What a QUEST that was!!
I first heard about Kings Men from Gerard, who had previously taken part in Kings Men retreats and shared about them during the Life in the Spirit course held at our parish in Molesey, just outside London. His testimony immediately caught my attention, especially because there are relatively few initiatives aimed specifically at men. I often see communities and groups for women where they support one another, pray together, and build relationships, while men less often have spaces for this kind of brotherhood and shared spiritual growth. For this reason, the idea of Kings Men immediately struck me as something very valuable and much needed.
The trip to Korbielów initially seemed quite challenging, especially from a logistical point of view. The journey did not look simple, and for a moment I wondered whether I would be able to organise everything. Thankfully, Milan quickly helped us get coordinated, put us in touch with people travelling by car, and because of that the whole journey became much easier. Even then, you could already see a spirit of brotherhood and mutual support that accompanied the entire event!
From the very beginning I felt this would not be an ordinary trip. It was a time full of conversations, challenges, prayer, laughter, and building relationships with other men who, like me, want to grow in their faith, character, and relationship with God. What struck me most was the authenticity and openness of the participants. No one had to pretend to be someone else, you could simply be yourself.
Because I really like the Dominicans, staying in their retreat house, attending Masses celebrated by them, and having frequent conversations with them greatly helped me strengthen my faith. Just as important were the shared prayers and conversations with other Kings Men participants, which also built me up spiritually.
The QUEST showed me how deeply men need community, support, and a space for honest conversations about life, faith, struggles, and responsibility. This experience strengthened me spiritually and gave me motivation to more intentionally develop my relationship with God and to build relationships with other men based on trust and brotherhood.
I am very grateful to all the organisers and participants for this time. I returned from Korbielów physically tired, but at the same time strengthened, inspired, and full of gratitude. I hope that there will be more initiatives like this and that more and more men will have the courage to take a step towards true community!
Marcin – United Kingdom
