MELBOURNE | More than 130 young adults from 31 parishes across four dioceses in Florida gathered at Ascension Parish in Melbourne for Salt + Light, a retreat hosted by Tecum Ministries Oct. 10.

“Our mission is to build a home for young adults in the Church, and we’re all about bringing us all together,” said Apolonia Davalos, community engagement and communications manager for Tecum Ministries. Founded by Michael and Katie Gramke and Joseph Love, the ministry began hosting annual young adult retreats in 2017.

The title and theme of this year’s retreat comes from Jesus’ famous exhortation in Mt 5:13-14 stating, “You are the salt of the earth…”

“People are in different places, but I try to see, what is it that the community really needs,” Gramke said. “I’ve been just seeing people really struggling and (not) even knowing that they’re gifted. … Even if they know they’re gifted… they don’t know how to share those gifts.”

Building on the themes from past retreats, Gramke chose to focus on what it looks like for Catholics to live rooted in Christ and share their gifts with others. “It really ended up being a reflection of my own prayer life and (where) I’m at, where I feel like the community is at.”

She said she writes retreats trying to meet people where they are. “We do have people walking off the street who (have) never been to Mass before. It blows me in my mind every time.”

“We have so many people coming who are at different stages of life, you know, we have cradle Catholics, reverts, converts, Catholic curious,” said Davalos. Whether participants know next to nothing about Catholicism or are devout Catholics active in their parish, the retreats are designed to engage young adults at any point in their faith journey.

The day started with breakfast and fellowship, then broke into four sessions, each followed by a time for reflection in small groups. The Sacrament of Penance and Eucharistic Adoration were available throughout the day, and a ministry team member was always present before the Blessed Sacrament praying for participants.

Serving as emcee for the retreat, Davalos began by recalling this was not just a social event, but an opportunity to build relationships and foster community with one another. Father John Triolo, parochial vicar of Ascension Parish, prayed over those present before the first session. “We’re all here for you. This is time to be here with the Lord,” said Father Triolo. He encouraged participants to renew their “yes” to God.

Father Zachary Parker, vocations director for the diocese, gave a presentation explaining why Jesus calls us the salt of the earth.

“We’re called to add on the flavor. We’re called to be additional flavor to the meaning of life. We’re called to magnify, to make clear who God is and who we really are.”

Drawing from a recent experience at a Michelin star restaurant, Father Parker weaved humorous anecdotes with Scripture expounding upon a Catholic understanding of identity, receiving the goodness of God, and having a right-ordered relationship with creation.

“Who are we? Who are we called to be as Christians? Who are we called to be as young adults? Who are we called to be as just human beings?” asked Father Parker. “We’re called by Christ to be the people who amplify the beauty of God, who awaken a sense of awe and wonder, awaken the sense that, everything is a sign for us of God’s divine love, and it’s for us to go awaken that within people.”

Father Parker’s second talk focused on discernment. While the term discernment may seem abstract to some, it is simply “asking for help in making a decision… (in) trying to make an objective choice,” said Father Parker. He stressed every person has free will, and God has given us freedom to make choices. Recognizing the good things we are attracted to, and the desires God has placed in our heart, we are able to respond freely and pursue the good. “God has placed this before me,” said Father Parker. “It was put here before me, and now I’m responding to the goodness of God.”

Opening the floor for questions and answers, Father Parker urged young adults to own the choices they make. “He wants you to use the freedom and creativity and intellect that He has blessed you with.” Father Parker emphasized “the only thing that we can mess up is, is not really running towards the good.” “The only thing that matters is saying ‘yes’ entirely to Jesus.”

For those scared to decide or paralyzed by not wanting to make the wrong choice, Father Parker acknowledged there is always an inherent risk. He said choosing with Jesus and believing that makes a difference is important, while assessing with one’s intellect and best choices. “It might not work, but at least I can stand up and say, ‘I tried it and I went for it and I gave it everything’…. And if you follow that, we just rejoice, even if it’s a cross,” he continued. Father Parker concluded by encouraging those facing difficulties in discernment to rely on their community.

Anna Maness served as a small group leader for the retreat. A parishioner at Ascension, Maness became involved after moving to Melbourne with her husband last year. “I think having retreats like this is awesome because it kind of sets a fire back in someone’s soul again, and it serves as a really wonderful reset in the year,” she said.

For Maness, the retreat’s speakers were particularly edifying. “This was only my second time hearing Father Zach Parker speak, but, wow, that man knows how to control a crowd,” said Maness.

Another highlight for Maness was Hannah Martin’s breakout session on charisms and gifts. “I had never really known before what the different charisms were or what would be mine, so I kind of wanted to go just to learn more,” Maness said. “She led us through a kind of interactive prayer which was really neat.”

Maness said the fact some people drove from up to two hours away emphasized peoples’ desire for Catholic community. “Seeing young people on fire for the Lord is something really special, and getting to experience that at the (Salt + Light) retreat was really a blessing.”

Learn more at https://www.tecumministries.com/

By Lucas Blackwell of the Florida Catholic staff, October 16, 2026