Retreats

Kairos

The Kairos Retreat is a four day, three night residential retreat. A number of students attend, led by a team composed of senior students and staff members. Major talks (each team member presents one)  are followed by discussion in small groups. There are other particular activities to promote and build community, to foster trust and openness, and to encourage reflection. The Key themes are: Knowing oneself, discovering Jesus in a personal way, recognizing and responding to Jesus’ call, and living the message of Christ. Significant benefits have come to our students from this retreat and to numerous members of our administration, faculty and staff who have joined student leaders as team members.

Kairos establishes trust. Students speak of their difficulties, joys and hopes in ways new and rewarding to them. Family and friends become important. Generally, a stirring of sensitivity to self and others grows into a desire for reconciliation. Many retreatants have experienced a deep sense of consolation along with a generous increase of self esteem as a result of the retreat.

The Kairos experience is permeated with faith dimension. Each day begins and ends with prayer. A special time is given for the Sacrament of reconciliation, and a Eucharistic Liturgy with an Anointing service is celebrated. The faith dimension enters during talks as they are devoted to building a friendship with God. Faith elements are introduced when reflecting on how God, particularly in Jesus, is present in the personal experiences the team and retreatants share with one another. Each retreatant is encouraged to grow in awareness of the countless opportunities to meet God in our world, especially in others.

There are many spiritual values that naturally flow from the experience of Kairos. Each retreatant learns that he/she is loved, lovable, and loving. The retreatant comes to know Jesus in a new light, as a real friend, loving and calling him/her. Each retreatant is encouraged to grow in relationships at home, and to deal with personal problems, and as a result, often seeks more caring friendships.

Reflection is prominent throughout the retreat. Initially there are exercises to help retreatants review what has been good and what has been difficult. At several points in the day there are times for collecting and digesting the events of the retreat. Structured methods help to make this personal. Throughout the retreat, the retreatant is encouraged to take notes and process feelings through journal writing.

Prayer that is genuine, personal, and real becomes a new and happy experience for the retreatant. Liturgy and reading of Scripture are seen as prayerful times. Many continue to pray and share more in church worship after the retreat.

In the course of the retreat there is a strong, gradual building of community. This supports the retreatants during the retreat and also in the follow-up period. The reality of this often shows up in the school where visible, loving dimensions of community appear. The strength of the Kairos experience further manifests itself in the numbers who join in the voluntary program – “The Fourth Day”  The reunions, conducted by the students, have a large number on a consistent basis. The motto, “ Love is shown in deeds more than words," is a Kairos theme. The critical final phase of the retreat and the follow–ups stress putting love into action.