A moment of defeat leads to a new way to bring others to God

By John Shaughnessy

One of the paradoxes of life is that a success story can often be tied to a moment that is initially considered as a defeat.

Gary Schorr experienced that reality as a teenager.

At the time, he was a senior at Cathedral High School in Indianapolis, still on fire in his faith from his experience of being one of the students from across the archdiocese who was chosen as a sophomore to participate in the Student Leadership Program (SLP) at Our Lady of Fatima Retreat House in Indianapolis.

Wanting to return as a leader of the program in his senior year, Schorr wasn’t selected. Disappointed for a time, the 2015 Cathedral graduate eventually tried to focus on one of the foundations of SLP—that God has a plan for every person, even if it’s not his or her initial desired plan.

“I was called to do something else,” he says now. “I knew from my experience at SLP that I enjoyed being in the retreat and religious education setting, so one way I stayed involved was teaching Sunday school to second graders preparing for their first Communion.

“I also remained active in retreats, helping local parishes with kids preparing for confirmation. I enjoyed the work and felt it was a way to make a difference.”

That influence continued during his years as a student at the University of Notre Dame, where he graduated in 2019.

“While at Notre Dame, I helped launch what is now the largest retreat on campus. After graduation, I started an endowment for the retreat to keep it free for attendees in perpetuity. We were the first endowed pool to use an innovative crowd-sourcing model, given I was less than two years out of graduation and could not fund it all myself.

“My passion for the pivotal role that a great retreat can have—and the continuous call to action—trace back to my experience with SLP. I am sure it will keep inspiring the future leaders in our community.”

He knows the experience has continued to inspire the way he approaches his faith, his family and his work in an investment firm in Austin, Texas.

“Professionally, my firm invests on behalf of a family and their charitable foundation, so our performance directly impacts the charitable efforts they serve. This direct tie to our communities is both humbling and motivating.”

So is the way he tries to live his faith.

“Not only do I look to be a good son and brother, but I’m preparing for my wedding in January, and learning to serve my future wife has been central to my faith formation in this season of engagement,” says Schorr, a member of St. Ignatius Martyr Parish in Austin.

For Schorr, striving to be a leader still guides him. So does the growth that comes from facing a disappointment and finding a new way to make a difference.

“Growing in my faith as a man of God takes long-term commitment, humility and a willingness to do the small things,” he says. “Developing these traits at SLP has opened my mind and heart to how I can grow in my faith.” †

 

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