Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Campus Ministry has been forced to modify their in-person retreat offerings this semester. However, Campus Ministry is still offering a number of retreats throughout Lent, both in-person and virtually.
Throughout the month of February, Campus Ministry offered a series of mini-retreats titled “Pause and Pray” in Lannon Chapel, located in the basement of St. Ignatius Church. According to the Campus Ministry website, Pause and Pray offered “‘retreat moment[s]’ for students to exhale, to reflect, and to be spiritually renewed through the start of the semester.”
Each of these mini-retreats were held on Monday evenings with a “45-minute reflection of music, journaling, prayer, and mindfulness.” Student facilitators introduced an Ignatian theme to attendees each week for discussion, and to-go dinner was provided for all attendees.
The Manresa Silent Retreat, normally held during winter break at the Connors Family Retreat Center in Dover, MA, will be offered as the Manresa Day Retreat during the university Spring Mid-Week Break on March 3. Ordinarily, the retreat lasts five days, with daily opportunities for conversation with a spiritual director, Mass, and prayer services based on the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius.
This year, the retreat will involve opportunities for “individual reflection and prayer, conversation with a spiritual director, liturgy, mindfulness, and movement.” The retreat will be offered both virtually and on-campus to both graduate and undergraduate students, and registration is open through March 1.
The Ignite Retreat for First-Year Students will be moving from its normal location at Cathedral Camp in East Freetown, MA, to Trinity Chapel on the Newton campus. The retreat provides freshmen with an opportunity to find community with other first-year students, learn about Ignatian Spirituality, listen to talks from sophomore leaders, and participate in small group discussions. Ignite also provides retreatants with opportunities for rest and prayer, including Mass. The retreat will be offered from March 26-28 with registration open through March 25.
The Manresa Retreat and Ignite will be offered free of charge this semester. Food and retreat materials will be provided.
Campus Ministry will also be offering a Lenten Mini Retreat modeled around the Way of the Cross on March 19 from 4:30-6:00 p.m. Personal reflections on each of the 14 Stations of the Cross will be given by BC students, faculty, and staff. Registration opens on March 1 and continues through March 19.
In addition to their retreat offerings this Lent, Campus Ministry will continue to offer Rise and Reflect, a series of prayer opportunities held each Thursday morning at 10 a.m. hosted by Resident Ministers and other BC community members. These 10-15 minute opportunities for prayer and reflection will be held over Zoom and recorded for those unable to attend live.
In-person Examen opportunities will also continue to be offered at the Manresa House located at 58 College Rd. each Tuesday and Wednesday from 9:45-10:00 p.m., with pre-registration required to allow for physical distancing. Each Examen will also continue to be live streamed on the Campus Ministry Instagram page (@bccampusmin).
Featured image courtesy of Boston College Campus Ministry via Instagram.
Adam is a senior from Columbus, Ohio. He previously served as Campus News and Culture Editor, and boasts the title of least cultured to ever serve as the latter. Holding a minor in Biology, he recently converted from STEM and now majors in Philosophy and Classical Studies. He currently leads Una Voce, the Latin Mass society at BC, and sings with the University Chorale of Boston College and the Chorale Chamber Singers. He enjoys Gregorian Chant, relearning the clarinet, and is an unabashed Ohio apologist.
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