Author: The Crusader Staff Writer, Christina Villanueva
Have you ever felt in college as just going through the motions? Or simply bouncing from class to practice every day? Belmont Abbey has been offering for the last five years a weekend to show students there is more to college than just class and practice. It is called the Awakening Retreat, and it is held during the spring semester. While this is still a Catholic retreat, it is open to all students of all grades. It is a chance to open your heart and mind to discover something more profound. During this weekend, students can collaborate and reflect with other students and have time to meditate and pray without outside pressure. This only happens once a year and has been found to be very successful. To sign up, there is an information table outside the cafeteria for more information.
One key part of the Awakening Retreat is being a part of a small group. This is a group of students, led by upperclassmen, to bond and converse over speeches and
activities throughout the weekend. To keep the privacy of the retreat coordinators, the details of the cannot be shared. This very reason has led to hundreds of students
participating in such an amazing weekend. Students are able to open up and trust their small group to share their struggles. This gives other students the opportunity to help their peers on a confidential level.
Another important aspect of the retreat is the power of prayer. Whether a student is catholic or not, they are able to participate in prayer throughout the retreat. There are rosaries, reflections, and, most importantly, the holy mass. This is a chance for the retreatants to talk to God and bring to him their needs. During school, time for prayer can be hard to find. The Awakening Retreat is an easy and fun way to feel stress-free and relaxed while growing in the faith.
Students have said to have felt “refreshed” and “joyful” after returning from this retreat. From personal experience, the retreat was a perfect way to start my college career by meeting new people and feeling comfortable. This goes to show how powerful this retreat can be. It is open to any student of Belmont Abbey. People have repeatedly gone back to help with the retreat, and it has not been talked about enough.
This year the Awakening Retreat was held February 24-26.
This article was originally posted in the Spring of 2023, Issue 1 of The Crusader Newspaper. Download the full issue here.
