Our Year 12 cohort went on their Retreat Wednesday 30 April to Friday 2 May. Clairvaux headed to Upper Plenty, Loyola to Ferngully, Padua to the Grampians/Dunkeld and Siena travelled to Grantville.

The Retreat is a part of the Year 12 Religious Education Program, and is designed to foster and explore spiritual connectedness with self, others and their place in the wider world. As a Catholic school, great importance is placed on faith development, and the Retreat is seen as a special opportunity for prayer, reflection and self-discovery.

The Retreat aims to allow students to:

• Spend time reflecting on their life journey
• Sharing important aspects of their life, including spirituality with others
• Finding Spirit in everyday life
• Develop deeper connections with their peers and teachers

By all accounts, the students found it enriching and personally fulfilling. It was a wonderful way to all come together as a House group, reflect on their time at SHC and look to the future and all the possibilities it contains.

Macy Duckett, from Siena, provides a reflection of what the Retreat meant to her:

Retreat gave me a chance to take a much-needed break from juggling my busy life that was waiting for me back at home. I went in with zero expectations of what I would get back out of it; yet I believe this allowed me to experience everything as it happened in the moment. 

Even after six years with the Siena girls, I felt as though I’d grown much closer to them in those three days than ever before. There were moments of vulnerability and honesty for everyone, and the experience gave us all time to reflect on ourselves, on how we wish to be perceived, on understanding gratitude, and strengthening relationships. 

Laughter, smiles, some tears, singing, chatting through the meals, marshmallows on the fire, sunsets, and only the trees surrounding you - that is how I'll remember Year 12 Retreat.

Maddy McRae, from Loyola was inspired to write the following evocative poem, which truly captures the serenity and peace she felt at the time:

Ten minutes.

Ten minutes of relaxing,

the sun beaming down through the gaps in the leaves, the sound of birds whistling, communicating.

Ten minutes.

Ten minutes of surrounding myself in nature, the tall gumtrees towering over, birds flying between.

Ten minutes.

Ten minutes of relaxing, to disconnect, to be one with the planet we get to call home, earth.

Ten minutes.

Ten minutes without a cloud in sight, seeing the frost on the grass going to steam, the sound of a dogs paws on the ground.

Ten minutes of stillness, like time was holding still, but yet, ten minutes had passed.

Ten minutes.