The Encounter Retreat for the Year 11 Chaney boys served as a pivotal experience in their growth from boys to men.

Beginning Monday the 15th of March we set off from the Tear Drop with little-to-no knowledge of anything we were going to face on the retreat. Upon arrival, we gathered in the auditorium where we were officially introduced to the Encounter Retreat with Dr Kania and Mr Mavros steering the wheel. Following this, we set off and officially began our three days of exploring the retreat motto “Male by Gender - Man by Choice”.

Across the three days at the retreat, each individual had the opportunity to grow spiritually and to search for key ‘lightbulb moments’ which would see a major increase in their development and their perceptions of “What it means to be a Man”. Before the retreat, I had perceived my manhood as a man of truth and loyalty to others (having the name Truman might have had a slight impact on this). However, this ideology I’d lived my life by was challenged through my time on retreat, and I decided to really look for what, or who, I wanted to be a man for.

We were given the honour to learn from a few exemplary men who gave us insights into what they consider to be important aspects of their lives as men for others. These topics and discussions allowed my peers and me to learn the importance of choosing your own pathway through life and developing your own manhood. I was lucky enough to have wonderful company through my friends, as we shared our own experiences and talked about our feelings towards the retreat. I was surprised to learn how everyone I spoke to had a similar feeling that I did, one of pleasant surprise and simple joy.

After being fed generously, being pushed outside of my comfort zone, and being called upon to be the best man that I could be, I came back from the retreat Wednesday the 17th as a different person. I don’t say this to establish that I’ve become an overly confident and incredibly wise person, but instead I believe that the retreat gave me new insights. Especially in the way I treasure other people. I can honestly tell you that since 3:15 pm Wednesday, I can enjoy the company of others more, enjoy the daily events and experiences in my life more, and I can feel even just a little bit more love towards those around me. The Encounter Retreat wasn’t the laborious religious-emphatic snooze-fest I expected, but instead, it was simply three days that taught me what kind of man I want to be.

Special thanks to Dr Kania, Mr Mavros, Mr Montgomery, Br. Clery, Mr White, Mr West, Mr Morrison, Mr Rich, the retreat workers, the guest speakers, and especially the Chaney crew for an amazing retreat. I’m looking forward to where we go from here, fully alive.