Newman Retreat at St. Peter’s Abbey returns
All welcome to rest, recharge, reflect during weekend of fellowship
After a pandemic-imposed hiatus, the Newman Retreat in Muenster at St. Peter’s Abbey has returned as a full-weekend, in-person event.
Organized by the Newman Centre, the annual retreat offers three days of reflection, relaxation, prayer and process. This year the retreat will include sessions reflecting on participants’ journeys: in life, in faith, through the pandemic, and at university.
During the past three years, we have moved forward and back, we’ve made advances and returns – and we are now returning to our tradition of travelling to St. Peter’s Abbey for a weekend of faith, friends and fun from Jan. 27-29. Those who are interested are invited to join the Newman Retreat for a relaxing weekend at St. Peter’s Abbey with Retreat presenters the STM Campus Ministry Team.
The Newman Centre executive is comprised of Adam, Carly, Emily and Alayna. They are sharing common questions they’ve received about the annual Newman Retreat and have provided the answers to make sure everyone understands what it is all about. So dive in!
What is Newman?
The Newman Centre is the longest standing Catholic student club at USask. Founded in 1926, it is an organization dedicated to building Christian community on campus and the Newman motto is, “Heart speaks to Heart.” It is named after St. John Henry Cardinal Newman. There are Newman Centres at universities across Canada and the United States.
What is St. Peter’s Abbey?
It is a Benedictine monastery connected to St. Peter’s College in Muenster, Saskatchewan (not Germany – we’ve been asked that before, believe it or not!)
Do you have to be religious to attend?
No, all are welcome.
Do I need to be an STM declared Student?
No, all are welcome.
Is there going to be a lot of praying?
If you are into praying this is a great place to spend the weekend! We are invited to join the monks of St. Peter’s anytime they gather (which is five times a day). Not everybody is that ambitious, but the invite is there. In terms of the Newman Retreat program, there is Friday evening prayer, Saturday morning prayer, and Roman Catholic Mass at 10:00 am on Sunday morning with the St. Peter’s community.
What is all included in the price?
Prices may be found on the retreat registration form found here: https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=Nd4qeGkXjUa64AAg1q_1u5hxzpLHNItGhMBKCMtmJFlUN1owM1RINFFKVzE5U0dERjNONjlFQ0FPMS4u&origin=QRCode
The prices for students, staff and faculty cover all meals, lodging and snacks for the weekend, which begins Friday night at 7 pm registration (you are responsible for your own supper on Friday), and ends after lunch on Sunday.
What should I expect?
A weekend away to chill out, reflect, meet people and have some fun.
What should I bring?
A journal; cozy pajamas; comfy clothes/footwear; winter outerwear (you may want to go out on the Abbey grounds and feed the chickadees – they’ll eat nuts right from your hand!); toiletries
What if I don’t know anyone?
All are made to feel at home…and we wear name tags!
Can I come if I am practicing another faith?
Yes, the retreat comes from a Catholic perspective, but all are welcome to participate.
How do I get there?
We carpool out to the Abbey on Friday, Jan. 27 and return Sunday, Jan. 29.
Okay, just one more time: What is a retreat?
It is a time to get away from your regular day-to-day routine, to have some rest and take some time to pray and reflect. There will be scheduled input sessions hosted by the STM Campus Ministry team through the weekend. During the Retreat, participants may enjoy taking walks resting, playing outside or feeding the chickadees. It’s great to have some time outside, so please bring warm clothes so you can enjoy yourself indoors and out. Sometimes our day-to-day is so busy, we neglect to get out and enjoy nature! There will be time allotted for personal reflection, so bringing either a journal, or a pen and loose leaf is highly recommended. There is an optional tour of the Abbey, so feel free to participate in that when you’re on retreat.
What if I want to know the Retreat rates without visiting the registration site?
Student Retreat Rate: $75.00 per person
Newman member Student Rate: $45.00 per person (Memberships available anytime, just $5!)
Universal Retreat Rate: $120.00
* If this is NOT affordable to you, please speak to Campus Ministry. We would love to see you on the Retreat, and don’t want the price to be a deterrent. Cheques can be made payable to the Newman Centre. Completed registration forms are submitted online, via the QR code. Payment will be collected during registration at St. Peter’s on Jan. 27.
When is the registration deadline?
All registration forms are due by Jan. 24, 2023.
If you have questions that were not answered in this article, feel free to direct your questions to Newman Staff Advisor Michael MacLean, either at his office, STM 233, or via email mmaclean@stmcollege.ca.
How do I sign up?
Scan the QR code or hit the link above!
Find our more about STM Campus Ministry, its events, supports for students, and ways to get involved: