Retreats

Our preschool students participated in their class retreat in mid-May. Their retreat theme was Building Up the Kingdom of God. The engaging activities explored their identity as Christian disciples and encouraged acts of kindness.

Please click the links below for more information about the retreat activities, and for resources to share in our students' experience yourself and with your family.

The students' quick recognition of Christian symbols and sweet insights about God are inspiring. Their sharing of acts of kindness for incorporation in our song and their sharing of personal intentions for our prayer time are a reflection of God dwelling in their hearts. No matter how big or how small, we are all equipped with love, joy, and faith to be builders of God's Kingdom here on earth.

Parent Note  Song - Build Up the Kingdom  Christian Builder's Hammer

Our kindergarten students participated in their class retreat in September. Their retreat theme was The Apple of God's Eye. The dynamic activities affirmed their identity as beloved children of God and reinforced classroom lessons encouraging them to treat one another with kindness and love.

Please click the links below for more information about the retreat activities, and for resources to share in our students' experience yourself and with your family.

The students' smiles and giggles filled the chapel with joy as they took turns standing in the center of a circle of friends and hearing from them how they are the apple of God's eye and He loves each of them so much! The song lyrics filled the air with faith, love, and joy!

Parent Note  Song: You are the Apple of God's Eye  Apple of God's Eye Beads

On November 28, our first-grade students participated in their class retreat with the theme of Thankfulness. We had a wonderful afternoon filled with reading Bible stories, acting out the Bible stories, making thank-you notes, singing a new song with our own words added, and reflecting on our thankfulness journal entries.

More information is in the First Grade Retreat Note to Parents.

I encourage you and your family to join the first-grade students in giving thanks by praying the Prayer of Thanksgiving for Blessings and singing the We Give Thanks to Our God Song (to the tune of If You're Happy and You Know It). You can also print your own My Daily Thankfulness Journals for the members of your family.

Our second-grade students participated in their class retreat in mid-April, leading up to the Easter Season and their First Communion. Their retreat theme was Holy Week and the Holy Eucharist. Through the dynamic activities, the students explored the Paschal Mystery and strengthened their understanding of the Eucharist as the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, which they were soon to receive.

Please click the links below for more information about the retreat activities, and for resources to share in our students' experience yourself and with your family.

Parent Note Resurrection Eggs Scripture 
Resurrection Eggs Symbol Inserts Easter Triduum Triptych

The third-grade students participated in their annual retreat at the beginning of the school year. The retreat activities and lessons focused on our annual theme of Living the Eucharist.  This retreat experience helped the students start their year rooted in faith and united to our school community.

For more information, please click on the parent note link at the bottom of this page. We also invite your family to join our third-grade students in living the Eucharist through gratitude and kindness, especially through our special song and living the Eucharist chart also linked to this page.

Our fourth-grade students participated in a retreat at the nearby Manresa retreat house. The retreat took place right before Lent, and the Lenten theme prepared the students to get the most out of this important liturgical season. Holy Name alumni from Brother Rice High School led the retreat and facilitated group activities. The day was filled with prayer, scripture, reflection, and many hands-on activities to bring the themes to life, including creating and presenting skits of Bible passages, making sculptures of the Stations of the Cross and presenting them, coloring, and singing praise to God.

Alleluia Coloring Sheet

Our fourth- and fifth-grade students joined together to participate in their class retreat. In the beautiful spring season, they filled their afternoon with engaging activities and inspiring lessons about our Blessed Mother Mary. They ended the retreat experience with a lasting offering of planting flowers near the statue of our Blessed Mother Mary outside of our school building.

Please click on the link below for more information about the retreat activities, so you can share in our students' experience yourself and with your family.

Parent Note

On March 14, the sixth- and seventh-grade students participated in their annual retreat. The power of prayer was a focal point as the scriptural Ask, Seek, and Knock encouragement from Jesus came up throughout the day. The majority of the retreat involved a pilgrimage to the Solanus Casey Center in Detroit. The students began their day by participating in a special Mass celebrated by one of the Capuchin friars. The students then learned about the life of Blessed Father Solanus Casey, a holy man who spent his days ministering to the people of Detroit. The visit included a time of prayer at his tomb, and the day concluded with an active reflection activity at Holy Name.

For more information about the retreat, please reference the parent note. Miracle stories from Blessed Father Solanus Casey's life and associated pictures can be obtained through the link below. We encourage you to share these resources with your whole family and to be inspired together.

As Blessed Father Solanus Casey would say:

Praise be to God in all of His designs and thank God ahead of time.

What is your family's spiritual motto?

Bl. Fr. Solanus Miracle Stories Parent Note

Our eighth-grade students participate in an overnight class retreat in October. The retreat is chaperoned by our principal, assistant principal, and parents who lead the students in fun activities, community-building exercises, and faith-filled enjoyment. This retreat experience is a great opportunity for class bonding and united growth, setting the tone for a great year together.

Our eighth-grade students also participate in a Confirmation retreat coordinated by the Holy Name director of religious education. This dynamic retreat experience prepares our students' hearts and minds for the wonderful sacrament of Confirmation that they are about to receive. Their hearts are set on fire with joy and anticipation for a life animated by the Holy Spirit.

In recent years, Bold Ministries has led our Confirmation retreat. Bold Ministries consists of a pair of people devoted to dynamic, full and BOLD ministry to the young church by presenting the Gospel with vibrancy and humor, always centered on the beautiful content of the Catholic faith.  Holy Name students join with students from the Academy of the Sacred Heart, U of D, and St. Mary, Royal Oak. Parents join the students, to share in their experience and be a source of encouragement and affirmation of this great step in their children's journey of faith. A recent year's retreat included a theme surrounding the story of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit through song and story, sharing of scriptures, small-group discussion, and delving into the mystery and beauty of our “story” — seeking to discover God’s omnipotent presence in our lives through the gift of the Spirit. Parents, especially, expressed gratitude for the gift of having this opportunity to be on retreat with their son/daughter. They expressed the fact that they felt more spiritually connected with their child and hunger for more opportunities to be fed spiritually in such a setting.

We look forward to your child and your family growing together in faith through such retreat experiences with our Holy Name community.