Start of retreats in 3rd TQE

The International Centre for Ignatian Spirituality in Manresa has welcomed us again this year to provide students with a different experience of themselves, their peers and God.

It's three days and two nights to pause, reflect, pray and share. We have such a need to be silent and connect with the most authentic and deepest part of our lives! God is waiting for us in silence to whisper in our ear and fortify our life's journey.

I've had a great time during this retreat. It's brought me great personal psychological and physical wellbeing. I've felt a lot of emotions but the ones which have helped me most to feel good about myself are calmness, peace and solitude, three things I need in my everyday life to connect with myself and switch off from my routine. They've also given us a lot of time to carry out the activities, which I can't normally do myself because I'm always busy with something, but when I've been alone in my room I've had time to ask myself even more questions.

In all of the sharing sessions you could say whatever you felt like since you didn't have to tell everyone what you'd written but you could if you wanted to.

On the last day, we had a Eucharist to reflect on what the retreat had given us, what we were taking away and what we were left with, and then we shared it. We also sang a lot of songs during the Eucharist, although I only knew one or two of them.

All in all, it was very nice to feel welcomed by your own class and feel be able to say whatever you wanted.

Valeria A. Year 3 Lower Secondary B1

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To begin with, I came with very high expectations for this retreat since I'd heard very good things about it, and I still hold this view after doing it.

What I take away from this retreat most of all is the sharing after personal reflection in our rooms because I really liked my classmates' conclusions and ideas. Other activities I've appreciated are reading biblical texts, watching a film and going to places you can only visit in Manresa, namely St. Ignatius's Cave and the church next to it.

Finally, if I had to pick with just one thing, I'd say it was when we went to Montserrat Chapel as I was able to explore and think deep down inside myself.

Paula T. Year 3 Lower Secondary D1

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I took away a lot of things from the retreat; some new and some I might have had but wasn't aware of. At the start of the retreat, my approach to the experience could have been called at best unaware with no beneficial purpose. However, I gradually got calmer and more engaged.

Getting up early helped me a lot because the morning hadn't yet started and the night was just ending. That was the best time for me because right before taking in that moment of stillness and connection with nature we said a prayer, which made you reflect on your resolutions for the day based on excerpts from the Bible.

Over this period I've spent a lot of time with my eyes closed. I visualised a lot of what was said to me, turning the word into pictorial thoughts. Montserrat in the distance and the peaceful atmosphere of Manresa were crucial to connecting the mind with the outside and vice versa.

The most important thing was the visit to St. Ignatius's church and cave, a purely spiritual place with a very deep meaning for me. Picturing St. Ignatius walking quietly to the cave, writing and praying alone. I could feel the sacrifice of what he went through at the time.

Aside from the sharing sessions, room times have helped me to bring together everything we learnt during the day and really connect it to my personal situation. Finally, the Eucharist was a perfect ending to the retreat with the absolution of personal confession which left me with a feeling of lightness and spiritual renewal which was just right for getting back into my routine.

Pablo B. Year 3 Lower Secondary D1