News from Powers Catholic High School

Powers Catholic High School Kairos Retreat Program

If you are a junior or senior at Powers Catholic, chances are good that you arrange your yearly calendar to accommodate a journey to the shores of beautiful Higgins Lake to participate in Kairos. Chances are also good that you have been looking forward to attending Kairos since your grade school days, when you heard older brothers, sisters, cousins, or neighbors talk about this wonderful, grace-filled time.

If you graduated from Powers Catholic more than 15 years ago, you may not know about Kairos. Kairos is a Greek word meaning "now is the time" or "God's time." Kairos is the opposite of chronos or chronological time, time measured in minutes and hours, time marking the sequential events of our lives. Simply put, the Kairos Retreat is time away from schedules, deadlines, school and work to experience time away with God. What a blessing the Kairos Retreat has been to our entire school community.

The Kairos retreat program was developed in 1965 by a team of priests, brothers and laypeople under the direction of Fr. Douglas Brown of the Diocese of Brooklyn. From there the program spread, and came to Powers Catholic from Brother Rice High School in Chicago. Powers Catholic went on to train faculty and students from the other three high schools in the Lansing Diocese.

There are four Kairos retreats offered to Powers students each school year, two for boys and two for girls. Open to juniors and seniors, the retreat is a four-day experience of living in a Christian community and deepening one's relationship with God. One student summed it up by saying, "Before Kairos I thought I had a strong relationship with God, but Kairos strengthened that connection and also helped me develop new ties to my faith." Kairos is led by a team of seven senior student leaders and five adult leaders including our chaplain, Fr. Steve Anderson.

Through large group talks by team leaders, small group discussions, and participation in the sacraments of Eucharist and Reconciliation, the participants grow in understanding that they are loved deeply by God and are not alone in their struggles. By the grace of the Holy Spirit, minds and hearts are opened, acceptance of others is expanded, old hurts are forgiven, and a greater love of God and others fills hearts to overflowing. Participation in the Kairos retreat is voluntary, but over 90% of the students attend before they graduate. Many students state that Kairos is one of the most significant experiences of their lives. A senior boy said, "After Kairos I felt like a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders. It was an amazing feeling." What a miracle it is when a young person struggling with his or her faith comes home having experienced first hand the loving, healing grace of God.

The long lasting impact of Kairos is significant. A senior girl stated, "Kairos is what made us a family, not just classmates." Some of our students, having been deeply touched by the Kairos retreat, have gone on to initiate a similar retreat program in their universities, or in Catholic schools where they are student teaching. Recently a Powers Catholic alumnus, who is now finished with college and is in the work world, proudly showed off the Kairos cross still being worn around his neck. Truly the four days of the retreat might be over, but the experience never ends.

Beth Reynolds
Kairos Director

Kairos crosses serve as a remembrance

for each participant.