---

What Is This About? 
​In order to meet the challenges of living the faith as a young Catholic adult, our Religious Family hosts an annual four-day formation program called Universitas. The conference will include daily Holy Mass & Adoration, Formation Talks, Games & Sports, Campfires and more! Join other Catholics from around the country to grow deeper in your faith and relationship with Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Word.

Questions?
Contact Br. Peter at vocesverbiusa@ive.org or 510 579 1244

What is Formation?

Human Formation
​Grace builds on nature. To be truly human means to be in command of emotions, to be able to communicate with & work alongside others. Discover numerous opportunities to challenge and master yourself.

Spiritual Formation
Draw nearer to God through prayer. Live from the sacraments. Grow in grace and virtue. These are the cornerstones of our spiritual life. We will offer daily moments of prayer to help!

Intellectual Formation
In contemporary society, it’s not enough simply to know basic Catholic doctrine. Gain profound insights and deeper understanding of Catholic teaching.

Apostolic Formation
To be formed as an apostle means to learn concrete ways to spread the Gospel, to become skilled at inculturating it even in a culture as secular as ours. Gain necessary tools to live as an apostolic witness no matter where you are.

Frequently Asked Questions

WHERE IS UNIVERSITAS?

Universitas takes place in the St. Patrick's Retreat Center in upstate New York, 19 Sunside Rd #2006, Cairo, NY 12413. It is about a 6 hour drive from DC, 45 minutes from the Albany airport and about 2 hours from New York City. We will have transportation available from DC and it is also near a bus line. Let us know if you have any questions on getting there!

What is a universitas about?

Universitas is an opportunity for Catholic young adults and college students to come together for prayer, formation and community! Each day we will have the Holy Mass and a Holy Hour with confessions available. There will also be formation talks to grow deeper in the faith, games and sports (you might want to bring cleats!), songs and story at the camp fire each night and more! Take the opportunity to get away from the hustle and bustle of your normal routine to enjoy time in nature. 

What should I bring to universitas?

• sleeping bag & pillow (or sheets and blanket)
• outdoor clothing (tennis & hiking shoes, jacket (at night and for the mountain), rain coat)
• back pack
• sunscreen and hat
• water bottle
• Bible and spiritual reading (book for prayer & meditation)
• Camera
• Rosary
• insect repellent
• toiletries and personal medicines
• towel
• snack for bonfire

When are the spiritual exercises? 

The exercises will be from June 7 (evening)- to June 10 (early afternoon) immediately following Universitas.

What are the spiritual exercises?

The Spiritual Exercises are a silent retreat that are designed to help one overcome attachment and conquer self so as to be free to follow God's will. It is done through a series of meditations and contemplations our principle and foundation, the mysteries of Christ, and more. You can learn more about the exercises here. 

What time does does universitas ​start and end?

Universitas begins on Friday June 3rd with the opening Mass at 7:30PM. You can plan to arrive in the afternoon any time after 4PM to register and get set up in your room. We will end on Tuesday June 7th with the closing Mass at 11:30AM followed by a cookout lunch wrapping up around 2PM. 

Catholic Young Adult Conference.

SINCE

Join Catholic young adults from all corners of the country seeking to grow deeper in their faith. 

Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius of Loyola

After Universitas, the Spiritual Exercises will be available for both men and women from June 7th to June 10th.

The Spiritual Exercises are a silent retreat with the aim of removing any disordered tendencies in order to discern God's will in one's life. You can read more about them here. 

LOCATION:
Men: St. Patrick's Retreat Center, Cairo, NY
Women: Precious Blood Monastery, Brooklyn, NY

You can indicate in the Universitas registration if you'd like to attend. 

Learn More

About Voces Verbi

Voces Verbi exists to help Catholic Young Adults be true apostles of Christ in their place of study, work, and community.
​With the guidance of Priests and religious of the Institute of the Incarnate Word and SSVM, chapters are found
​throughout the United States, South America, Europe, and Asia.