OLR Reflection

In the beginning of October the pre-novices attended the October Leadership Retreat with students from different Salesian High Schools from all over the country. The retreat was held at the Marian Shrine Retreat Center in Stony Point, NY. The high schools involved in the retreat were Don Bosco Prep of Ramsey, NJ, Salesian High School of New Rochelle, NY, Mary Help of Christians Academy of North Haledon, NJ St. Petersburg Catholic High School of St. Petersburg, FL, Immaculata LaSalle of Miami, FL, Archbishop Shaw High School of Marrero, LA, and Academy of Our Lady also of Marrero, LA.

It was a great week, which started out with the loud shrieks of whistles and people yelling. Once the Young Team, the peer retreat leaders, saw that it was just the men in formation showing up they stopped and went back inside and waited for the real retreat participants to show up and shortly there after some people began to show up. After the young people began to arrive for the retreat and before the actual retreat started there was a small dance party in the upper lodge of the retreat center.

The actual retreat began with icebreakers. This broke down everyone’s inhibitions in being shy with one another, or at least that was the attempt. After the ice breakers the young people were separated into small groups. The small groups were groups that are formed to help those on retreat to share their experiences in a small group setting rather than in a large group setting.

It was a great week to experience in the faith journey of the young people and to be a part of it. There were members of the retreat young team who gave powerful witness talks. One distinctive talk I remember one young lady challenging her fellow retreat participants to live life with intention. This is was we must all do with all aspects of our lives. Live life with intention. I feel personally blessed to have had such a great opportunity to have spent an entire week with young people to experience with them their journey of faith.