Retreats

Once again, the Year 11 students participated in Retreat programs at the end of the first week of march. Students attended retreats in Ballarat, Anglesea, the Yarra Valley, Gembrook and the CBD. The Retreats, a rite of passage in the life of our students at CRC Sydenham, provided students with opportunities to get to know one another, their teachers and cluster coordinators much better. The retreats operate to help solidify the Spiritual dimension of the life of the College, as well the physical and social dimensions of the school. The retreats offer a gateway for the students to better understand the history of their cluster patrons. Students decorated cluster crosses and re-connected with the College theme, ‘Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire!’ (St Catherine of Sienna). The time away from the school is meant to allow students time to interact and get to know one another more deeply. Fortunately for the retreats, now during our time involved in online learning, are we able to reap the benefits of the time spent to know teachers and fellow students. The Retreats are also a time for prayer, reflection and contemplation. Students participated in different, yet similar faith programs. Some listened to former student, Michelle Newland and her powerful message about resilience, faith and never giving up, no matter the challenges set before us. Some clusters were fortunate to have Fr Maurie Cooney, Fr Gerard Keith and Fr John O’Reilly travel to the retreats to celebrate Mass and recognize the power of the Holy Spirit which exists in each of the encounters that were had among the relationships formed. This is so much more appreciated now during the period of Social (Physical) distancing.

Finally, I wish to thank each of the cluster coordinators as they worked diligently to prepare and customize a retreat program for their clusters. In addition, I wish to thank the families and the students of Year 11 who, with positive attitudes, worked to benefit greatly from the objectives of the College retreats.

Many thanks

Vince Iannuzzi

Director of Faith and Mission