19 GUERINCATHOLIC.ORG By Mrs. Shelley Horn English Faculty “We cannot do our work if we all stay in the nest.” – SAINT THEODORE GUERIN Would many adults immerse themselves into a group of seventy-five (give or take) juniors and seniors for three consecutive days outside of the comfort of a classroom and their own family?? I will testify it is an AMAZING experience and one of my favorite places in the Guerin Catholic community! I always share with my junior students prior to their retreat departure, “I cannot assure you that this retreat will change your life, but I will tell you that it WILL CHANGE your life.” That change, of course, is inherent in allowing the Holy Spirit to guide each participant through those four days. As followers of Christ, each day we are tasked with setting aside our own agendas and following Him. Often the students are anxious about leaving the comfort of their own beds, routine, and homework behind. As an adult mentor, I too, sometimes struggle with this truth of our Christian faith. Making sure my own family’s needs are secure while I am away, making sure my students in the classroom are on track while their peers are on retreat, and allowing me to “die to self” to serve the retreatants are the three biggest challenges I face, yet as I release my worries to Him, God provides! Serving as a mentor for the past several years, one of the greatest blessings I have received is witnessing the transformation among juniors at their retreat! Watching these young men and women abandon their comfort zone for four days, share in small groups, reconnect with friends, and make new friends is an absolute joy! I have witnessed Christ’s presence during retreat on many occasions: the quiet student eating alone suddenly joined by two others with laughter soon erupting from their table; the student whose inconsistent Mass attendance instantly rejuvenated by his peers’ invite to attend Mass together as a small group; the entire small group supporting one of their own through a challenging life situation encouraged with smiles, assurance and hugs (PRE-COVID-19!); a newly formed friend group walking the grounds of the St. Joseph Retreat Center together. These are just a few of the HUNDREDS of “Jesus” moments I have witnessed in the years I have served on junior retreat. On various occasions, I have shared my own faith journey with retreatants. Allowing those young people to see that I too struggle and succeed in my walk with Christ is another blessing of retreat. As a Catholic role model for these young men and women, it is imperative to share my own faith journey so that they can see Christ working in someone else’s life as well as their own. We sometimes forget the simplicity of keeping our hearts open so that we can see and hear Jesus. However, the retreat experience is that living reminder to our juniors at Guerin Catholic: allow one’s heart to be open so that Christ and the Holy Spirit may enter. As an adult, these young men and women remind me of the beauty of quiet meditation, forgiveness, laughter, and friendship. Removed from the routine of a regular school day, the retreat atmosphere delivers exactly what the soul needs: retreat, reflection, re-direction. This ministry is very near and dear to my heart as the students experience our love for them in our service. Other than my classroom at Guerin Catholic, there is no other place I would rather be with our young men and women in Christ! As St. Theodore Guerin reminds us, “We cannot do our work if we stay in the nest.” This reminder is integral in my own faith journey as I continue to minister and serve our students: I absolutely love the opportunity to see and share the beautiful journey Christ is preparing for them! n Open Minds Mrs. Shelley Horn’s small group at Fall Junior Retreat. DID YOU KNOW? The cost for one student to attend the Christian Awakening retreat their Junior year is over $250. Every gift to The Providence Fund makes a difference!
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