Student Experience
Retreats
Faith Formation
Every year at Loyola, our students attend a spiritual retreat held either on campus or off campus at one of the many retreat centers in the area. The goal of our retreat program is to help our Dons become aware of God in their lives, learn the importance of community, and invite them to live a life that glorifies God through action. See below for a full list of retreats by grade level.
List of 7 items.
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6th Grade Retreat
6th Grade RetreatDate: September 26, 2025Location: Loyola BlakefieldThe 6th Grade Retreat, Packing for the Journey, marks an important first step in each student’s Loyola experience. Designed and led by Loyola upperclassmen, the retreat offers our newest Dons a day of reflection, connection, and community-building as they begin their seven-year journey.Through small group conversations, witness talks from upperclassmen, and interactive activities, students are introduced to the spiritual and communal “tools” they will need to thrive at Loyola. The retreat also helps them begin to embody the qualities of the Graduate at Graduation – forming habits of faith, brotherhood, and leadership that will shape their years ahead. -
7th Grade Retreat
7th Grade RetreatDate: Spring 2026 (Date TBA)Location: Loyola BlakefieldOn this retreat, students will take a deeper look at two Graduate at Graduation qualities: being religious and loving. They will have the chance to reflect on and explore their faith and grow in their understanding of what it means to live out these values each day.The retreat includes large-group activities, small group conversations, and personal reflection. Partnering with the 7th grade class from St. Ignatius Loyola Academy, this experience also gives our Dons the opportunity to build meaningful relationships with peers from a fellow Jesuit school—fostering brotherhood, connection, and shared faith. -
8th Grade Retreat
8th Grade RetreatDate: October 23, 2025Location: River Valley RanchThe 8th Grade Retreat is where students step away from the classroom to grow as a community. Through activities and shared reflection, they strengthen bonds of brotherhood and build lasting connections with their classmates. The retreat also challenges them to embrace leadership within the middle school, preparing them to serve as role models for younger Dons. -
Freshman Retreat: IGNITE!
IGNITE! Freshman Retreat
Date: November 6-7, 2025 (overnight)Location: Loyola BlakefieldThe IGNITE! Retreat is a one-of-a-kind overnight experience created by students, for students. Held each fall, this retreat invites freshmen to encounter God’s love in a personal way while building meaningful connections with their classmates. Through talks, activities, and community, students are also introduced to the heart of Jesuit education and what their journey may look like as Loyola Dons. -
Sophomore Retreat
Sophomore RetreatDate: April 22-24, 2026 (overnight)Location: TBASophomore students will spend time reflecting on the qualities of the Graduate at Graduation. Guided by both adult and student leaders, they will hear personal stories and insights about how these values are lived out. Through talks, small group sharing, and personal reflection, sophomores are invited to consider how they embody these principles in their own lives and how they can continue to grow in them. -
Kairos (for Junior & Seniors)
Kairos RetreatDates:Kairos 150 (seniors only): September 30 – October 3, 2025Kairos 151 (seniors only): December 2 – 5, 2025Kairos 152 (seniors only): January 20 – 23, 2026Kairos 153: February 24 – 27, 2026Kairos 154: March 24 – March 27, 2026Location: Claggett CenterKairos – meaning “the Lord’s time” – is one of Loyola’s most transformative retreat experiences. It creates space to step away from the busyness of daily life and discover God’s love in a personal and powerful way.Over four days, students journey through themes that invite deep reflection and connection:- Who am I?
- Where is God in my life?
- What is God’s message for me?
- Putting the message into action.
Talks, small group sharing, prayer, and community-building activities make Kairos a true encounter with faith, brotherhood, and self-discovery. Faculty and staff accompany the retreat as mentors, supporting a student leadership team made up of peers who have previously experienced Kairos.Kairos has become a hallmark of the Loyola Blakefield experience—over 2,000 Dons have participated. Ask any of them, and they’ll tell you: Kairos changes everything. -
Neighbors Retreat (for Upper School students)
Neighbors RetreatDate: November 12 – 14, 2025Location: Msgr. O’Dwyer Retreat House“When we act neighborly, we will realize we have neighbors all around us…”-Rev. Dr. Alvin C. Hathaway, Sr.When standing in the shadow of racial injustice, what does it mean to be a neighbor? Who are we as neighbors, who are our neighbors, what does our neighborhood look like regionally and worldwide. The fourth Neighbors Retreat, sponsored by Loyola Blakefield’s Office of Diversity, will create a space for students to explore spiritually and socially how we can respond as a people of faith to racial injustice in all its forms.Our goal is two-fold:- To provide a space for conversation and understanding.
- To empower students to discern how they can bring what they’ve learned on the retreat back to our school.
