Date: 4th–6th September 2026
Venue: Fathima Retreat House, Mangaluru
Organized by: Fr. Merwin Loyd Fernandes, SJ and Fr. Dheeraj, SJ KJES Youth Works, Mangaluru
Participation: Around 35 KJES YOUTH ANIMATORS
The KJES/AICUF Animators from St Joseph Engineering College (SJEC), Mangaluru
- Sanjo Thomas – 3rd Year CSE
- Astel Joswin Rodrigues – 3rd Year ECE
- Priston D Almeida – 3rd Year ECE
- Senona Jenisha Pereira – 3rd Year CSBS
- Danica Pereira – 3rd Year CSBS
- Sam Neon D'Souza – 4th Year MECH
- Vinisha Dias- 3rd year AIML
Objective of the Activity:
The MAGIS Silent Retreat was organised as part of the preparation for MAGIS for KJES and youth animators. The retreat aimed to provide participants with an opportunity for spiritual formation, leadership guidance and personal development.
The specific objectives of the retreat were:
- To create a peaceful space for silence, prayer and personal reflection.
- To deepen the participants' relationship with Jesus Christ.
- To encourage participants to reflect on their personal faith journeys.
- To understand the spiritual journey and experiences of St. Ignatius of Loyola.
- To reflect on faith, sacrifice, obedience and trust through the lives of Abraham, Mary and Jesus.
- To help participants recognise God's presence in different experiences of their lives.
- To develop greater self-awareness and spiritual openness.
- - To prepare the participants spiritually and personally for the MAGIS journey.
Description of the Activity:
The MAGIS Silent Retreat was a two-day spiritual formation programme held at Fathima Retreat House, Mangaluru, on 4th and 5th September 2026. The retreat was organised as part of the MAGIS preparation and provided the SJEC KJES animators with an opportunity to step away from their regular routines and dedicate time to prayer, silence, reflection and fellowship. The official communication describes the programme as being intended for the spiritual formation, leadership guidance and personal development of youth animators.
The retreat included prayer, spiritual sessions, personal reflection, Holy Mass, periods of silence, sharing and creative activities. The different sessions encouraged participants to look within themselves, reflect on their experiences and become more aware of God's presence in their lives.
A significant part of the retreat focused on the journey of St. Ignatius of Loyola to Jerusalem. His journey provided an opportunity for the participants to reflect on God's call, vocation, sacrifice, commitment and the courage to follow one's faith.
The participants also reflected on the lives of Abraham, Mary and Jesus. Their experiences of faith, obedience, sacrifice and trust in God encouraged the participants to examine their own lives and understand the importance of trusting God even in situations of uncertainty and difficulty.
Personal Reflection Activities:
Personal reflection formed an important part of the retreat. Participants were encouraged to look back at their own life experiences and recognise the significant moments that had shaped them.
One of the activities involved creating a life graph. Through this activity, participants reflected on important moments in their lives, including their joys, struggles, achievements, challenges and turning points. It helped them look at their life journey from a deeper perspective and recognise the presence and guidance of God throughout their experiences.
Another creative activity involved canvas painting, through which participants expressed their understanding and experience of God's love. The activity provided an opportunity to express personal thoughts and spiritual experiences creatively.
Silence, Prayer and Sharing:
Periods of silence were an essential part of the retreat. The silence provided participants with an opportunity to move away from external distractions and pay closer attention to their thoughts, feelings and spiritual experiences. Prayer and personal reflection helped the participants deepen their relationship with God. Holy Mass provided another important moment of communal prayer and spiritual renewal.
The retreat also included sharing and fellowship, through which participants were able to listen to one another's experiences and learn from each other. These interactions created an atmosphere of openness, understanding and companionship.
Spiritual Reflections:
The different sessions encouraged participants to understand that faith is not limited to prayer but is also reflected in the way one responds to life's experiences, relationships, responsibilities and challenges.
Key Learnings:
The retreat helped the participants gain several personal and spiritual insights:
- The importance of making time for silence, prayer and reflection.
- The value of listening to God's call.
- The importance of trusting God during difficult situations.
- The need to reflect on one's life, choices and experiences.
- Understanding faith through the lives and journeys of Abraham, Mary, Jesus and St. Ignatius of Loyola.
- Recognising God's presence in everyday experiences.
- Developing greater self-awareness and spiritual openness.
- Understanding the importance of sacrifice, commitment and service.
- Growing in compassion and responsibility towards others.
- Carrying the values of faith into leadership and daily life.
Outcome of the Activity:
The retreat provided the KJES animators with a valuable opportunity for spiritual growth, personal reflection and leadership development. The combination of prayer, silence, spiritual sessions, Holy Mass, creative activities and sharing created a meaningful environment for participants to look deeper into their lives.
The life graph activity helped participants reflect on their personal journeys, while the canvas painting encouraged creative expression of their understanding of God's love. The spiritual reflections helped them connect their own experiences with the examples of faith, sacrifice and trust found in the lives of St. Ignatius, Abraham, Mary and Jesus.
The retreat also strengthened fellowship among the participants and encouraged them to approach their roles as youth animators with greater awareness, responsibility and commitment.
Conclusion:
The MAGIS Silent Retreat was a meaningful spiritual formation experience conducted as part of the preparation for MAGIS. It provided the KJES animators with a peaceful environment to step away from their regular routines and spend time in silence, prayer, reflection and fellowship.
Through the spiritual sessions, personal reflections, Holy Mass, life graph, canvas painting and sharing, the participants were encouraged to understand themselves better and deepen their relationship with God. The reflections on St. Ignatius of Loyola, Abraham, Mary and Jesus highlighted the importance of faith, trust, sacrifice, obedience and commitment.
Overall, the retreat encouraged the participants to pause, reflect, reconnect with God and prepare themselves for a deeper journey of faith, leadership and service through MAGIS. The experience and learnings gained from the retreat can be carried forward into their personal lives, leadership responsibilities, relationships and service within the community.
