN—In the spring of 2002, through prayer and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, it was clear that students at Our Lady of Mercy High School were searching for something deeper, especially after a powerful eucharistic retreat sponsored by the archdiocese.

This vision and discovery led to the birth of the first F.L.A.M.E. retreat, which stands for Fishing for Love Amidst the Mercy Empire. The first retreat, which lasted a day, involved about 20 students and was held in the campus religion workroom.

Only five semesters later, F.L.A.M.E. this year drew 140 students—60 percent of the entire student body—who went on a three-day extravaganza in the North Georgia mountains on an incredible October weekend.

Some students came looking for fun, others spiritual renewal, and still others not knowing what to expect, but one thing is true: All made some sort of memory and developed a new relationship with their classmates, who are now their new friends.

Although the retreat started off later than scheduled due to unexpected travel delays, students had no problem jumping into the spirit of the retreat at Camp High Harbor. Friday night the retreat started with a few great talks and small-group introductions and ended with an adventurous late night walk on the mountain, which included biblical stations and even a rendition of Jesus walking on the misty water of the nearby lake.

Saturday kicked off with a talk about how youth should be striving for life. Senior Maria Gagliano and junior Lauren Dalton pointed out examples of the culture of death but also stressed that young people can defeat it by being a generation that promotes life, especially in school.

The day continued with ropes courses, archery, canoeing and free time to reflect. A few brave souls survived the force of the BLOB, a giant balloon of air in the middle of the lake that sends its victims flying into the ice-cold lake as their friends jump onto the other end.

Later, after a candlelit Mass, participants prepared the chapel for a more serious time of reflection and adoration. Students truly felt the spirit of Christ moving during the retreat especially as they shared their problems, concerns and challenges.

Perhaps adoration was the most moving time as described by a few students, including junior Malana DeJean.

“It helped me to focus on what should be first in my life, our Lord and Savior,” she said.

Father Paul Burke, chaplain of OLM, was not feeling the greatest physically at the time adoration was to occur, but he endured his illness because of the spirit in his students and the inspiration of the frail but lively Pope John Paul II who continues to “take at least two hours out of his busy schedule every day for time with the Blessed Sacrament,” Father Burke said. “It’s the least I can do to bring my students the Blessed Sacrament.”

Sunday morning after a beautiful sunrise, the retreat continued with one last somber moment just before leaving Camp High Harbor as the seniors attending were drawn to tears realizing how God had been transforming lives at OLM through the retreat that they helped start just four years ago as freshmen.

Overall F.L.A.M.E. number four was a huge success, and students left knowing that not only had they grown closer to Christ and each other, but now they were begging for more Mercy.

Stephen Lenahan is a senior at Our Lady of Mercy High School, Fairburn, and a member of Holy Trinity Church in Peachtree City. He was one of the founders of the F.L.A.M.E. retreat.