Retreats

A spiritual retreat is when we withdraw (literally retreat) from our normal, daily routine and environment to be with Christ and one another in a time of spiritual renewal, rest, fellowship, and growth.  As disciples of Christ, our Lord and Savior must come first in our life and so we are called to lovingly prioritize spending time with Him, especially in the context of a retreat, above and beyond all other things. 
 
Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, this time away on a retreat provides our students with an opportunity to encounter Jesus through prayer and the sacraments, reflect upon their life, and grow in holiness. 
 
A student is required to attend at least one retreat during the academic year.  Depending on the circumstances (for example, a diocesan pilgrimage or a school retreat), a certain retreat may be mandatory for a particular class.  If a student has to miss a mandatory retreat for a serious reason (i.e. illness, family emergency, etc.), we will always work with the student to make up their missed retreat. 

At Bethlehem Catholic High School we have a strong tradition of retreats and we offer a variety of different retreats all designed to help the students grow closer to Christ and each other.  We’re always seeking to offer new and different retreats each year to cater to the needs and desires of our students and we’re always open to the ideas and feedback of our students in crafting great retreats for them! 
 
Some of the retreats we offer are: 
 
Kairos Retreats 
 
Kairos means “The Lord’s Time” and it is a multi-day retreat for seniors and juniors.  Kairos is held at the beautiful Malvern Retreat Center in Malvern, PA.  There are two Kairos retreats held during the academic year, one in the Fall for Seniors and one in the Spring for Juniors.  While Kairos will fulfill a student’s annual retreat requirement, it is optional for juniors and seniors.  Kairos is a great opportunity for our juniors and seniors to grow closer to our Lord Jesus Christ and one another in a new and powerful way.  We strongly encourage our juniors and seniors to attend this fun and grace-filled retreat!   
 
Verso L’Alto 

This is a hiking retreat based on the life of St. Pier Giorgio Frassati and it’s sponsored and led by Live Vertical, which is an apostolate designed to help us in our campus ministry.  This retreat is specifically for a group of juniors and is intended to help them grow in holiness and discipleship through servant-leadership.  The retreat is typically held in the Fall or Spring months. 
 
School Retreats 

At times, we have offered fun and grace-filled school retreats on campus that are centered on Christ truly present in the Most Holy Eucharist, Eucharistic Exposition, engaging guest speakers, outdoor recreational time, and community service. 
 
Class Retreats 

Depending on the circumstances, we may offer a class retreat in the context of a pilgrimage where all the students of a particular class are required to attend.  We’ve held Class Retreats at the National Centre for Padre Pio and the National Shrine of the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception as part of diocesan pilgrimages.  These retreats are designed to help our students bond as a class and grow closer to Christ and one another.