Young men listen for God amid the terrain, in the silence of Iceland

April 22, 2024

Written by Ryan Johnson, Contributing Writer

Iceland is not a country of endless ice as the misnomer suggests. Instead, it’s untamed wilderness, breathtaking natural wonders and verdant landscapes. 

It’s also the place where Father Reed Flood felt called to bring young men discerning a vocation to the priesthood.
Father Flood is the chaplain at Dowling Catholic High School in West Des Moines and the assistant vocations director for the Diocese of Des Moines. Father. Flood was ordained in 2021 and is in his second year as the chaplain at the high school. 

Why Iceland?

“Why not Iceland?” asked Father Flood. 

“The phenomenon of the word hits you and presents a kind of adventure to it, but also a mystery,” he said. “Even the word itself is a mysterious destination. There is a mystic quality to it, something grandiose and adventurous. It is that quality that I wanted to focus on Iceland.”

He first traveled to Iceland when he was in seminary studying in Rome. He and two other seminarians wanted to see snow for Christmas and selected Iceland as their destination. While visiting Iceland, he experienced a strong calling to return to the country.

“I had this awareness, I felt I would be coming back here with a group of high school men,” Father Flood said.

At the time, he was not aware of his future assignment as the chaplain at Dowling Catholic High School. Once assigned at Dowling Catholic High School, Father Flood brought up his calling to take a group of young men to Iceland on a religious pilgrimage. 

“It was immediately met with tremendous interest,” he said. “It did not take long before students were drawn to that, and they wanted to pursue it. Parents and benefactors wanted to support the trip. Bishop gave his permission.”

During the first pilgrimage to Iceland, Father Flood led a group of six young men on the trip to discern God’s calling for their lives. It wasn’t a mission trip nor was it a vacation, rather he described it as a “discernment pilgrimage.” 

“It’s a time set apart for intentional prayer and searching for the Lord in the wilderness,” he said.

He took a group inside a volcano, where he described the experience of utter darkness. Another significant moment from the trip was climbing Helgafell mountain, which means the holy mountain, behind the parish where they were staying.

During the pilgrimage, the group took deliberate moments of silence. 

“This emptiness is where we give space for God to enter into our lives,” he said.

Return Trip

Father Flood and Father James Downey led a second group of 12 young men to Iceland in January 2024. The participants were seniors at Dowling Catholic and expressed an interest in a vocation to the priesthood.

The trip focused on their discernment and calling to the Catholic priesthood and religious life. Every day was structured much like a seminarian’s daily schedule.

“Each day began with Eucharistic adoration and silent prayer,” said Father Flood. “We did a holy hour in front of the Blessed Sacrament. We followed that by praying the major liturgy of the hours. Following the holy hour, we had Mass, then a reflection given by one of our mentors focused on a theme of vocations.”

The participants enjoyed living the “radical, intentional lifestyle.” Father Flood explained the adventures and the community life were present during the pilgrimage. The formation was directed toward their identity as sons of God. 

What’s Next

Upon returning from the pilgrimage, the young men continued their prayer, community, and formation through a variety of religious opportunities at Dowling Catholic. These include participating in the following: the Legion of Our Lady small group, Ut Fidem small groups, daily Mass, and daily Eucharistic adoration. 

Father Flood anticipates another trip next winter based on the strong interest during the first two years. He hopes to expand the pilgrimage to include young men beyond Dowling Catholic who may be discerning a religious vocation.

“I encourage vocations to the priesthood, and I work as an intermediary between young men and women who are discerning God’s will to help them make the step to join the seminary or pursue their vocation through a religious calling,” he said. “Healthy formation occurs in healthy cultures. Surround yourself with good holy people seeking goodness and holiness, and you will be formed by that.”

There is a misconception that holiness is boring and tame, he said. 

“Holiness is anything but boring; in my experience, it’s rugged, dangerous,” he said. “If you want to avoid living a boring life, follow God’s will. You will not be able to escape the adventure.”