Lead, Serve, Inspire
Junior Class Retreat - “Who is the Face of God?”
On Thursday, February 12, 2026, members of the Junior Class traveled to the Don Bosco Retreat House in Stony Point, New York for their retreat.
At Albertus Magnus, all faith-related celebrations and activities, including Masses, prayer services, retreat experiences, workshops and public witness events allow students and staff to deepen their relationship to God, recognize the blessings we share, and be preachers of the Good News, in word or deed. Each class year has a retreat during the school year.
For Juniors, the Class of 2027, the retreat began with Mass celebrated by Fr. Manny Gallo. Following Mass, the students participated in two high-energy listening activities. Fr. Manny offered the keynote talk “Who is the Face of God?” The talk centered on appreciating the people around us, especially those closest to us, and taking the time to affirm and thank them for their presence in our lives. The talk concluded with the students having the opportunity to affirm their classmates. The juniors enjoyed lunch and conversation in the retreat center dining hall followed by recreation.
Here are a few reflections written by the attendees:
We are grateful to Fr. Manny and the staff at the Don Bosco Retreat Center for providing a meaningful retreat experience for the members of the Class of 2027 and their chaperones.
For Juniors, the Class of 2027, the retreat began with Mass celebrated by Fr. Manny Gallo. Following Mass, the students participated in two high-energy listening activities. Fr. Manny offered the keynote talk “Who is the Face of God?” The talk centered on appreciating the people around us, especially those closest to us, and taking the time to affirm and thank them for their presence in our lives. The talk concluded with the students having the opportunity to affirm their classmates. The juniors enjoyed lunch and conversation in the retreat center dining hall followed by recreation.
Here are a few reflections written by the attendees:
“One point that stuck out to me was that we need to affirm those who love us and whom we love because every person matters. I learned that we may be the only smile, hello, or face of God someone will experience on a given day, so in a world where we can choose to be anything, we should be kind and respectful to all people, because you never know what someone else is going through.”
“At my Junior Retreat, I chose to focus on what it truly means to be blessed. I realized that being blessed is not about having everything you want but appreciating the people and moments that matter most.”
“The Junior Retreat was the best retreat I’ve experienced. Fr. Manny spoke TO us, sharing his story and letting us tell ours. I really believe this retreat bonded us as a junior class.”
“Fr. Manny’s message was powerful: Everyone matters, and we should build bridges in relationships, not walls.”
“This retreat reminded me to tell people how much they mean to me and to thank them for all they have done. Also, to reflect how much I truly am blessed. It made me want to do more good in my life, as I feel a lot of times, I get caught up in trying to be successful, but I can do little acts of kindness to try to be more significant.”
“The Junior Retreat was meaningful to me because it made me consider the impact my life decisions have on others. I want to place more emphasis on conversing with my family, asking about their day, and sharing details about my school day.”
We are grateful to Fr. Manny and the staff at the Don Bosco Retreat Center for providing a meaningful retreat experience for the members of the Class of 2027 and their chaperones.
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