Retreat from the World

For many juniors going into the retreat, two days away from school appeared to be the only possible benefit. “It’s just another opportunity to get away from school and avoid doing homework”, one junior claimed on the morning of January 25, 2016. However, what many juniors discovered was that the retreat was not only a little bit of time away from school, but a chance to increase our spiritual knowledge and insight. The junior retreat took place at Disciple’s Crossing, a little camp out in the woods not far from Athens, Texas on January 25 and 26. The juniors stayed in a residence hall, which was not far from the main meeting lodge, the lake, around which the camp is located, and most importantly, the dining hall. With the help of retreat leaders Father Joseph, Father Stephen, Mr. Saliga, and Mr. Novinski, the juniors were able to reflect upon the upcoming stages of their life.

The juniors arrived at the camp at 10 in the morning and began the day with a scavenger hunt of the area. Among some of the interesting objects found were a fishing rod, an old lighter, and a dead bird. Shortly after this event, we began our small group discussions, in which a group of 5 juniors talked about topics given to them by the retreat leaders. Many of the juniors found these discussions the most beneficial part of the retreat, as many of the students were more prone to opening up about events in their life in a small group setting. After this discussion, mass was celebrated by Father Stephen, followed by a talk given to us by Mr. Novinski. The juniors then had a chance to reflect upon many of the heavy topics thrust upon them later that evening at adoration and campfire.  The following days, the juniors woke up to receive a talk from Mr. Saliga about his life, and once again, they took part in a small group discussion. The retreat was then concluded with a large group discussion and the singing of quite a few songs. Overall, the retreat was a success and one junior, Emmanuel Adesanya said that “the retreat was the perfect chance for me to learn more about myself, my classmates, and the path that lies ahead of us”.