Over the past few years, Christian Brothers Academy has slowly instituted elements from the Kairos retreat format into the annual senior retreats.

Senior retreats have been overnight sessions since 2019, but on January 25-27, members of the Class of 2023 experienced the first two-night retreat at San Alfonso Retreat House in Long Branch.

The Kairos retreat model challenges students to set a course for a deeper, yet more practical, understanding of the presence of God in their life.

With the Atlantic Ocean as the backdrop, seniors spend their time discussing God’s presence in life and how to appropriately enter society as well-rounded Christian gentlemen. The multiple-day approach also provides an arena for decompression and reflection, with students openly sharing experiences as a group.

“The senior Kairos retreat gave us an opportunity to self-reflect and search for a deeper understanding of our relationship with God,” James Nitti ’23 said. “I’m glad I was able to remove any preconceived notions I had of a retreat prior to participating, and going in with an open mind allowed me to get the true Kairos retreat experience. I’m grateful for CBA and the staff members who participated for making this an experience I’ll never forget.”

The faculty moderators play a big role in making these Kairos retreats possible and allowing students to share open and honestly. For some young men, it is the interaction with the faculty members in a different setting that makes a big impression.

“I’m glad I went into retreat with an open mind and listened to the advice I got,” Jack Mocik ’23 said. “I really enjoyed being able to have a personal experience with my friends, classmates, and teachers that I wouldn’t have had in our normal settings. Not having the distractions of phones and homework made it really easy to take in the retreat and enjoy the few days we had.”

As Mr. Matt Meehan, CBA’s director of mission integration, notes, it is a main goal for students to better understand their relationship with God during these retreats.

“Adding Kairos to the CBA retreat program offers our oldest students the opportunity to consider how and where they’ve encountered the real presence of God at work in their lives, as a path towards recognizing that God’s love is within all of us and intended to be reflected to all those we come in contact with,” Meehan said. “Going forward, Kairos will play a central role in the core mission of CBA, that being the building of young men of faith, character and service.”

The senior Kairos retreat is the culmination of The four-year retreat program is essential to CBA’s holistic education, getting students out of the typical classroom setting to learn more about themselves and those around them. As freshmen are told at orientation, the Academy prepares young men to become intellectually mature and morally responsible individuals for the Church and society.

“Being able to be on the first-ever two night Kairos retreat is definitely something that I will always remember,” Jack Tarabocchia ’23 said. “I felt that it brought me closer to God and the classmates that were on this retreat with me. It proved to my fellow classmates and me that one should try to find the opportunity to put all the negative things behind them and use that opportunity to meditate and thank God for all the good that has come their way.”