A weekend of re-connecting, sharing stories, naming what is changing,
hoping for new beginnings, re-committing...
A weekend of listening, caring, bearing one another’s burdens, showing compassion,
laughing and sometimes crying, having fun, celebrating...
This year’s Lasallian Volunteers gathered for their Midyear Retreat for the first time at the Marist Retreat Center in Esopus, NY, because our larger numbers have outgrown Highbridge’s Empowerment Center in Goshen. Following the Emmaus Story, Brother James Zullo led the group through the turns of the story and through the turns of the past semester, pointing to what is ahead. Supported by the presence of Br. Ed Phelan, Br. Michael Farrell and at times seven other Brothers, the volunteers shared best practices they discovered in their ministries and planned adjustments for a more successful second semester. A special feature this year was the discussion led by returning LVs Jolleen Wagner and Vicki Kline of the role of social justice in LVs’ efforts with their students, clients and guests: how societal injustice makes it hard for the people volunteers work with to move ahead and ways to
respond to these structural issues. The LV Staff is grateful for the planning help provided by six Alums through numerous conference calls beforehand.
“… a wonderful retreat experience. I did so much reflecting over the last few days and I feel really strong and emotionally healthy now. The retreat also sparked a lot of deep conversation between Janitzia and I when we got home.”
(Jahmese Myres, LV, 2006-07,
San Miguel School, Camden, NJ)
“I really enjoyed the retreat this year - I like the small group discussions much better than the large ones. I feel that they are more intimate and you can share more easily. “It was great to see all of the other volunteers and share stories, troubles, breakthroughs, and ideas. The weekend gave me a chance to relax and reflect on my first year and a half of volunteering. To see how I have made a difference and more importantly how I have changed over the year and a half. It also gave me the opportunity to look into the future and see how my experiences will shape everything I do.”
(Matt Joram, LV, 2005-07,
San Miguel School, Tulsa, OK)
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