For many years, SLUH has held the tradition of sending their seniors, and some juniors, on Kairos retreats as a time for spiritual introspection and class bonding. This past week, SLUH hit a major milestone of sending their 100th and 101st Kairos groups (appropriately nicknamed K100 and K101) on retreats in two retreat sites across the river in Illinois. The Kairos retreats are a more appropriately serious and confidential retreat than the other retreats SLUH offers, so for the sake of its integrity, the Prep News will not report information about the specifics of Kairos that make the retreat so special and revered in the SLUH community. 

“I feel like the less I knew going into the retreat the more I would get out of it and the more I would enjoy the experiences it offers,” said senior Joe McGroarty, who was a member of K101. 

After boarding their buses at Drury Plaza, K100 and K101 headed to their retreat sites in Columbia and Belleville respectively. Upon arrival, the boys unloaded their bags in their own personal rooms and were introduced to their small groups, who they would spend the majority of their time on their retreat with. Led by a fellow classmate and a SLUH faculty member, the small groups would reflect on the talks that were presented by the SLUH student retreat leaders and the questions they imposed. It is in these small groups that the real “magic” of Kairos is experienced.

“It was a different kind of experience to be able to share your thoughts with your classmates in a safe space,” said senior Ned Mehmeti of K100. “It’s something that we don’t really do that often and it felt great to be respected and appreciated by each other.”

When not actively listening to a talk or sharing their thoughts with their small groups, students would enjoy each other’s company while eating a meal in the retreat centers’ cafeteria or would explore the campuses outdoors together with their classmates. At the King’s House, members of K101 enjoyed having talks outside in the gazebo while sipping on hot chocolate or would spend time playing football at the upper field of the retreat center. 

Math teacher Tracy Lyons appreciates these kinds of moments on the retreat.

“It’s always cool to watch our students learn about themselves as human beings, not just as students,” said Lyons, commenting on the deeper impact the retreat had on the seniors. “I think they grew in their understanding of God’s work in their life and their understanding of God’s love.” 

At Toddhall, the retreatants of K100 spent their breaks playing 7v7 basketball games on the basketball hoop in the retreat center parking lot. If not balling with their brothers, the retreatants enjoyed talking in the barn area that they converted into a cafe while sipping on hot coffee. Coincidentally, like their classmates at the King’s House, many of the boys felt close during the retreat while playing football with ASC volunteer Christopher Stahl.

“He was throwing absolute dots to us,” said senior Nick Fischer. “It was just so cool to grow closer to a teacher outside of the classroom in an environment like Kairos. Teachers can be so busy during the regular school day, so it was a change of pace to be free playing football with your classmates and teacher you don’t get to talk to all the time.” 

The senior class leaders, who applied to be leaders through a series of application essays, spent countless hours preparing for the retreat, even spending an extra night at their respective retreat centers the day before the retreats began. Each one of them prepared and perfected their talks that they would share to their classmates and, sometimes, their duties as small group leaders would keep them up early into the morning. The retreat laid on their shoulders and they carried it strongly and passionately.

“It was on us to lead by example in our small groups and help each other open up,” said senior Luke Brown. “Being a Kairos leader was an incredibly rewarding and moving experience and one that I encourage everyone who went on Kairos to do.”

By the end of the retreat, the seniors felt connected with each other on a new personal level than they were before entering Toddhall or the King’s House. Through the shared experiences and small group discussions, many seniors were able to become closer to some classmates that they never get to talk to during the everyday shenanigans occurring in the halls of SLUH. 

“It was a phenomenal experience,” said senior Quin McCormac of K100. “I was in a small group with a lot of people that I didn’t know all that well but by the end of the retreat, it felt like I had known them my entire time here at SLUH. It made me feel that sense of brotherhood that everybody talks about.” 

All in all, Kairos retreats prove to be a fruitful experience for those who take up the courage to go on them. They are arguably some of the best retreats offered here at SLUH through Campus Ministry and many agree that one’s time at SLUH would be incomplete if they did not attend one. It’s a guaranteed time to grow closer to your classmates, fraternize, and be vulnerable Men for Others. 

The next Kairos retreat will be offered for juniors on March 30 to April 1 and June 1 to June 3. They can sign up for these retreats on Naviance through x2Vol.