St Thomas Military Academy - Kaydet Yearbook (Mendota Heights, MN)

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RETREAT On November 10th through the 12th, un- derclassmen Cadets at St. Thomas attended their annual retreat which this year was under the direction of the Very Rev. George E. Ryan, Rector of the Saint Paul Cathedral. The retreat opened with Solemn High Mass, and for the next throe days Cadets attended conferences given by Father Ryan on the basic theme — The Life of Christ. Between conferences sufficient time was pro- vided for meditation, prayer, and private consultation with the retreat master, as well as vocal recitation of the Rosary in the homerooms. The retreat came to a close with solemn Benediction and the Papal Blessing. The stu- dents of the Academy are indeed grateful to Father Ryan for having given us such an inspiring retreat.

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One of the precedents set by the class of 1955 was the custom of having an annual closed retreat. The Senior Class assisted by Father Eddy and Father Roach, arranged a special week for this retreat at the King's House in Buffalo, Minnesota, and the Fiat House in Minneapolis. Irrespective of the lo- cation, both groups of retreotants had a great opportunity to reap many benefits from this spiritual renovation. In former retreats at St. Thomas a great majority of the students commuted making it difficult to maintain the desired silence need- ed for a good retreat. Many things which further one's purpose in making a good and holy retreat such as fine reading matter, qualified spiritual direc- tion, and pleasant, quiet surroundings are all in abundance there. We believe the spiritual energy obtained through one of these retreats makes it advantageous to make one frequently.

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One of the many interesting things in Father Eddy's Senior religion classroom is this chart of all the Christian religions. This chart is the object of much attention, as it pictures graphically the progress of the Church through the years since the time of Christ. This scene, the shrine of our patron saint, Thomas Aquinas, at the rear of our chapel has been a famil- iar one to Cadets since 1917. Every Friday noon, the Cadet corps assembles for Benediction and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. The same procedure is duplicated on First Fridays when the students attend morning Mass and receive Holy Communion. Most Cadets realize the opportunity given them as far as religious services are concerned. Here, as the priest leaves the altar, the student body and the faculty sing the Adoremus. Many years hence Cadets will cherish these moments of spiritual bliss and wish they had taken every advantage of these oppor- tunities. Page twenty-four