Retreats

One of the hallmarks of a St. Joseph education is our retreat program. Each class has yearly retreats which culminates with the senior four-day KAIROS retreat. The retreat dates for the 2021-2022 school year are as follows as far as is known due to COVID-19 restrictions and guidelines by the ADLA:

Campus Ministry Memo

Dear SJHS Parents especially parents of Sophomores and Juniors,

Monday,  October 4th is the Sophomore retreat which will be at Waller Park from 8:30-2:00 p.m. This is important for coaches and tutors and teachers of senior youth ministers as well as sophomores since theoretically the whole sophomore class should be at Waller Park on Monday, October 4th. Also, Mr. Halsell, Ms. Franco  and Mrs. Gregory will be giving all sophomores permission slips which need to be returned by Thursday-Friday. If not, Sophomores need to bring the permission slip with them to the park. As it says on the flyer home, this is a full and authentic day of school…NOT optional.

Also, Fr. Ed and I are doing some different things for Friday, October 8. October is the month of the Blessed Virgin Mary as well as Respect Life Month. (Side note: October 4th is the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi and official Care for Creation day!)

To honor Mary, the mother of Jesus, we are having a “scriptural” rosary and we are praying the LUMINOUS mysteries AND we are having a holy communion service after the rosary. (For Rosary prayerers…I know that Fridays are for the Sorrowful mysteries, but we have done the Joyful and Fr. Ed said it would be nice to do the Luminous mysteries in October and then we will do the Sorrowful during Lent.)  A Holy Communion Service???What is that??? Well, not to take up your time, but it is an option for receiving the body of Christ and you can look it up or just wait and see!

Monday, October 25th is the Junior all day retreat in Arroyo Grande at Camp Arroyo Grande. It goes from 9:00-2:00p.m. THE NEXT DAY… October 26th is the Junior Ring Mass at St. Louis de Montfort at 7:00 p.m. (all are invited!) For those who are new to our community, this is where the Juniors at Mass receive their class rings which are blessed. The flyer and permission slip will come out the second week in October for the retreat. Juniors will need to transport themselves to the retreat and back or carpool with a trusted adult. Families are invited to attend the Junior Ring mass. Every Junior gets a ring so we are expecting every Junior to attend. It is a beautiful event!

Weekly Mass is on the 22nd and 29th of October and those are weekly Masses. The Righetti game is Friday the 29th and Br. Gerardo becomes Fr. Gerardo on Oct. 30th!

THEN THE GREAT “Ta Dah”!!!!  Youth Ministers will be setting up the gym on Halloween day (1:00 p.m. in the gym on Sunday) in order to celebrate All Saints Day Mass and THE FIRST MASS CELEBRATED BY FR. GERARDO AS A FULLY ORDAINED ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST AND MEMBER OF THE JOSEPHITES!!!! So the MONTHLY MASS WILL BE ON NOV. 1!!!!!

KAIROS

The Kairos is a Greek word meaning “God’s time.” More specifically, Kairos refers to the time God creates for people of faith to meet and experience Him on His terms. Kairos is a high school retreat program started in Ohio with a Jesuit high school affiliated with John Carroll University, and it is based on the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola. Kairos retreats are used throughout the entire United States and around the world. The retreat is an intense, four-day process that provides participants the chance to contemplate God’s role in their lives.

St. Joseph High School has a very unique Kairos retreat program tailored to best meet the needs of its senior student population. It was established at St. Joseph High School in 1999 by a handful of dedicated teachers and students. Today, each retreat is led by faculty members, alumni, and students who have all attended at least one other Kairos retreat. The difference between Kairos and other retreats is that it focuses on helping one find his or her own personal relationship with God during a four days of discerning and discovery. Through the course of the retreat, a building of a strong community takes place through encouraging openness, reflection, and trust. This experience is a highlight of the senior year. Kairos takes place twice a year.

  • Kairos XLI: TBA
  • Kairos XLII: TBA