religion and campus ministry departments. “When we do that we find God has been talking to us all along. There’s the passage in Kings (1 Kings 19:11-13) that says ‘God is in the whisper.’ And we miss it if we don’t listen, don’t pay attention.”
The Good Old Days While student retreats have been part of the St. X experience since the school’s founding 180 years ago, they looked a lot different in the days before Vatican II. “Everything was silent in those days—classes, chang-
ing classes, the retreats,” said Fr. Denny Ahern S.J. (’56), alumni chaplain. “Even the men’s retreats were silent. You were silent to let the Lord speak to you. You could sign up with a director and discuss an issue you might be having in your life with him, but that
Alumni retreatants gather on the grounds at Milford during a weekend retreat on Ignatian Spirituality.
Alumni Retreat RETREATS ARE NO LONGER strictly the province of students. Former St. Xavier High School President Fr. Bill Verbryke S.J. (’71) led a retreat on Ignatian spirituality for Bomber alumni at the Jesuit Spiritual Center in Milford in April. About 50 men spent a Friday night and Saturday learning about the life of St. Ignatius, the idea of Jesuit prayer and putting the examination of conscience into regular practice. “I think it’s a continuation of the formation and education we provide at St. X now,” Fr. Verbryke said. “For some of these guys who maybe didn’t have that as part of their curriculum, it’s a natural draw. It became very apparent how many guys on the retreat were very interested in looking at a different way to pray. “(The examen) helps any of us to step out of our business and to appreciate what I will call the ‘God moments’ in our lives. Even if we’re having a down time, we can still see where God is working. And in the good times to see where we can be grateful to Him. “I think the draw of all being alumni and the draw of Ignatian spirituality was pretty powerful. Why not try and provide that to that audience? You know they’re bright and receptive. One of graces I mentioned I learned is that the Long Blue Line is not a myth. The love these guys have for one another and St. X—even across generations of classes—is tangible.” “You felt like the Lord was walking with you in that time out there,” said retreatant Andy Sweeny (’68). “I can’t speak for everybody, but I think we came away with a great feeling - about ourselves, one another and the ability to know more about our faith.” Al Cucchetti of the Spiritual Center staff said comment cards evaluating the retreat concurred with both men. “Fr. Bill continues to be a wonderful teacher, shepherd, and inspiration,” said one. “The facilities and grounds were excellent, a wonderful atmosphere that is extremely conducive to contemplation and prayer,” according to another. Plans are under way to make this an annual retreat.
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was the extent of the talking. “Retreats mostly reflected the first week of the Spiritual Exercises. We would assemble and they’d bring in a priest —usually not from school— who would come in and give talks. They’d lecture us on the nature of sin, the enemy, what have you. You could say there was a bit of fear mongering. I remember the priest would take a match and light it and hold his hand over it. It looked like he was burning his hand, withstanding all the pain of sin. “They told us. We didn’t have questions. It was the same in our religion classes. We got our textbooks and we memorized and regurgitated answers. It wasn’t until after Vatican II that we were encouraged to really explore our faith on our own. “The whole thing about questioning is very important. It’s not that we doubted, it’s that we wanted to learn more. I think in those days the teachers didn’t want to answer questions of faith because they weren’t sure. It was rote. That was something for the priests.”
Changing model The retreat game at St. X changed in December of 1984 when six students went to Loyola Academy outside Chicago to go on a Kairos retreat. Those students then brought Kairos to Cincinnati in February of 1985, a program that has grown to include six retreats annually. The April Kairos includes juniors who will carry the retreat forward the next year. While senior retreats are not a requirement, the vast majority of students do participate in the four-day experience. While elements of the retreat must remain secret to maintain their impact, one visible sign of Kairos’ success is the number students