The following article was submitted the evening of Tuesday, March 10 but was not published until after the retreat took place.
On Wednesday, March 11, students in grade 10 will participate in the Sophomore Retreat at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.
Students should report to the cafeteria at 8:00 a.m. in full uniform and will be dismissed from there at 8:15 a.m. They will then return around 1 p.m. to engage in their sophomore conversations with their chosen teachers (see our other article about Sophomore Conversations).
The retreat will be a great way for students to grow in their faith and will help in carrying out DeMatha’s mission of making “faith-filled gentlemen and scholars.”
Mr. Stephen April, a member of the Theology Department and a retreat team member, says, “We start with mass in the Crypt which is cool because you will also be there for graduation, so it’s a little full-circle.”
“We talk about what it means to have a mentor and to grow as a man of faith here at DeMatha,” Mr. April continued. “We will break into small groups and have discussions with our guest speaker, Mike Tenny.”
Mass will be held in the Crypt Church of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception and students will engage in various discussions, as well.
Junior Michael Greenleaf reflected on his experience on the Sophomore retreat last year. “We went to the Basilica. When we got there we went to mass underground and that was very cool.”
There will be breakfast and lunch provided, however, students must turn in their phones if they want to receive food.
Students will be dismissed once sophomore conversations are over.
