Veterans Retreat in San Antonio
Retreat Information
This retreat is specifically for men or women who have served in the military and would like to be with brothers and sisters to experience the will of God. DEADLINE FOR REGISTRATION is 1 SEPTEMBER 2025. The retreat begins Thursday evening, October 9th, with check in at 6:00 pm at St. Leo the Great Catholic Church, 119 Octavia Pl, San Antonio, TX 78214.
At the close of the retreat, on Sunday, 12 October, you will be transported back to St. John the Evangelist, 102 S. Audubon Dr, San Antonio, TX 78212 where a special mass will be held. A reception for team members, retreatants and their families will follow the mass. The cost of the retreat is $190.00. A registration deposit of $60.00, made payable to “MVFC, Inc.” must be submitted with this form to reserve your place, No Later Than 1 September 2025. The remaining balance, $130.00, will be due at the Thursday evening check-in.
Retreat fee does include meals and lodging during the retreat.
PLEASE NOTE: Financial difficulties should not prevent anyone from attending the retreat. If you have financial concerns, arrangements can be made by contacting:
Marcelino Gutierrez at 210-273-5976. Confidentiality will be maintained. Please send your completed registration form to: MILITARY VETERANS FOR CHRIST, INC., PO BOX 5648, SAN ANTONIO, TX 78201
You will receive a letter or email about 10 days prior to the retreat describing all the necessities you will need for the weekend. In the event you must cancel, please call Marcelino Gutierrez 210-273-5976 as soon as possible as your place may be made available to another retreatant. Cancellations up until September 5, 2025 will receive a full refund of money paid. After that date you will lose your deposit
Supporting Veterans in Your Community
"The Hole – A Story Every Veteran Understands"
A Soldier struggling with PTSD fell into a deep hole and couldn’t climb out.
A Senior NCO walked by. Hearing the Soldier's cries, he shouted down, "Suck it up, Soldier! Dig deep and drive on!" Then he tossed him a shovel. Wanting to be strong, the Soldier obeyed—and dug the hole even deeper.
Later, a high-ranking Officer came by. The Soldier cried out again. The Officer nodded and said, "Use the tools your NCO gave you." He tossed down a bucket. The Soldier used it to move dirt—but he was still stuck… just deeper now, and more exhausted.
A psychiatrist passed next. Hearing the Soldier’s pain, he handed down some pills. "Take these," he said. "They’ll numb the pain. You’ll forget about the hole for a while." The pills helped… but only for a moment. When they ran out, the Soldier was still in the same dark place.
Then a well-known psychologist walked by. "Tell me how you ended up here," he said. They talked for an hour. The Soldier opened up—about childhood, deployment, trauma. The psychologist listened and then said, "This was a great session. Let’s meet again next week." He walked away. The Soldier was still in the hole.
Finally, another Veteran walked by. Not a counselor, not an officer—just another Soldier, like him. "Hey!" the trapped Soldier yelled. "I’m stuck in this hole!" Without hesitation, the Veteran jumped in. The first Soldier panicked—"What are you doing? Now we’re both stuck!" But the other Veteran just smiled and said, "It’s okay, brother. I’ve been here before... and I know the way out."
This is what the Military Veterans for Christ Retreat is all about. Not just talking about healing—but walking through it together. Not a shovel… not just a pill… not a quick fix. But real connection, shared experience, and Christ-centered healing led by those who’ve lived it too.
If you’re feeling stuck—emotionally, mentally, spiritually—you are not alone. Don’t let pride keep you silent. Shout out. Reach out. We’ve been there… and we’re ready to climb out together.
Personal Reflection
We’ve all been in that hole—whether it's from trauma, guilt, anger, loneliness, or just the weight of the world. And even when we’ve made progress, life has a way of knocking us right back down again. The difference now is… I’m not alone anymore. I’ve found a team—a family in Christ—who helps me climb back out every time.
Each week, our retreat team meets to prepare for the healing retreat. It’s not just planning. We pray together. We check on each other. We cry, we laugh, we talk about how God is still working on us. Even though we've each had our share of darkness, we’re walking in the light now—because we’ve let God into the deepest parts of our lives.
I took this photo from our team meeting this past week and I literally fell in tears looking at it—not tears of sadness, but of overwhelming humbleness, gratitude and love. I know what these veterans have been through. I know how far God has brought them. And they give their time, gifts and energy to this retreat so that others may experience what this veteran tailored experience has to offer.
If you’re reading this and you’re stuck in that hole—I want you to know something: You’re not going to be forgotten. We want you to come to this retreat. Not just to attend, but to become part of our family. Just like someone jumped into the hole with me, I want to jump into the hole with you.
So I’m personally inviting you—come with us. Bring another veteran with you. Let’s begin this healing journey together, with Christ at the center of it all.
God loves you. And we do too.
Let’s walk this road together.