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Retreat days
are held off-campus during the regular school day and all students are required to attend. Freshman Retreat focuses on self-image, friendship, community and service and is presented by senior Peer Leaders.
Sophomore Retreat begins with a service trip to the Community Foodbank of NJ and concludes with reflection on social justice; it assisted by a senior presenter. Junior Retreat
is held during Holy Week, at the Archdiocesan Youth Center in Kearny. Senior Retreat will be added during the 2007-2008 school year.
An in-depth, optional retreat named "Kairos", which means "The Lord's Time," is offered to Juniors and Seniors.Freshman Retreat
The freshman class is divided into three groups, according to homeroom
and attend the retreat simultaneously in three different locations: Loyola Retreat House, Morristown; Xavier Center, Morristown; Archdiocesan Youth Center, Kearny. The retreat focuses on self-image, friendship,
community and service. It includes icebreakers, small/large group activities, small/large group discussions, and peer talks. Senior
Peer Leaders act as facilitators, so that students can bring the spirit of the retreat back to their homerooms. The retreat is concluded with a guided meditation on the scripture "Follow me and become Fishers of Men." Sophomore Retreat
In the morning, sophomores attend a service trip to the Community Foodbank of NJ. They bring along food donations collected at SHP. Our Thanksgiving drive is always a big success. Students
are reminded at the Thanksgiving Prayer Service, that the hungry need our assistance not just on holidays, but every day. Students throughout the school are encouraged to continue the food
drive, at least until the sophomore retreat.
In the afternoon, sophomores return to the school for a brown bag lunch in the dining hall,
while hunger statistics are flashed on a large screen. Sophomores hear a presentation and discuss social justice issues. A senior speaks to students about services in which they have been
involved. In 2006, senior Tim Donovan spoke about his overseas experience with Operation Smile. The afternoon concludes with a guided meditation on the Power of the Holy Spirit. Parents
are invited to join the sophomores for the morning service trip. Junior Retreat
Juniors attend a Holy Week retreat, focusing on the Passion of Christ in anticipation of Easter
joy. The retreat is held at the Archdiocesan Youth Center in Kearny and concludes with a Mass held in the beautiful on-site church building. Parents are invited to join juniors on the retreat. Kairos
 A Kairos retreat program has been inaugurated here at the Prep. Kairos, meaning "the Lord's time," is an optional, extended retreat open to juniors and seniors. Jesuit in origin,
Kairos is grounded in Christian Incarnational Theology. Kairos focuses on the revelation of God's love in our lives through all the persons and experiences of our days. Kairos stresses our responsibility for service in the
Lord's name.
Kairos retreats are held during the week - Tuesday after school through to Friday evening. A weekday Kairos enables more students to attend and communicates that spiritual formation is our mission; not
an extra-curricular activity. Teachers are supportive and are asked by administration to accommodate students in making up missed work. An important component of Kairos is the adult
participation by faculty, staff, and administration. Kairos is presented by six students and six adults; both students and adults present witness talks.
St. Joseph's Prep in Philadelphia welcomed SHP students on their school-run Kairos: four SHP students in November 2005; and two SHP students and two faculty members in December 2006.
These students have been instrumental in the planning of our own SHP Kairos retreat. |
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