by Christopher Gonse ‘00, Assistant to the President
When I came to Servite, I really didn’t have any interest in doing anything but playing football. I remember sitting in the chapel with my classmates 18 years ago. A group of boys from Loyola were there to tell us about Kairos. I didn’t understand their vagueness in the details of the retreat until I went on the retreat. In Spring of 2000, Fr. Rick Boyle, OSM, took a group of seniors to a retreat center in Lake Arrowhead for Servite’s first Kairos.
The timing of the retreat could not have been more perfect. We were just a couple of months away from saying farewell to high school. Kairos seemed to be the culmination of my time at Servite. Not only did I come to a realization of what was important in my life, but who was important in my life.
Of the relationships that were reaffirmed while on retreat, the most important was my relationship with the Lord. I can’t put into words the power that was felt during Adoration with my brothers. I’ve since been on a few Kairos retreats and that moment is still as powerful as it was when I was a student. I have memories from Kairos I still reflect on. They remind me of who I am, of the people who saw something special in me. They remind me that through the strength of my brothers and of the Lord, I am never alone.
