Freshmen Day of Prayer, usually
scheduled in late April or early May, focuses on an introduction
to the styles of prayer and faith-sharing used during retreats:
Scripture reading, Liturgy, Private Reflection, small group and
large group sharing, journaling, meditation and contemplation,
and the like, with the participation of Senior students (usually
CM related) and teachers (their religious education teachers and
their moderator are required participants, as well as other CM
faculty) as speakers and/or panel members. These styles of prayer
are reinforced by other game-like activities. All are described
in the sample journal attached. Activities usually are scheduled
in the Old Library/Gym/field/Chapel. An outdoor Mass is a nice
way to start.
Sophomores Day of Prayer,
usually scheduled in late April and before the Freshmen Day of
Prayer, focuses on the Threshold, which these students will soon
be crossing over, from underclassmen to upperclassmen, and from
Sophomore to Junior responsibilities. As well as using the various
styles of prayer introduced the year before; more time is spent
on particular activities that stress responsibility. Activities
usually are scheduled in the Old Library/Gym/ field/Chapel. Part
of the day, if possible, should be spent off-campus, for instance,
at Blue Lagoon or Mechitiw. As well as their religious education
teacher and their moderator, participants include the Junior members
of CM and other teachers as may be available. All activities are
described in the sample journal attached.
Juniors participate in Emmaus Retreat, which
has been modified by activities included from the Kairos retreat.
This is a four-day retreat, from Friday to Monday. For the past
several years, retreatants have been staying on the island of
Udot, with the generous of the pastor there and making use of
the parish hall, grounds, and priest house for its activities.
This retreat has generally been run by a priest, but is greatly
supported by the participation of Six teaching staff and Six Seniors
(not all of whom be CM, but most will be), who each deliver a
presentation/talk, coordinate small group discussion, and help
with the various activities, which make this intensive retreat
successful.
Seniors participate in a vocational
retreat, designed to build upon skills acquired during Emmaus.
The attached journal, “Follow me,” describes the various
activities of the weekend. This is a four-day retreat, from Friday
to Monday. This retreat usually requires two to three priests,
but can be done otherwise. At the heart of this retreat is the
opportunity for students to have two face-to-face personally directed
sessions with a priest, or at least someone trained in spiritual
direction. Possibly Jesuit scholastics might be able to help with
this, but there might be too many language difficulties to be
practical. The four movements of the retreat are: 1) God chooses
me, as God’s own creation and as co-creator, made in God’s
image; 2) What have I chosen: a series of reflections on past
choices: 3) Can I choose Christ?, a series of reflection on future
choices, and how Christ invites one to follow him; 4) Contemplation
to love like God, reflection oriented to the days ahead before
graduation and the choices afterward. There have been four teaching
staff also invited along, who facilitate small group activity,
and who each speak to choices in their lives. This retreat may
be compromised by the schedules of a parish setting, for instance,
doing this retreat on board a ship while traveling to and from
the Mortlock Islands or some other distant setting, though this
would require careful transportation arrangements, which have
been difficult in the past.
Faculty Porch Prayer: Every
Tuesday at 6:00pm the faculty gathers on the porch off the faculty
dining room for a short period of prayer lead by one of the faculty.
A sheet is made available for each member of the faculty to sign-up
to lead the prayer a couple of times during the semester. All
members of the faculty are asked not to schedule other activities
during this time and to make every effort to be present for Porch
Prayer. Inevitable conflicts arise during the school year, especially
with games and meetings downtown, and these are taken into account.
The prayer is followed by “a news of the week” where
each person has a chance to update everyone else on recent happenings
or make announcements that need to be made.
