Retreats are an essential component of Saint Peter’s Campus Ministry Department’s initiatives. They provide students with the chance to step away from their busy lives and reflect on the relationships they have with God, family, and friends. Our retreats also offer students an opportunity to reflect on themselves—providing them the time to examine who they are, where they come from, and what they believe in.
Though our various retreats differ in nature, they all make time for moments of prayer, camaraderie and brotherhood, group discussion, and individual reflection. It is our conviction as a Jesuit school that God can be found in all things. Prep’s retreat program helps our students along the path when it comes to finding “the extraordinary in the ordinary.”
Our program, which consists of retreats for all four-years of students, and is peer-led, meaning that it’s the students that guide most of our retreat activities. Freshmen participate in Ignite early in the school year, so they can become acquainted with the Prep mission, and then Re-Ignite. Sophomores participate in Koinonia, Juniors in Kairos, and Seniors in Emmaus.
IGNITE & RE-IGNITE
At the start of the academic year, the Ignite Retreat is a one-day retreat that introduces freshmen to the Jesuit mission and community of Saint Peter’s Prep. More than 50 juniors serve as “Big Brothers,” leading the retreat and serving as mentors to the freshmen throughout their first year at Prep. All freshmen are required to attend Ignite, which, in addition to acquainting students with Prep’s Jesuit traditions, also helps them come to better know themselves, their family and friends, and God. The Ignite Retreat is a joint project of the Office of Campus Ministry and the Office of Student Life’s Big Brother Program.
Later in the year, the Re-Ignite Retreat is one day which provides an opportunity for our freshmen to reflect back on their first few months at Prep and to look ahead to the next steps on their journey.
KOINONIA
The Koinonia Retreat is a mandatory one-day program for the sophomore class. “Koinonia” is a Greek word meaning “fellowship” or “communion” and was used to describe the earliest Christian communities. The retreat is a chance for sophomores to reflect on their experience of the Prep brotherhood and to discover how each individual member is an important part of our community. Retreatants will reflect on these themes through small group discussions, interactions with senior and adult leaders, and participation in a team-building challenge course (safe, fun, and accessible to students of any level of physical ability). All sophomores must attend Koinonia before the end of the year.
KAIROS
An optional three-day retreat for juniors, Kairos is an opportunity for students to reflect on God’s presence in their everyday lives. “Kairos” is a Greek word meaning “God’s time,” and during the retreat, students have a chance to step outside of their normal routines and become more aware of how much they are loved by God and others. The retreat is led by a team of adult and senior leaders.
EMMAUS
The first Emmaus Retreat occurred in the winter of 1978, creating a tradition that continues at Prep today. A voluntary weekend retreat for seniors, Emmaus gives students a chance to reflect on where God has been present on their journey through Prep, much like the disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35). Led by seniors and adults, Emmaus offers students the opportunity to fully appreciate the gifts of their “road,” and to prepare for what lies ahead after graduation.
Other retreat experiences at Prep include the AMDG Retreat for the coming year’s Campus Ministry Team and a Parent Retreat planned by the SPP Parent Spirituality group.
For more information on retreats at Prep, please contact Dr. Susan Woolever (woolevers@spprep.org).