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Dallas retreat offers time for reflection and renewal

Dallas retreat offers time for reflection and renewal

by Shannon Dufresne

As the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend offered a pause from classes, four Ursuline juniors chose to travel to Dallas for a four-day student retreat sponsored by the Ursuline Education Network (UEN). The experience strengthened their faith and connected them to the wider Ursuline community, including a dedicated group of like-minded students from across the country.

Co-hosted by Ursuline Academy of Dallas, the retreat, titled "God Will Be in Your Midst," took place Jan. 15–18 at St. Raphael Retreat Center. Thirty-three students and 17 adults from eight Ursuline schools gathered for prayer, reflection, and shared formation rooted in the spirit of St. Angela Merici.

“From the moment the girls arrived, we could feel the warmth,” Jennifer Schassler, service coordinator, said. “Within minutes of introductions, the girls were playing games and making room for one another as students from sister schools arrived. That openness set the tone for the entire retreat.”

Charlize Camara '27, Michaela Manekas '27, Oonagh Brandon '27, and Sophia Anikewich '27 represented The Ursuline School. They traveled with chaperones, Schassler and Jennifer Micceri '08, science department chair and teacher. Sr. Pat Schifini, OSU, also attended, accompanying students from the Academy of Mount St. Ursula in the Bronx.

“The girls really came to understand who St. Angela was, both for women and as an educator, and that shared understanding drew them together around the same values of sisterhood and faith.”
- Ms. Jennifer Schassler, service coordinator

"There was a huge sense of community,” Schassler said. Over the course of the retreat, she watched friendships form naturally through icebreakers, small-group discussions, and shared reflection. “The girls really came to understand who St. Angela was, both for women and as an educator, and that shared understanding drew them together around the same values of sisterhood and faith.”

Jane Cruthirds, director of Mission and Formation at Sacred Heart Schools in Louisville, KY, facilitated the retreat. Sessions focused on St. Angela's counsels and her practice of hospitality as a way of drawing others closer to Christ. Through guided prayer and reflection, students explored how St. Angela's wisdom continues to shape their faith in daily life.

“To feel the shared sisterhood and love St. Angela provides for us is so special. It creates a circle of friends I never would have thought I would have.”
- Michaela Manekas ’27

The retreat also fostered a strong sense of sisterhood among students who arrived as strangers. As they prayed, reflected, and spent time together, shared values gave way to meaningful connection. “To feel the shared sisterhood and love St. Angela provides for us is so special,” said Michaela Manekas ’27. “It creates a circle of friends I never would have thought I would have.”

Beyond the retreat center, students visited the Ursuline Academy of Dallas campus and the National Shrine Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe. They also attended Mass at a neighboring parish, enjoyed s'mores around the campfire, and had a closing breakfast, grounding the experience in tradition beyond the retreat setting.

As students returned home, they carried a renewed sense of purpose shaped by shared prayer, reflection, and community. The Dallas retreat was an invitation to live the spirit of St. Angela in tangible ways, reminding all that faith deepens in memorable ways when it is practiced together.

  • Faith & Spirituality

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