Ignite 2024

I remember rushing back to my dorm room after my Ecology and Evolution class last Friday. A feeling of relief washed over me as I recognized my work week had come to an end. However, I was about to embark on my first retreat at Boston College: Ignite. 

According to the Boston College Campus Ministry website, this retreat is curated to help you “ignite your faith… by making meaningful relationships and gaining a deeper understanding of Ignatian Spirituality.” I was hesitant to sign up for a retreat, as I was afraid of falling behind on my schoolwork. I had a chemistry exam the following Wednesday after the retreat.

Additionally, I felt as though I had an established faith community and routine at Boston College, and my faith was already ignited. Between attending Candlelight Mass twice a week, reading a chapter of my Bible every morning, and attending several different political or religious clubs weekly, I felt confident in the causes and communities with which I was involved. However, persuaded by the opportunity to share my faith with others, as well as by my friend’s prompting, I decided to give the retreat a chance. 

The trip started with an interesting jam session during our bus ride. A variety of music was played, from Taylor Swift to Billy Joel. I think that the ride to the retreat was meant to engage us all in singing, karaoke, and fun, yet I felt a bit overstimulated. 

While the constant supply of starbursts I was fed helped soothe my nerves, the temptation to retreat into my shell was overwhelming. However, by encouraging us to remove our AirPods, lay our phones aside, and drone the lyrics to Lady Gaga—as one would naturally chant the lyrics to Poker Face—I believe the retreat leaders were trying to demonstrate cura personalis. This Latin phrase meaning, “care for the whole person,” was unsurprisingly a common theme of this Ignatian retreat. The leaders were trying to engross us in the present moment and promote amiability through socialization.

When we arrived, we completed a ton of icebreakers. Surprisingly, none of them were too awkward. We played a lot of games, including ‘shipwrecked,’ extreme musical chairs, and rock-paper-scissors ‘death edition.’ I’m naturally competitive, so these were very fun and entertaining for me to participate in. 

Icebreakers were often followed by talks by retreat leaders, individual reflection and prayer time, as well as small-group discussions. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner were provided throughout the retreat, and a constant supply of snacks was made available. The food was satiating, homemade, and scrumptious. 

The artwork that embellished the retreat’s walls revealed a Christian flair in the various crucifixes present. However, there were some questionable modern portraits possibly catered towards agnostics: seemingly divine figures were pictured, yet not specifically portrayed as the Christian God. Ultimately, the environment was decently warm and amicable, and I enjoyed the company of the people on the retreat.

Throughout the retreat, parties of three to four people were gathered together to participate in small group discussions. At these discussions, group leaders asked simple questions: “Who is God to you? How do you pursue God in your day-to-day life? What experiences have affected your faith life?” 

These discussions were highly individualized on a group-by-group basis, yet in my group, everybody had a very different vision of who God was. From flaring church-hurt to perhaps suppressed agnosticism, these people had come to very different conclusions about what faith and religion meant in their lives. 

I tried to remain faithful, loving, thoughtful, and foremost Christ-inspired in my responses, keeping in mind that these individuals came from very different backgrounds. I also attempted to bring an air of comedy and laughter to lighten our conversation, engaging in dark humor as I retold my tragic faith stories through an ironic lens. Overall, my group leaders and friends were very supportive throughout the entire retreat.

During the retreat, we had a variety of sit-down talks with our group leaders. Individual leaders would come forth and explain a story related to their faith life. Most stories were quite faithful to the Catholic tradition, and I could tell that some of the group leaders were well-catechized. 

Additionally, most stories were also very personal, and I could tell that the speakers had a hard time talking about their friends and family.  A few talks, however, seemed to have an essence of religious criticism in their narratives. 

I heard Catholicism criticized as being homophobic, racist, and cruel. I heard inclusive language regarding “whatever you believe is a higher power,” which seemed odd on a Catholic retreat. While I don’t think that it is necessarily wrong to critique a religion, it is strange to hear unorthodox interpretations of Catholicism at a Catholic retreat. Altogether, I appreciated hearing the Holy Spirit work through many group leaders. Learning more about their lives was a blessing.

Honestly, the ride home was very relaxing. I felt a stronger connection with my fellow retreat participants and group leaders, and I was left with a good feeling. We listened to a ton of mainstream non-denominational worship music, which can hit the spot. I hope to grow closer with everyone I met on the retreat, and I will continue to practice my faith strongly as we enter this Lenten season.