Turning Points Retreat at SFX

It was a turning point for 18 of our students in Years 10, 11 and 12 over the weekend with the annual “Turning Points” retreat run at SFX, an annual opportunity for students to encounter God and learn more about their faith.

Students arrived at the college and shared dinner together before watching the movie “The Case for Christ”. This was then followed by Question and Answer session with the Missionaries of God’s Love (MGL) brothers who facilitated the retreat.

Students were given a chance to ask any questions that they had around the meaning of life, searching for God, and being a Christian in the 21st Century, and many of the questions were extremely insightful.

Ryan d’Argeaval then led the students in a game of Jail Break which was followed by an evening prayer.

The students slept over at the college and had an early start with breakfast, and then some input from the MGLs. On the Saturday, two of the MGL sisters were able to join the brothers to help run the sessions which began with a talk on the “Call to Holiness” by Sr Katherine Stone MGL.

Later, lunch was served, and then workshops introducing the students to different types of prayer, including the Examen, The Divine Mercy Chaplet, the Rosary and Lectio Divina.

Toward the end of the day, there was an opportunity for students to experience Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Prayer Ministry, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, all of which included beautiful musical accompaniment by our students, teachers and the MGLs.

The day ended with a Mass held in the chapel, complete with music from our students and a wonderful, well-prepared Homily from Fr Dave Callaghan MGL.

Thank you to all of the teachers (and others) who volunteered to supervise the students over the weekend, including: Jarek Ferenc, Cathy Barry, Judy Knight, Anne Armstrong, Donna McDonald, Ryan d’Argeaval, Beth Doherty, Brad McCallum, Veronica Murray,

Colleen Rowe, Janet Gratton, Megan and Campbell Wyche.

We are also grateful to our youth ministers Katie Golding and Jake Wenger for their work of preparation.

And finally, it was a privilege to have the MGL brothers Fr Dave, and Brs Samson, Anthony, John, Donald; and MGL sisters Julie and Katherine.

We hope you enjoy our gallery!