Will McHale ‘26
Features Editor
Amidst the busyness of the fall semester, the Joyce Contemplative Center offers students many great opportunities for reflection, prayer, and recharging away from campus.
The JCC, located less than 20 minutes away from campus in West Boylston, serves as the home for spiritual retreats that help the Holy Cross community to “deepen their relationship with God and grow in self-knowledge and interior freedom.” The College’s website states that nearly a quarter of the student body took part in one of the programs offered at the JCC during the 2019-20 academic year. Additionally, the JCC offers a number of retreats for Holy Cross alumni.
The first retreat available to students this semester is the Big Chill, which takes place from the 13th to 14th of September. It is a 24-hour retreat that allows students to “disconnect from campus and connect with yourself and others.” During the retreat, students can get some alone time, spend time with friends, walk the trails of the JCC, eat great food, or whatever else they would hope to do during the brief retreat.
Towards the end of September, from the 27th to the 28th, the JCC offers the Ignite Retreat for first-year students. This retreat is a great opportunity for first-year students to get away from campus for a night, connect with other members of their class, and engage in community learning.
Throughout the school year, the JCC offers an adapted version of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, with the first of these retreats occurring during fall break from October 11th to 16th. St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits, created the Spiritual Exercises, which allows for deep reflection about one’s faith. The five-day retreat is primarily silent and allows for reflection and prayer alongside talks given by the Chaplain retreat directors. Students who have taken part in the Spiritual Exercises speak highly of it and encourage others to consider this special opportunity for prayer and reflection.
The Manresa Retreat is a shorter, two-day retreat towards the end of October, named after a place where St. Ignatius experienced a “spiritual awakening” that inspired the Spiritual Exercises. This retreat allows students to disconnect from their routines to focus on spiritual development and growth through reflection, prayer, conversation, and contemplation.
Later in the semester, the JCC offers a retreat for members of the LGBTQIA+ community, with conversations and reflections on the intersection of identities. The retreat includes a number of conversations and activities as well as a yoga class. This retreat runs from November 15th to 17th.
Before the Thanksgiving break, a Friendsgiving Retreat gathers students to practice gratitude through yoga, arts, nature, and more from November 22nd to 24th.
The final student retreat of the fall semester is the Study Retreat, where students can get away from campus during the stressful finals season to “Eat, Pray, and Study.” This retreat occurs from December 7th to the 9th.
There are plenty of other student retreats during the spring semester, and interested students can register for any of these retreats on the Holy Cross website.
A number of other retreats are offered at the Joyce Contemplative Center for Holy Cross alumni. These include the Spiritual Exercises, a Silent Weekend Retreat, a retreat on Harvesting Grace, an Advent Day of Prayer, and more.
The Joyce Contemplative Center is named after Thomas P. Joyce of the Class of ’59, and the retreats offered there are “fundamental to the mission of the College.” The retreat program welcomes people of all faith traditions and beliefs, and seeks to encourage the service of faith & the promotion of justice. The JCC sits on 52-acres of land overlooking the Wachusett Reservoir, offering beautiful views, bedrooms for 60 people, a chapel, dining room, and more.
The JCC is a wonderful gift to the Holy Cross community and will allow students and alumni to deepen their faith and sense of connection for years to come.
Featured Image courtesy of College of the Holy Cross
Copy Edited by Caroline Kramer ’26
Leave a Reply