Women’s retreat to focus on spiritual reflection, prayer

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Women’s retreat to focus on spiritual reflection, prayer
The Catholic Society will hold a women’s retreat this Saturday, including coffee, singing, prayer, and Scripture readings. Collegian Archives

Women on campus will be able to spend part of their weekend in spiritual reflection and prayer at a retreat held by the ladies of Catholic society.

The event will be this Saturday in the Mauck Solarium from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

“Its a chance to have a retreat without having to leave campus and give up a whole weekend,” said junior Colleen Trainor, who will lead the event.

The event is open to all women of campus, and anyone interested can email Trainor to be added to the list.

The ladies plan to serve with pastries and coffee from Rough Draft before starting the event off with prayer.

Next, junior Bridget Dolowy will lead the women in singing hymns.

“The goal of the retreat is a day of recollection and peace, so the music will be low-key — I will just play the guitar and lead the singing,” she said.

Over the next two hours, there will be time for personal testimonies, discussion, and for silence, which is “not something we get a lot at Hillsdale,” Trainor said.

Around 11 a.m., the ladies will head up to campus for brunch in the Knorr Family Dining Hall. They will then return to Mauck for Scripture reading and reflection, as well as more time for silent prayer and discussion before finishing with a few more hymns.

“It’s a good way to have a moment of fellowship that’s very intentional,” Trainor said. “I found that it brings me a lot of peace and centers me. Most people here so seldom take a morning of just prayer and fellowship, so it’s a good opportunity for that.”

Senior Ellen Friesen said the event is a good place for students to rest without having to take a whole weekend away. The event will be just enough time to refocus amidst a busy semester.

“A lot of times, for students here, myself included, schoolwork is the lord of our schedule,” Friesen said. “Schoolwork is important, but when I set aside a couple hours to pray and worship the Lord, even when I have schoolwork to do, it shows me that Jesus is the Lord of my schedule.”

The retreat will be a time for community but also silence, according to Trainor.  

“It’s time to be with other amazing people from Hillsdale and finding the silence to let that small voice talk,” Trainor said.