Year 12 Retreat Day
The Year 12 Retreat Day was held at Amberley Retreat Centre in Lower Plenty on Friday June 14. The day offered students an opportunity to take a break from the demands of school, social life and extracurricular activities. It provided a space for students to recharge and reconnect with themselves, their friends and their faith.
This year, students were invited to plan and facilitate their own workshops, each with a link to their Catholic faith or with a multifaith lens. Workshops included the following:
Rosary Beads: Lisara, Sayurim, Amber and Ms Casey led students through making a personal set of Rosary Beads. They were given an opportunity to recite the Hail Mary as a gentle meditative experience and connect with their faith on a communal level.
Dream Catchers: Gurnoor, Aana, Veronica, Agatha and Mr Spinks lead students through making their one dream catcher. Students were surprised to learn about the rich tradition of the Ojibwe Tribe and the powerful story behind the traditional American Indian dream catcher.
Unveiling the Divine: Ava, Leanne, Rishika, Isabella, Sylvia, Amaya, Ananya and Ms Sharma facilitated a fantastic opportunity of drawing / painting a friend’s portrait and highlighting their beautiful, unique features. Once completed, they then passed the portraits around for members of the group to write affirmations based on the scripture: I am blessed Deuteronomy 28:6.
Decorating Biscuits: This fun activity allowed students to decorate biscuits with a message of hope with sugary treats. It gave students time to connect with peers and celebrate their achievements throughout Semester One. It also became a metaphor for the importance of spreading joy and hope in preparation for Semester Two.
Eco-Spiritual walk: Sayuri, Kylie, Patricia, Lisara, Pippa, Amber and Ms Amy lead students around the glorious garden estate of Amberley. As they walked and admired the beauty of the natural world, they reflected on the words of Pope Francis: …creation is a gift, it is the marvellous gift that God has given us, so that we will take care of it and harness it for the benefit of all, always with great respect and gratitude.
Other workshops included making friendship bracelets, walking around the beautiful grounds of Amberley for a day, decorating wooden doves with messages of hope, creating a rock mural and spending time in sacred, mindful reflection.
To end the day, our Liturgy Leaders Manmeet and Danella, invited students to participate in their liturgy. Scriptural, multi-faith and philosophical quotes on hope were shared and reflected upon during the liturgy.
The whole day enabled students to build a sense of community and connection with their peers and Year 12 Mentor teachers. By engaging in group activities, discussions and reflection students bonded with one another. A wonderful day was had by all.
Ms Bernadette Casey
Assistant to the Principal - Faith