Ninth graders from Presentation Academy spent a retreat day at Nazareth this week.
The retreat was created and led by Presentation Academy seniors and faculty, and focused on a theme of “My Beginning…My Journey.”
After the welcomes and ice breakers, the group recited the Prayer of New Beginnings.
Contemporary songs reflected the theme: “Start of Something New” (Zac Efron & Vanessa Hudgens), “All of These Dreams” (Phish), and “Long Live” (Taylor Swift).
Small groups focused on:
“What are God’s hopes and dreams for me at Pres?”
“What hope and dreams do I have for myself?”
“What do I need to do to make these dreams come true.”
“How do I think high school will change me?”
“What do I hope to learn about myself while at Pres?”
Being a Pres Girl: Students spent time in journal reflection and sharing, writing a letter to their future self, and a note to Mother Catherine Spalding. Journal topics included “What does it mean to be a Pres girl?” and “What Pres traditions and history do you like most?”
Retreatants heard the story of the Warm Fuzzies: “Warm fuzzies were little creatures of kindness that were gifted to one another, which makes everyone feel connected. Whenever you receive a warm fuzzy, it makes you feel warm and fuzzy all over.” The students then exchanged Warm Fuzzies with one another and with faculty and staff, clipping a literal warm fuzzy to yarn around necks while sharing a compliment or happy thought with the recipient.
The day included lunch with SCNs in the Motherhouse Dining Room and a prayer at Mother Catherine’s gravesite.
As the day came to a close, the Life’s Journey prayer was read:
Life’s Journey
Gracious God, sometimes I see my life as an unsolvable puzzle.
My days move along rapidly, but the people and situations I encounter seem to make no sense.
I consider and weigh carefully the decisions I think I should make, but I find myself doing something completely opposite of what I thought I had decided.
Then a moment of stillness comes, and I realize that all these random strands are actually a part of the beautiful tapestry that is the journey of my life, and I am so grateful.
Thank you, God, for leading me in paths I might never choose and for giving the journey of my life a rich texture.
Amen.
Students left notes for Mother Catherine.
Sister Amina Bejos, gives a warm fuzzy.
Students ate lunch with the Sisters in the Motherhouse Dining Room.