During the first weekend in February, 18 students and three teachers traveled to Mount St Mary’s University to attend the Mount 2000 retreat. Religion Teacher Katie Smith led the retreat with teacher chaperones Mr. Rhys Gadbois and Mrs. Courtney Von Lange. School Chaplin Father Zach Watson also attended.
This year marks the first that Campus Ministry is taking students to Mount 2000; however, John Carroll has sent a group to one of their past retreats.
On the three-day retreat, students attended daily Mass and had the option to participate in the Sacrament of Confession. The students heard encounters from Catholic speakers and participated in group activities led by seminarians.
The JC group was assigned their own seminarian who led their activities for the weekend.
Ms. Smith hoped that this retreat would help students foster a place of encounter. “I encourage students to approach these experiences with an open mind and heart and to try and eliminate any expectations for the opportunity they are participating in.”
Ms. Smith recognized that everyone sees God in a different way, but she hoped that this experience brought the students closer to him.
She said, “Although I cannot predict how the Lord will work through each person attending, I look forward to seeing the fruits of the Spirit in each of them and how they continue to be a witness to Christ within the John Carroll community.”
Ms. Smith is a graduate of Mount St. Mary’s and was excited to take students there to show them what makes the school so special.
Before the retreat, she said, “I’m really looking forward to seeing our students get to know the seminarians and learn more about this vocation, but above all I’m really excited about seeing how the Lord will use this retreat to work through each student and be able to accompany them beyond this weekend.”
Sophomore Kaitlin Hudson attended the Steubenville retreat last summer and had such a good experience that she chose to attend the Mount 2000 trip as well.
Kaitlin said, “By going on the Mount 2000 trip, I am hoping to grow deeper in my faith and gain deeper connection with others who share my beliefs while continuing my prayer life throughout the year.”
“I am most excited to experience God in an intense and true way. Religious retreats offer a way to grow a deeper connection with God and through this I am excited to learn and better myself in his light,” Kaitlin added.
Sophomore Mara Avampato also attended the Mount 2000 trip with a hope of taking away a closer relationship with God. Prior to the trip, Mara said, “I’m most looking forward to coming together with hundreds of other Catholic youths for the weekend.”