Overview of Retreat Experiences
All students at Padua Franciscan High School have the opportunity to attend a retreat
experience each year at Padua. Retreats are designed to meet the developmental and spiritual needs of the students.Retreats are directed by various members of the faculty along with members of the Campus Ministry Team.
The various retreats are explained below and have pictures to help tell the story of the retreat experience.
Individual Retreats Explained
Freshman Retreat
Student leaders lead freshman Retreat. The student leaders consist of Sophomore, Junior and Senior leaders who attend an overnight retreat as well as 8 planning sessions.
The Freshman Class is divided into four groups. Two groups attend the retreat on the first day, the second half of the class on the second day.
The focus of the retreat is deepening our relationships with:
God
Friends
Family
The retreat is a witness-based retreat. Discussions follow the various student witnesses.
Mr. Harley and Mr. Grgic are the adult retreat directors for these retreats.
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Sophomore Retreat
The theme for Sophomore Retreat is Think Twice Act Once. Sophomore retreat is a one-day retreat, which takes place during a school day. The Sophomore Class is divided into four groups. Two groups attend the retreat on the first day, the second half of the class on the second day. Each group is comprised of about 60 students.
Junior and Senior Peer Ministers facilitate small group discussions and activities.
The retreat directors for this retreat experience are Mr. Harley and Mr. Grgic.
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Junior Retreat
Juniors Retreats are for the students who are currently taking Morality. The retreat experience helps students to explore what it means to be diverse and part of a community in which we are all different and important to the community.
We explore I Corinthians 12:12-27 and reflect on the idea that we are all part of the Body of Christ. We may have different talents and gifts but the same spirit gifts us all.
The retreat is lead by Mr. Jim Smith (an alumni parent) along with Mr. Grgic and a team of 4 juniors and 4 seniors.
This experience helps the Juniors to understand some of the causes of discrimination and gives them some tools in understanding others.
Students also are given the challenge to not pre-judge others but rather to see others through the eyes of the Lord.
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Kairos Retreat is open to Juniors.
Senior Retreats
The Outdoor Senior Nature Retreats offer seniors 7 venues for their retreat experiences at Padua. Many of the activities come from Mr. Grgic's book, Resources for Outdoor Retreats, published by St. Mary's Press. FR. Ted Haag celebrates Liturgy at each of the senior retreats.
Art and Photography
Students are given an opportunity to reflect on God's presence in nature through the lens of art and photography. Students spend the day using the various art medium to express their faith.
The day would not be complete without celebrating Liturgy with Fr. Ted Haag.
Mrs. Remmington and Mrs. Tingle are the retreat directors for this retreat experience.
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Backpacking
What do you carry through out your Journey in life? The backpacking retreat helps students to reflect on what they carry in their heart as they travel the journey of high school and embark on their journey into the future.
The Backpacking Retreat challenges the students to hike about 8 miles. Students and faculty hike together on the trail, as they do in life at Padua Franciscan.
Those on the retreats help others to carry their burdens (backpacks) when they get too heavy. When students experience the burdens that they carry in daily life become too much for them in daily life, friends faculty and staff help the student to carry those burdens.
Those on retreats support and encourage each other as they travel just as they do in daily life at Padua Franciscan.
The Backpacking Retreat is a venue for seniors to reflect on what they want to carry from high school into the future and what burdens they no longer wish to carry.
The retreat is held in the Minister Creek area in Pennsylvania.
Mr. Harley and Mr. Jennrich are the retreat directors for this retreat.
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Biking
The Biking Retreat is another journey motif retreat. Seniors reflect on their journey through high school.
Faculty and students bike together, stopping occasionally to hear a witness talk which helps students to reflect on God's love.
The Retreat gives the students to reflect on: what they have learned at Padua Franciscan High School, the people who have influenced them, the memories they treasure and want to hold on to and carry with them, as well as to reflect on those things they wish to leave behind.
Mr. Giulivo is the retreat director for this retreat.
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Female Spirituality
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Male Spirituality
The Male Spirituality Retreat helps the men to reflect on what it means to be a man of God. Seniors are invited to reflect on what they have learned at Padua Franciscan High School. They reflect on the people that have influenced their lives and who helped to form them into the men that they are today.
The seniors are given a chance to reflect on what they wish to carry with them into the future as well as reflect on the things in their lives they wish to leave behind.
The senior men are asked to reflect on the type of person they wish to be in the future and how they are working towards that goal today.
Mr. Stec is the retreat director for the Male Spirituality Retreat.
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Nature
The Nature Retreat is one that helps seniors to reflect on God's presence in Nature, in others and in their own hearts.
Seniors spend some time alone in the woods reflecting on God's presence in nature.
They have time to reflect on God's presence in the quiet of their own hearts.
Seniors have time to experience God's presence in their friends as they complete various activities.
Eucharistic Adoration is the closing prayer experience for this retreat. The presence of God in the Eucharist is the center of our lives.
Mr. Grgic is the retreat director for the nature retreat.
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Reflections
Reflections retreat is held at the Jesuit Retreat House. Brother Tom Carroll is the Retreat director for this retreat.
The seniors who attend this retreat experience are invited to 'reflect' on their lives thus far. Where have you been? Where are you going? What is important to you? What needs to be left behind? What do you carry with you after high school and into the future?
The seniors experience various activities as well as listen to witnesses which help the participants to understand God's love for them.
Click here for pictures (Coming Soon)