The name of the Emmaus Retreat invokes many emotions: anxiety, excitement, uncertainty, and a need to know every surprise to curb the aforementioned uncertainty. However, the class of 2024 will become another senior class to confirm that no fear should befall the other students waiting for their Emmaus Retreat. On Tuesday, January 16th, the senior class departed from GMA with packed bags and a list of uncertainties. It was a natural feeling, for the retreat’s reputation builds itself from the unknown to maintain the sacred experience within the walls of Malvern Retreat House (and no, this article will not leak said sacred experience!); it did not help either that the class departed for the retreat house following a snowstorm. However, every senior will say that the Emmaus retreat was worth keeping secret and sacred.
“It was a life-changing experience. I got to expand my perspective beyond the beliefs of my expectations,” said Zoe Mackey. The seniors got the opportunity to break down the walls that familiar friendships formed to build bridges to new connections. Over the course of three days, the senior class bonded together through discussions, activities, and prayer and learned about God, themselves, and others. Thanks to the wonderful student leaders and adult leaders, the class of 2024 learned to feel vulnerable with one another and share compassion in each other’s stories. Everyone found God in their own way and discovered what they needed to do to reach Him while learning to reach out to one another. Uncertainties and worries quickly dissolved as students found God in more places than before an altar; they discovered God in nature, in their loved ones, in one another, and in themselves. By the last day, the class of 2024 had cultivated a place of love and support with one another and sought to spread that love to their dearly missed family and friends.
While the temptation to uncover as much about the Emmaus Retreat as one can find comes amid its uncertainty, our seniors will say that they experienced Emmaus best without expectations or knowledge of it. Going to Emmaus with an open mind and heart allowed the seniors to make the most of their retreat, connecting with every aspect of their lives and finding peace and joy in the silence and solitude that the retreat offered them. Ultimately, the secrecy of the retreat is what makes Emmaus a priceless and enjoyable experience, and I assure you that Emmaus will be unforgettable for you, too.
