Retreats with the Newman Center
A retreat is a time and space outside your normal routine: time to step back, take a break, and recharge. Sometimes a retreat is a full weekend off campus; sometimes it is a few hours in the middle of the week. Sometimes retreats are communal; sometimes they are solitary. Either way, they put us in touch with ourselves, with others, and with God.
The Newman Center offers several retreat opportunities each semester. Spring 2012 retreat opportunities will include at least the following:
Stay tuned for more information on these retreats!
Spring Retreat 2012
(Fri Mar 2 – Sun Mar 4, $20, Abbey of the Genesee)
(leaving the Fredonia Newman Center at 4pm on Friday, returning by 2pm on Sunday)
Never been on a retreat before? Have a question about this retreat?
Check out our Retreat FAQ.
This retreat is a great chance to get away, meet new
friends, grow in your faith, and take some time out for yourself and
God in a peaceful and supportive setting. For people who have never been on
a retreat before, this is a great way to start.
Details.
We will be going to the
Abbey of the Genesee
with the Buffalo State
Newman Center (students, Carmen, and Fr Pat).
We will be staying in a well-furnished and comfortable retreat house, with
homemade food, plus bread (see below).
Monks.
There will be a chance to interact with Trappist monks, who make up the abbey. Except
when they gather for prayer five times a day and interact with visitors and
retreatants, they live in silence – a mysteriously intriguing
lifestyle that creates a reflective and peaceful atmosphere at the abbey. We
will be joining them for prayer at some points.
Bread.
The monks make their living by baking
bread that they sell to grocery
stores and the public. And retreatants. Their bread is highly
acclaimed by anyone who has been to the abbey.
Questions/Sign-up.
For more information or to sign up, feel free to
email or call the
Newman Center at 716-679-4686.
We hope that you will join us for this popular retreat!
Frequently Asked Questions about Fall & Spring Retreat
Still have questions? Feel free to email or call the Newman Center at 716-679-4686!
A retreat is a break from the normal routine of life in order to become closer to God, to others, and to yourself.
Fall and Spring Retreats at the Newman Center are centered around
three or four talks given
by students on different aspects of faith, spirituality, and college
life. There is usually an activity, reflection, and/or
small-group discussion following each talk, to help us ponder what
we've heard and apply it to our lives.
You can participate in small-group activities to whatever extent is comfortable for you.
In addition to this primary content, there is time during the weekend
for individual reflection, socializing, relaxing, studying, etc.
Finally, there are times of communal prayer, like morning and evening prayer, eucharist, and/or a Sat evening prayer service.
Retreats come in many different forms. Newman Center retreats would not fit the above description. See the previous question.
People come on retreats for a variety of reasons, and they come away
with a variety of blessings. Some of the most common reasons
are:
- looking for a break from the daily grind,
- looking to reconnect with God,
- looking for a way to become more involved, or
- interested in meeting people and making new friends.
By the end of a retreat, retreatants typically have experienced all of this and more.
This is one of the most common fears about retreats. Our retreats always have people who didn't know anyone beforehand – but they always come away knowing everyone.
Retreats are a great way to get to know other people like yourself. The relaxed atmosphere is designed to help everyone feel comfortable, whether you know anyone else or not.
If you're still nervous, you can always bring a friend!
The cost of $20 covers lodging, food, and transportation.
This is a bargain: where else can you stay somewhere for two days, plus get all your meals, for twenty bucks?
However, if you cannot afford the cost right now, please contact us and we can work something out.
No one should have to forgo a retreat just because of cost.
It is helpful to know how many people are coming by the Tuesday before the retreat, so that we can purchase the correct amount of food. But if you decide at the last minute that you would like to go, we would still love to have you join us.
We can often accomodate these situations; please contact us.
clothes, toiletries, bed linens or a sleeping bag, … We'll send a
detailed list to everyone who is signed up.
