Weekend retreats

One of my goals since becoming Campus Minister has been to institute weekend retreats for our students.  You may recall that last year I took three students on a retreat with a group from BC High to learn about running Kairos retreats.  The biggest hang up has been finding a retreat center that is local and affordable and I think I found it - St. Thecla's Retreat Center in Billerica, MA.  I got a tour of the facility yesterday by the sister who runs the retreat center and really liked it.  The center is run by the Daughters of St. Paul and is located about 5 minutes off of Route 3.  It's a huge building that was built in the 1970's.  It has 69 individual bedrooms, a chapel, kitchen, dining room, break-out rooms, woods and walking trails, etc, etc. - it's perfect.  You can see a video below that I found online that gives a tour of the center.

What I especially like about it is that it is Catholic and we would be the only group there.  Most retreat centers are non-denominational and there are other groups using the building.  This way we have access to a chapel for Mass and prayer and are supporting a great religious order.  The only downside is we have to provide our own food and leave the place exactly as we found it - and you know how nuns are with their cleaning!

I am hoping we can run our first retreat in March.  I am waiting to hear back from sister and once she confirms it we will be on our way.  Stay tuned.