With their exams done and dusted, a day of discussion provided an opportunity for Year 11 students to re-focus ahead of Semester 2.
Titled ‘The Climb’, the Year 11 Retreat followed the Stations of the Cross with a particular focus on the three times Jesus falls and is helped back up. Throughout the day students were encouraged to reflect on those who came to Jesus’ aid, and consider who might similarly lend a hand when they stumble on their own journeys.
The young men spent most of the day in small groups, working closely with teachers who helped to guide reflections on their own journeys and ways they could stay on-track over the years to come.
A feature of every Retreat at CBC, adult leaders on ‘The Climb’ shared deep, personal experiences with students, some of which they may have only revealed to a handful of people before. By demonstrating such openness and fragility, students were encouraged to do the same as they reflected honestly on their own experiences, as well as those of their peers and teachers.
The Retreat was intentionally run the day after the Year 11 students finished their first semester of upper school in order to help boys recognise the support networks around them and that those close to them are always there during life’s ups and downs.
During the day, students also participated in meditation, a Liturgy, and other forms of prayer, as examples of the many different ways we can take a moment to spend time with God.
‘The Climb’ builds on boys’ experiences at the College to help boys put the EREA Touchstones into action in their everyday lives and to demonstrate Gospel Values in everything they do.
