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TEC—which stands for Together Encounter Christ—is a Catholic movement of spirituality for young adults, 18-24. Spirit of St. Louis TEC helps young people in the archdiocese deepen their relationship with Jesus Christ at a critical point in their faith journey. During these years, young adults are looking for answers to questions that will literally shape the rest of their lives:

  • Should I go to college? If so, what should I major in?
  • How do I know if I have a religious vocation? Is God calling me?
  • Will I ever get married? How do I find the right person?
  • What if I never marry or join religious life? Is life meaningful as a single adult?
  • Is it OK not to be sexually active? How do you come back if you already are?
  • What do I want to do with my life? What are God’s plans for my life?

    • TEC encourages young people to keep Jesus at the center of it all as they seek the answers to these and other questions. More than just a three-day retreat, Spirit of St. Louis TEC is a life-giving community of committed Catholics—single, married, clergy and religious alike. This multi-generational community mentors and ministers to the young people along their faith journey, encouraging them to daily live out the Paschal Mystery: to die, rise and go forth in Christ.

    HISTORY

    TEC—an acronym for Teens, Troops, Twenties, To and Together Encounter Christ was founded in Battle Creek, Michigan in 1965 by Fr. Matthew Fedewa and Dorothy Gereke. TEC helps 8,000 young people each year deepen their faith and discern their vocation within the Church. TEC is active in 60 dioceses in North America, Central America, South America and Europe and is affiliated with the NFCYM, NCYAMA and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) through its Episcopal Moderator Emeritus, Archbishop Roger L. Schwietz, OMI, Anchorage, Alaska, Episcopal Moderator, Bishop William P. Callahan, OFM Conv. of Milwaukee, and six other bishops on the TEC Committee.

    TEC has been active in the St. Louis Archdiocese since 1975, with the founding of the Gateway TEC Community, based in the city of St. Louis. Then, in 1978, Leadbelt TEC, serving Catholic youth in Jefferson and St. Genevieve counties, formed with the help of Gateway leaders. Finally, the third center, Heartland-Washington, located in Franklin County, started in 1980 with help from Des Moines, Iowa TEC. In 2005, leaders from the three centers decided to merge into the new Spirit of St. Louis TEC Community. In April of that year, St. Louis Auxiliary Bishop Robert Hermann commissioned nine new core team members representing each community, including Spiritual Director Fr. Dennis Schmidt of Hillsboro. The first weekend for the new TEC group was held on Feb. 16-18, 2008.