Campus Ministry
A Blessed Tradition - The 55th Kairos Retreat
was held at Manresa Retreat Center this past fall.
Freshman Ropes Course
In September, the 2013 freshmen class spent a day of bonding at
the Walled Lake Outdoor Education Center for the annual freshman
ropes course retreat. Separating into groups of 8-12 students along
with a course guide, they tackled both the climbing wall and the
high ropes course. These activities helped breed trust between the
students. Once harnessed into the ropes, the climber’s classmates
were in charge of belaying them while in the air. Ultimately the
climber needed to put faith in their fellow freshmen to maintain
control.
Following the ropes course and a lunch break, the groups spent
the afternoon participating in team-building exercises. While some
of the tasks were very difficult to accomplish, with a few useful hints
from the group’s course guide, every group walked away successfully
completing the daunting challenges. These exercises emphasized
communication – sometimes a difficult task for 14-year-old young
men who barely know each other. While not a spiritual retreat, this
annual tradition allowed the newly-acquainted high schoolers to
take a break from the everyday grind, make some new friends and
learn valuable skills.
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