Savio Salesian College Chaplaincy Assistant, Hazel Fort, writes about the value of taking students out of school for a retreat in a totally different setting.

"Come aside --- to a quiet place and rest awhile." Mark 6:31

We have just completed the third of our five annual retreats for Savio students. Each form is given the opportunity of spending a day away from school concentrating on a given topic prepared and delivered by Father Ruszniak. These 'away-days' are very popular. This time it was the turn of our Year 9s. They were reflecting on their future and they were shown a clip from 'Back to the Future.' As with Year 9s all over the country, this is their pivotal year: choosing subjects to study at GCSE level that will help them to achieve their goals. They reflected on past years and faced their future - some with trepidation; some reluctantly. At the end of the reflection, they were invited to write a letter to their future-selves outlining their hopes and fears. These letters were sealed in a self-addressed envelope then put away with a personal prayer in the chapel until they reach Year 11. When they reach Year 11, and are about to leave school, they can open their letters and see what they have achieved: whether their goals are still the same; and how have they changed - because change they will.

We are very fortunate in having the ideal place for retreats near to school St Joseph's Prayer Centre in Freshfield, Formby, is just half an hour's drive away. Run by the Poor Servants of the Mother of God, a group of Roman Catholic sisters, St Joseph's was formerly a residential care centre for children with complex physical and mental needs. Now, it is a day facility for adults with profound disabilities, and part of the convent is a prayer centre open to the public. Our children love this house, and on their day, they can't wait to scramble into the minibus.

Down a quiet country lane, heading towards the shore, you suddenly emerge from the pine trees, into a beautiful clearing, where the Sisters give you a cheerful welcome and you may see a contingency of wheelchair users setting off for their daily perambulation, wrapped up well against the breeze (spring and summer) or the wind (autumn) or the force nine gales (winter). Red squirrels run up and down trees and throw pine cones at those who dawdle on their walks. You can walk to the shore if the weather is clement and observe what is left of the first Lifeboat Station in Britain, dating back to the seventeen hundreds, or, you can walk the other way and follow the trail to the asparagus farms.

But these form just a pleasant break from the outstandingly beautiful prayer centre. Surrounded by well-tended gardens, this part of the convent boasts a kitchen, a dining area, a conference area stuffed with the comfiest sofas and chairs imaginable and the chapel. The whole complex is a sonnet to pinewood. We go through the centre to the chapel first of all: it is small and simply arranged, exquisite in its austerity. You cannot help but pray and meditate and drink in God's presence.
Once we have prayed for the success of the day, we move into the conference area and there is much vying for the comfiest of comfortable chairs but all to no avail! They have to be on their feet for we have ice breakers! The students join in games of Switch and Splat with glee.

After all this arduous work, the students' and the staff - have refreshments: coffee or juice and biscuits. One of the sisters drops in to see we're ok and always stops to answer students who ask her what it's like being a nun, and how has she been a nun. Seventy years, she says. She looks not a day over fifty.

A short film follows with ideas from the students about- for example, friendship. A worksheet invites them to record their ideas. This is followed by half an hour when they all (weather permitting!) go for a walk and play football. We have been known to have our packed lunches picnic style on the field when the weather was clement.
It seems as if time is lent wings and now we must leave until another year has passed. We pray there for the last time. It is the perfect ending to our day.

It is only one day - but that day is always memorable. You meet up with friends you don't often see despite being in the same form. You can relax. What makes these days so important is the opportunity for an oasis of peace in the midst of a hectic mad scramble from one classroom to the next.

Students renew their relationship with God and learn that He is always there waiting patiently for them. They can talk to Him and enjoy time with Him - and find Him in the student who's eating biscuits across the table.

Hazel Fort
Savio Salesian College

Thinking of getting out on retreat with your students?

Find out more about St Joseph's Prayer Centre

Find out about retreats at Savio House