Leadership Retreat – Immaculata High School

On Friday, March 29th, the FIRE Young Men’s Group participated in a Leadership Retreat within the school in the Mamidosewin Room and the Chapel.  The day was possible thanks to the ongoing generous support of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate Provincial Council and special guests – Father Tim Coonen, OMI (Canadian Martyrs Parish) and facilitator – David Perry.

The day began with activities designed to develop communication skills through a series of questions that built upon our ability to listen to each other and to “Lean-In” when others are sharing.  Next, we tackled the fear and uncertainty that is felt when we find ourselves in “Liminal Space”. This space is often associated with finding ourselves in a tough situation, sometimes through no fault of our own, that we can’t control, can’t fix, can’t manage and can’t understand.  Our Graduating Leaders (Jude Gagnon, Sabin Underwood-Santos, Kyle Barnes, Curtis Fabro and Noah Kelly) received a special blessing and gift from the group as they enjoy the final months of their time at Immaculata and pursue their next adventure.

After lunch, Group members participated in a “Spirit Walk” in Old Ottawa South, that gave them the time and opportunity to continue to build a relationship with another member of the Leadership team.  The day came to a close with a fruitful discussion of what they wanted next for our group and how we could serve our community and our world. Stay tuned for more activities, events and awareness campaigns from FIRE!

By Neil Purves