June 19, 2026 One Church, East to West: Loving Jesus, Serving Jesus, Sharing Jesus
DIOCESE OF SPRINGFIELD—CAPE GIRARDEAU, MISSOURI
Vol. LXII, No. 5
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12 high school-aged men attend Quo Vadis retreat
QUO VADIS DISCERNMENT RETREAT—Eight parishes sent 12 high school-aged young men to join diocesan seminarians, Bishop Edward M. Rice, Fr. Joseph Stoverink, diocesan Director of Vocations & Seminarians, and area clergy for the Quo Vadis Discernment Retreat (“Where are you going?”) held June 3-6, in Fredericktown. The days allowed for fellowship, prayer, the sacraments, presentations on the vocation of the priesthood, and athletics on the grounds of the diocesan-owned Camp St. Carlo. (Photo by Brock Hulshof/The Mirror)
here in southern Missouri. “From there, I pitched the idea to Bishop Rice about potentially starting iocesan seminarians, area this in the summer of 2026. The bishop clergy, and Bishop Rice recently was all for it, and after a few months of welcomed 12 high school men deliberation and prayer, the idea was from across the diocese at the firstapproved, and the planning could move ever Quo Vadis Discernment Retreat. forward,” Koehler said. The name of the retreat was inspired: “My hope is that we tap into an “Quo Vadis” is Latin for “Where are you untapped resource,” said Bishop Rice. going?” This comes from the tradition “The fields are ripe in southern Missouri, when Peter was leaving Rome because of and having 12 young men come forward persecution, and he saw our Lord walking to discern [how they might serve the toward Rome. He stopped and posed the Church] is proof that God still calls young question “Quo Vadis, Domine?” Jesus men to the priesthood.” replied that he “was going to Rome to be From the beginning, the goal was crucified again,” so Peter also returned to get 12 young men to sign up and to Rome, where he was arrested and attend the diocese’s martyred. Quo Vadis is inaugural event at a discernment retreat Camp St. Carlo, in that many dioceses Fredericktown, held across the United June 3-6. Fathers of States facilitate for those interested could high school-aged men, also attend. asking them the same “It didn’t look question. The retreat like we would get is special in the sense [12] at first, but the that it is entirely led Lord answered our by seminarians with prayers and gave us talks given by priests, 12 incredible young deacons, seminarians, men to attend the first and in this case, a annual Quo Vadis bishop. EMMAUS WALK—Jared Koehler (seminarian) “In August 2025, and Jack Rone (retreatant) share one-on-one Discernment Retreat,” I pitched the idea to conversations during Emmaus Walks which Koehler said. Not only was Bishop Rice of starting gave retreatants a chance to ask questions at this retreat for the a retreat for high the Quo Vadis Discernment Retreat June 3-6, seminarians to pour school men in our at Camp St. Carlo, in Fredericktown. into the high school (Photo by Brock Hulshof/The Mirror) diocese,” said Jared retreatants but it also Koehler, a diocesan allowed the seminarians to come together seminarian and an organizer of the and have another week of fraternity vocational discernment event. “When reflecting on the beginning of the process, during the summer. “It was so beautiful to see all of our I simply thought that we could be doing seminarians come and work together to more to promote and support vocations further vocations in the diocese,” Bishop in our diocese.” Rice said. That highlights a unique experience Homegrown opportunity of the retreat: from planning, speaking, Koehler indicated that there was a gap and leading small groups to leading that was being filled in by other (arch) sports, it is all led by the diocesan dioceses and he thought that this could be seminarians themselves. the perfect opportunity to capitalize on “Our goal was to show these men men who are asking the deeper questions of where God could be calling them, right Continued on page 8... Fredericktown, MO
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Parishes with retreatants
Springfield - Holy Trinity Parish: 1 retreatant
Carthage - St. Ann Parish: 4 retreatants
Ozark - St. Joseph the Worker Parish: 1 retreatant
Portageville - St. Eustachius Parish: 1 retreatant
Ironton - Ste. Marie Du Lac Parish: 2 retreatants
Mountain View - St. John Vianney Parish: 1 retreatant
Dexter - Sacred Heart Parish: 1 retreatant
Sikeston - St. Francis Xavier Parish: 1 retreatant
RECONCILIATION—Bishop Rice imparts a blessing on a penitent during confession held during the Quo Vadis Discernment Retreat held June 3-6 in Fredericktown. (Photo by Brock Hulshof/The Mirror)