Mission: Jersey Retreat to bring teens together for service across Diocese

July 7, 2025 at 2:04 p.m.

Registration is still open for July opportunities for teens across the Diocese to engage in good works of service while having some fun during the annual Mission: Jersey summer retreat experiences.

Sponsored by the diocesan Department of Youth and Young Adult Ministries, Mission: Jersey consists of three one-day in-person service retreat experiences for teens in grades 8 through 12.

The initiative invites young Catholics to live out their Catholic faith to help those in need through community‑based service projects. Participants will learn about and participate in various service projects that support local community service agencies. All projects will be arranged and supervised by adult leaders and representatives from the partner organizations.

Dates and locations for each Mission: Jersey program are as follows: July 8, Seeds of Service, Brick; July 22, Sacred Heart Parish, Trenton, and July 24, Rising Treetop Camp, Oakhurst.

Dan Waddington, director of the diocesan Department of Youth and Young Adult Ministries, noted that this is this eighth year Mission: Jersey has been offered. “We are expecting approximately 130 or so teens to attend this year with the three sites combined,” he said.

At Seeds of Service, teens will help Seeds of Service staff and members of the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Visitation Parish, with stocking food pantries, organizing clothing donations, tending community gardens and preparing blessing bags and sandwiches for homeless individuals.

In Sacred Heart Parish, the youth will help with the parish’s food basket programs – sorting donations, preparing baskets and frozen goods, and assisting with guest intake and distribution.

At Rising Treetop camp, participants will lead recreational activities such as arts and crafts, sports, music and nature studies for disabled adults and teens.

Each of the events begin with orientation, ice‑breakers and prayer at designated parishes before sending participants to project sites. Adult leaders and partner‑organization representatives will guide the teens in helping those in need.

“Mission: Jersey invites young people to serve God by serving others as they put their faith into action to make a difference in the community,” Waddington said. “It mixes community building, prayer, service and fun to create a powerful experience for every participant!"

For registration and more information on this years’ service sites, projects and details on how to get involved, visit dioceseoftrenton.org/missionjersey or call 609‑403‑7140.

💻 Check out the highlights from Mission: Jersey 2024