Regnum Christi students and young adults gathered this May to experience authentic community life, spiritual renewal, formation, and moments of fun and fellowship at the 2026 RC Vacation!
Regnum Christi Vacation is a four-day experience that offers college students and young adults a meaningful opportunity to rest, pray, and connect with others who share a desire to live their faith with purpose and joy, according to the RC lifestyle.
This year’s sold-out event was held May 22–25 in the beautiful coastal setting of Pensacola, Florida.
Meeting Young Adults in a Crucial Season of Life
The shift from high school to college life can be a significant transition for Regnum Christi students. They may move away from home, attend a university far from an RC locality, and find themselves without community, accompaniment, and the support they experienced in ECYD or Regnum Christi during their high school years.
This reality is one of the core inspirations behind the RC College Lifestyle Project, which seeks to address this time of transition through three key dimensions: coaching, resources, and community. Through personal accompaniment from RC coaches (young adults who accompany college students in living the five elements of life in Regnum Christi), practical resources, and opportunities for connection with the broader Regnum Christi family, the project helps students remain connected to their vocation and spiritual family throughout their college years.
And RC Vacation is the community dimension of that vision brought to life.
“Throughout the year, students may stay connected through their coach or other resources, but RC Vacation provides a dedicated opportunity for college students, coaches, missionaries, and young adults from across North America to come together in person,”
says Fernando Saucedo, who works as project manager and RC formators’ certification coordinator, and was one of the facilitators of this year’s RC Vacation.
“For many students, it is a chance to reconnect with the Regnum Christi family after months away at school, and experience the team life, friendships, and sense of belonging that are such important parts of our vocation.”
For Fernando, RC Vacation is, at its heart, a response to the human and spiritual need for authentic community.
“Many young adults desire to live their faith alongside others, but often lack opportunities to experience the kind of Christian friendship, team life, and shared mission that are central to the Regnum Christi charism.”
RC Vacation creates a space where participants can build meaningful friendships, strengthen their relationship with Christ, and experience what it means to be a part of a spiritual family.
An Expression of the RC Charism
“One of the defining characteristics of the Regnum Christi charism is that we journey toward holiness together. We are called to encounter Christ personally, but we are also called to accompany one another and live as spiritual brothers and sisters united in a common mission.”
RC Vacation expresses this aspect of the Regnum Christi charism, says Fernando, by allowing participants to experience one of the five essential elements of life in Regnum Christi: community and team life
“Many young adults may not currently have access to a local RC team or community, especially during their college years. For a few days, they are brought together in an environment where they can pray, share life, laugh together, grow together, and experience the joy of belonging to a spiritual family.”
"One particularly beautiful aspect of the weekend was the generosity of Regnum Christi members and families in the local area who helped make the experience possible through their hospitality and support. Their generosity reflected the family spirit that is so central to the Regnum Christi charism. Several shared how inspiring it was to witness so many college students, missionaries, and young professionals intentionally living their Regnum Christi identity. It became a beautiful reminder that the charism continues to unite people across generations and life stages."
The Gift of Authentic Community
“Our culture offers many versions of community, but there is something unique about being surrounded by people who are intentionally striving to grow in holiness, deepen their friendship with Christ, and support one another in living the Gospel.”
What makes RC Vacation unique is that it is not a retreat, conference, or mission trip—it is simply an opportunity for Regnum Christi members and friends to enjoy authentic Christian fellowship and build meaningful friendships through community life. Unlike a traditional retreat center experience, much of the participants’ time together happens in a family setting—whether attending Mass, sharing meals, spending time at the beach, playing games, having conversations late into the evening, or simply enjoying one another’s company, participants experience how faith can be lived naturally within authentic friendships.
“Recreation and community life were not separate from the spiritual experience—they were part of it. These moments allowed opportunities for genuine friendships, and helped foster an atmosphere that felt less like an event, and more like a family gathering,”
One of the formation moments over the weekend focused on the importance of team life and the Encounter with Christ, helping participants deepen their understanding of how community can become a place of authentic spiritual growth and apostolic mission.
A Space to Rest, Reflect, and Grow
This year’s RC Vacations participants included a unique mix of Regnum Christi missionaries completing their missionary year; college students navigating university life; and young professionals discerning relationships, careers, vocations, and other significant life decisions.
Although each participant was in a different life stage, what united them was the reality that they were all experiencing some form of transition.
“Change can be exciting, but it can also be difficult and uncertain. We wanted to provide practical tools and spiritual insights to help participants navigate those moments with confidence, faith, and trust in God’s providence.”
Ultimately, the goal was to help participants reflect on how God is calling them in their current stage of life, and how they can enter into those transitions with open hearts, rooted in prayer and supported by authentic Christian community.
“We hope participants leave rested, renewed, and encouraged by the friendships they formed throughout the weekend. We hope they experience the joy of prayer, formation, recreation, and community life lived together in a healthy and balanced way. And we hope they return home with a renewed sense of purpose, ready to embrace whatever stage of life God is calling them into next.”
The Initiative at the Heart of RC Vacation
RC Vacation is hosted by the RC College Lifestyle Project, an initiative to accompany young men and women through their years at university and help them remain connected to the gift they have already received through Regnum Christi.
“For many of us, one of the greatest blessings we experienced in Regnum Christi was accompaniment—having someone who knew us, walked with us, challenged us, and encouraged us in our relationship with Christ. The college years can often be a time when that support becomes more difficult to find,”
says Fernando.
“Our hope is that the RC College Lifestyle Project serves as a bridge between a student’s experience in ECYD or Regnum Christi and their future life as an apostle in the Church. Through coaches, resources, RC Vacation, and personal relationships, we want students to know that they remain connected to a spiritual family that cares about them and wants to accompany them during some of the most formative years of their lives. Ultimately, we hope to help young people continue discovering and living their vocation as Regnum Christi members wherever God calls them.”
Save the Date for RC Vacation 2027!
Fernando and the RC Vacation team hope to see the event continue to grow, while preserving the family atmosphere that has become one of its defining characteristics.
“One of the greatest strengths of the weekend is the opportunity for participants to experience authentic community, team life, and Christian fellowship in a natural and joyful setting. As the event grows, we want to be intentional about maintaining those elements while continuing to create meaningful opportunities for prayer, formation, recreation, and accompaniment.”
As participation increases, the team envisions offering more targeted experiences or tracks based on different stages of life to better serve the needs of participants while still preserving the unity of the larger group.
Next year’s RC Vacation is scheduled for May 28–31, 2027, and is open to college students and young adults ages 18–35. The team looks forward to welcoming even more college students and young adults into this experience of faith, friendship, and community!
For more information and to stay tuned for updates on the 2027 RC Vacation, follow @rccollegelifestyleproject on Instagram.
