For the Christian Awakening Retreat, students, and teachers go to Mt. Saint Francis. Students are able to connect with others in group activities and find their true role in life by escaping the outside world. Also, student leaders have the ability to strengthen their leadership skills and make a lasting impact on the retreatants. However, one group that gets left out of the conversation are often the teachers and adult leaders.
Teachers like Mrs. Reynolds and Mr. Bornschein, who went on the most recent retreat, have been multiple times and continue to see a lasting impact it has on them and students.
“Being an adult on retreat offers me the opportunity to connect with the other adults on a more personal level,” Mrs. Reynolds said. “It also offers me the opportunity to strengthen my own faith and deepen my connection with God.”
Teachers on retreat not only get a better understanding of each other, but also help them in their own spiritual life.
“I really enjoy being with my colleagues, hearing their stories, appreciating them more deeply,” Bornschein said.
In addition to learning about fellow faculty, it’s an opportunity to see their students grow in their faith. Experiencing retreat first hand allows teachers to see the monumental change that students make to strengthen their bond with fellow classmates and in service.
“I have seen young men change their perspective on accepting others for who they are, participating more in campus ministry programs, developing their prayer life by attending mass on Fridays, and seeing the importance of what it means to belong to a band of brothers,” Reynolds said.
The retreat at Mt. Saint Francis featured students and teachers deepening their faith with reflection and prayer. While it featured students and teachers, Mrs. Reynolds and Mr. Bornschein experienced personal and external impacts with students and colleagues. The importance of community, spirituality, and transformation leave a lasting impact on all participants.
