NDA will hold its first overnight retreat for juniors and seniors at the Wynncliff Retreat Center November 9-10.

The optional retreat will be led by seniors and costs $175.

“In conversations with President Kiely, I advocated the spiritual benefit students of Notre Dame could experience on an overnight retreat,” said Fr. Jordan, who helped coordinate the retreat along with Kelly Waters and Joan Cinotto.

“From our experiences in high school ministry, overnight retreats have the potential of being transformative experiences in which students develop a deep relationship with God,” the priest  explained.

Students will leave at 3 p.m. on Thursday, November 9, and return at 3 p.m. on Friday, November 10. There are only 18 spaces available, and most of the slots are filled.

The Wynncliff Retreat Center is located in Manitowoc County and was selected “because other centers were filled up.”

“I found out in talking with one of our athletic coaches that the retreat center has its roots in a Catholic community known as Opus Dei. Opus Dei is an organization that is about glorifying God in our ordinary lives,” said Fr. Jordan.

NDA’s predecessor schools (Premontre, Pennings, St. Joseph) might have held similar retreats, but to the best of Fr. Jordan’s knowledge, NDA has not held one.

Fr. Jordan hopes students will grow a deeper love of themselves, neighbors and God.

“I hope this will be an opportunity to unplug from the daily grind of life to take time to listen to God’s voice.” 

Fr. Jordan first encountered an overnight high school retreat while he was at Daylesford Abbey in Pennsylvania. He attended a Kairos retreat at the Abbey hosted by the Norbertine school Archmere Academy.

“I saw how powerful and meaningful it was to the students,” he said.