The students of Std. VII and VIII participated in their annual spiritual retreats and moral recollections on Thursday, September 25, 2025. These sessions aimed to provide students with opportunities for reflection, growth, and deeper awareness of themselves in relation to God, values, and the community around them.

The retreat for the Catholic boys of Std. VII and VIII began at 8:50 a.m. in the conference hall with a short introduction by Rev. Fr. Godfrey D’Souza, who welcomed and presented the resource person, Br. Royston Colaco.

Br. Royston guided the students on the theme “Me, Myself, and God.” He emphasized that a retreat is a time for prayer, reflection, and renewal. Through interactive sessions, he encouraged the boys to cultivate self-awareness—recognizing their strengths, weaknesses, likes, dislikes, and unique qualities. Citing Genesis 1:26–27, he reminded them that we are created in God’s image and likeness, called to holiness as our primary vocation.

A key thought that shaped the day was: “Define or be defined.” Br. Royston explained that we must not allow others’ opinions or labels to determine our identity, but rather define ourselves in the light of God’s truth and love. He highlighted Jeremiah 1:5—“Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you”—to stress God’s personal call and plan for each individual.

Br. Royston also spoke of three challenges on the path to holiness:

1. Identity – knowing who we are in God.

2. Visibility – living our faith through actions, as shown in the parable of the Good Samaritan, reminding us that helping others is helping Christ Himself.

3. Credibility – being authentic, ensuring that our words, actions, and deeds are in harmony.

He reminded the boys that prayer is a relationship with God—an act of love, worship, and honour. He also spoke to them about the importance of confession and motivated the students to approach the two priests available to hear their confessions. Br. Royston concluded by encouraging the boys to do good sincerely without seeking recognition or reward, and to live as authentic children of God.

The retreat ended with the celebration of the Holy Mass in the Shrine. While reading the Gospel, Rev. Fr. Godfrey spoke about King Herod’s belief that John the Baptist had been raised from the dead and that Elijah had appeared, pointing to the mystery of God’s presence. In the homily, Rev. Fr. Flovi reflected on the universality of God, reminding the boys that God is one and present to all people. The students participated actively in the readings and singing at the Mass. The Eucharist served as the spiritual culmination of the retreat, leaving the students with a message of faith, authenticity, and integrity.

Alongside the retreat, the first recollection session for Std. VII and VIII Moral students was conducted by the class teachers in their respective classrooms on the theme “Finding Your Inner Compass.” Just as a compass gives direction, the session helped students understand that their inner compass guides their thoughts, actions, and life choices.

The session introduced the story of “The Two Wolves,” teaching that we become what we feed our hearts and minds with—positive or negative qualities. Students reflected on their likes, identified strengths through the “My Superpower Circle” activity, and discussed ways they could use their gifts to help others. Practical exercises such as the “5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Exerci…