Awaken is a powerful weekend for high school teens. It is both an urban mission and also a social justice experience. Awaken offers teens an opportunity to deeply examine issues of social justice while confronting homelessness in our own community. You will finish the weekend forever changed in the way you view homelessness in our society.
Throughout the weekend you will:
- look closely and reflect on the root causes of homelessness
- serve those less fortunate at a homeless shelter
- serve at a recovery home
- enjoy the vibrancy of the African American worship tradition at a Sunday morning Mass.
Awaken begins when we meet at Holy Family on a Friday afternoon and concludes when we return around 2pm on Sunday. Awaken includes social justice ministry and an African American gospel mass. Each retreat generally includes serving a meal and visiting with guests at a homeless shelter, playing with children at a residential recovery shelter and a walk to reflect on teen homelessness. It requires some physical activity and walking. Teens stay at Brother David Darst Center for Justice and Peace, Spirituality and Education with Holy Family adult chaperones who also facilitate the retreat.
The retreat center is our “home base” and we reflect on the social justice issues there. The retreat center is at 2834 S. Normal Avenue, Chicago IL 60616. Throughout the weekend we will travel by church van, foot, El train and CTA bus.