On February 29, 2023, the Class of 2025 arrived on campus for their sophomore retreat. To understand more about the retreat, I interviewed the sophomore counselors and a student.
Mr. Williams’ Thoughts
When asked about whether the retreat was a success, Mr. Williams said: “Yes. The sophomores spent time together, feeling a little bit of camaraderie, and have some moments where they were able to explore their spirituality. They learned a little bit about their classmates, and heard some talks that maybe made an impact in their life. So all that to say yes, I would give it the stamp of approval in terms of success.
“I think there’s this balance that you have to have in a retreat, having reflective time to pursue your own questions about spirituality and about your relationship with God. And then the other part is to learn to be in communion with other people, in community, and have those experiences, not just by yourself. I also think when you’re dealing with sophomores too, it has to be entertaining and fun, and active. So that’s kind of the balance we were trying to strike.
“Ignatius is very relatable to many of us. He was imperfect and brash. Just a typical teenager, right? He was arrogant and prideful, wanting to do great things in the world, but really for after the ladies, maybe not great reasons, right? It’s all the great things.”
“It’s all about humanity. And then like this very imperfect guy ends up becoming the person who founded all Jesuit schools. Soon, Ignatius becomes a very spiritual and significant leader in the church and especially to a group of his peers. Of course, we love that story! We think that’s very applicable to not only us as adults, but to adolescents for sure.”
Mr. Ornelas’ Thoughts
Mr. Ornelas responded to questions, saying: “Overall, the retreat was successful. We wanted to bring many different activities for everyone. So I think that allows for everyone to be connected. So, yes, the retreat was successful because there was many different parts for many different people. In that regard, there’s an overview of connections, spiritually.
“One note for next time would be to give you more time for conversations to allow you to connect more with your sophomore peers, teachers, staff, and coaches. I think the gift of a retreat is time, and we should give more time to connect with people. That’s always a plus. So, connections, conversations, and free time for good reflection are great benefits for our students and faculty.
“Looking ahead, it is the midpoint retreat. You are now closer to your graduation year than when you were entering Jesuit. So I hope this retreat can help sophomores define who they want to be for their junior year and senior year. So I would say this retreat looks at the past, looks at the present, but just like the examen, I think that would be the key.”
Overview of the Retreat
The day started off with a mass. Father gave a meaningful homily about coming of age and what it means to become an adult, and more specifically, a man. Next, the class was presented with a few stories about Ignatius’ life and other saints. They were given time to reflect on them silently or in group activities. After a few speeches, the homerooms returned to their rooms to have group discussions with the intent that students could be vulnerable and insightful. When those concluded, it was time for lunch and recess. The hour came and passed and soon the class was back in the Terry Center to hear more about the life of Ignatius. Juniors and Seniors were given a chance to speak to smaller groups of about forty sophomores about what they found important when they moved on to their “older” years. Lastly, the class of ’25 performed key moments in Ignatius’ life which helped him grow into the spiritual man which we know him today as.
