Retreats

In addition to theology classes, Masses, prayer, and service, we encourage students to actively explore their faith and grow in their relationships with God through retreats. A retreat is a time to pause the busyness of our everyday lives and to place God at the center. Each retreat day will include a class Mass. The opportunity to retreat is an essential part of our faith development to spend time with God and classmates.

Freshmen - On this one day, off-campus retreat, our freshmen are invited into a transforming relationship with Christ, to grow as disciples of Christ, and to develop an understanding of the Marianist Charism, why Mary is the best Model, and how animating the Pillars and Characteristics of Marianist Education will enable them to put our STVM Mission into action to learn, lead, and serve. Our juniors and seniors are trained to help lead this retreat.

Sophomore - Our sophomores are encouraged on this one day, off-campus retreat day to understand they are created in the image and likeness of God, are valuable because God has a purpose and plan for them, and worthy of love and healthy relationships. Missionaries like the Culture Project, or non-profits like TOB Cleveland, may be invited in to assist us, talk to our students on how and why they were created, their self-worth, and how living a morally, virtuous life can change their relationships and the world.

Junior - Our United States Conference of Catholic Bishops states, "Transformed by our encounter with God and neighbor, we strive to learn more about those issues impacting our families, local communities, and brothers and sisters around the world. Catholic social teaching illuminates the problems facing our local and global communities with the light of our faith and guides us as we seek to understand root causes and discern how we are called to act... True worship is to work for justice and care for the poor and oppressed." Matthew 25:34-40 tells us that what you do for the least among you, you do for Jesus. Our juniors retreat day is a day to live out doing for the least among us and exploring Catholic social teaching and Servant Leadership. This one day, on and off campus retreat offers juniors activities and conversation that will allow Matthew 25 to come to life and demonstrate how they are called to mission, even at their age. Half of the retreat day is spent learning about issues impacting our local community, specifically related to poverty and the other half of our day is spent at local nonprofits to do service for our brothers and sisters in need.

Kairos - Kairos (from Greek kairos, adapted to mean "the Lord's time") is a Roman Catholic retreat program for high school and college students. Kairos is part of the larger three or four day movement in America, ultimately derived from the Cursillo movement founded in Spain in 1944. As such, the retreat is a four day, three night (or three day, two night in some cases) residential retreat, with the aim of providing participants the chance to "contemplate God's role in their lives". STVM offers three (fall, winter, and spring) Kairos retreats for any senior student to attend. This retreat is led mostly by their peers and supported by adult staff from Campus Ministry and throughout the whole school. This is not a mandatory retreat, but rather up to each senior to determine their own desire to attend. Many students report that Kairos is the highlight of their entire four years at STVM. Applications for the retreats are always available in Campus Ministry and in Theology classrooms.

Marianist Summer L.I.F.E. - The Marianist L.I.F.E. summer program is a faith-formation experience for high school students and their moderators. Students enjoy an experience of small faith communities, sacraments, prayer, leadership development, social justice education and fun! Moderators, who include campus ministers, youth ministers, teachers and adult volunteers, arrive before the students to prepare, as well as to build their own communities of faith. Rising junior and senior students are selected from staff and personal recommendations each year. Only six students are able to attend each Summer. Typically STVM attends the second session of Marianist Summer L.I.F.E. Please see here for more details and the most current dates. Please reach out to the Campus Minister if you, or your daughter/son are a rising junior or seniors interested in attending. This program is run by the Marianists and is held in the Dayton area each summer. The Marianist L.I.F.E. Moderator will assist you with all details and logistics.