Hallelujah! Jesus is RISEN!!!....Hallelujah, Alleluia, Hallelujah!! What an absolutely beautiful word! It was worth the wait! It is I, Dominique, hailing from team 1, reporting from Vancouver, BC. It has been a while since you have heard from us! I was sick of late and was unable to report to you, but we are back and all very well. Rejoicing in the joy of this season!!
We have travelled within this diocese for some time now, reaching every corner of the city...literally! Everyday we are in a new place. Surrey, North Van, West Van, Mission, Burnaby, Abbotsford, Maple Ridge, etc! The city is vast, the people are pretty cool, the rain is wet, life is good! Praise the Lord!
Retreats are going great! This diocese, like others, has a great youth ministry! I have a deepened hope for the church while being here! These youth are on fire! We have been putting on Confirmation retreats for the better part of the time. And overall the youth know or have a very good idea of what they are getting into. The diocese puts on Spirit Days for the youth in grade 7 every year and has Matt Maher there every time. We come to a retreat ready to teach them a song, but they are already excited to sing; for they have learned the song right from the man who wrote it! We have just come from Maple Ridge, BC and were excited to see the youth so involved in the parish and youth group. We spent a lot of time in their awesome youth lounge! To see that the youth have a place to go, and that so many have the desire to learn more about their faith is amazing! There is so much in this diocese for the youth and young adults. We were able to join in on one of the events, we had the opportunity to attend Freedom. The topic was confession and there was a great turnout. It started out with a time of talks, small group, then ended off with confession. There must have been 20+ priests there!! I was in awe of the great reverence and faith that surrounded me in the packed church! I love the Catholic faith! It astounds me more and more each day! There is so much joy and hope in the church! Praise the Lord again!
We as a team have been truly blessed and continually are everyday! It is very humbling! We are all filled with great joy! Easter has been, especially to remember...or at least for me it was a first. We were in Maple Ridge at St Luke church, and were able to celebrate Easter Mass in a Benedictine Abbey/Monastery/Seminary!!! We travelled to Mission to Westminster Abbey! It is a beautiful church and was an amazing mass! The place was packed and all the priests, monks, seminarians we there in a large section. The church was filled with the sound of the great organ and the choir of all the monks! What an experience! We toured the grounds and were able to hike the trails on a rosary walk, then we headed back to the youth lounge to celebrate our Lord Risen from the dead and also Terin's unbirthday. 
We all helped cook our Easter feast then were assigned saints to act out for the rest of the evening for the "Martyr Mystery" (Catholic twist to Murder Mystery! Thanks to April!) On the guest list: St Peter (Richard), St Philomena (Rachel), St John the Baptist (Donny), St Therese of Lisieux (Cynthia), St Joan of Arc (Brandi), St Gianna Beretta Molla (Terin), St. Maximilian Kolbe (John), St Stephan (Mike), St Cecilia (April), St Lucy (Dominique) and our beautiful host mother, Mary (Alexes) The night was so great, everyone dove into their characters and we all had a blast! I being St Lucy, was blind for the whole time and am not able to explain the decor, but I can say the food was delicious! My super hearing and innate sense of direction were put to use and I was able to; along with St Gianna, name the murderer of St Stephan and Peter! We all had an awesome time! Happy Unbirthday Terin!
Well that is all for now! I could go on there is still so much more that has happened to us, but there is more to come! I hope you are all filled with the great joy of the Resurrection and may God Bless you all! Praise the Lord!
In Christ,
Dominique Lanthier
PS. HALLELUJAH!!!!!!!!!!....in case I haven't said it...ALLELUIA!! 
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