Kairos is a special time where people find who they really are. It’s a time to see if you are as close to God as you really think you are. I went on Kairos in March of 2024, and it was one of the best experiences of my life. I got close with people that I thought I would never get close to, I made great memories with friends, and found out who I really was.

Mikey Moore

I wanted to ask the people on the October Kairos what they thought of it and if they enjoyed it. I met up with one of my good friends Mikey Moore and asked him three questions. I asked him what he expected going into the retreat, and if he felt nervous, excited, or had any other kind of emotions. Mikey said, “ I expected the retreat to be just kind of average and I didn’t know much people on the retreat at the time.” I asked Mikey what his favorite part of the retreat was. Mikey replied with, “My favorite part was getting closer to friends that I was already close with and others that I have never talked to a day in my life.” With Mikey saying that I felt the same way going into my Kairos experience. I didn’t know who was on my trip who I would grow closer to or what would happen. I asked Mikey one last question. Coming back from the retreat, do you feel different? Did your views of how you see things change at all? Mikey answered, “After retreat I felt like a whole new person. It almost felt like I was cleansed by God’s grace. I saw situations different and my outcome become more enlightened with the whole retreat. If I could do it again, I would.”

Austin Kallini

I saw Austin Kallini, someone who I have grown close with over Wyoming and junior retreat and I really wanted to ask him what he thought about Kairos. I asked him the same questions. Austin said, “I didn’t expect much, I went on Wyoming and thought that was the best and that I couldn’t experience anything else like it. So I went into Kairos thinking I was going to hate it and not get anything out of it. I felt pretty nervous because I didn’t want to talk to a ton of kids I didn’t really know about my feelings and I also felt a little mad because I had to miss school and come back late Friday for this retreat.” I asked him his favorite part. He said, “ My favorite part of the retreat was my small group. Half the kids in there I have never talked to in my time at Elder and I really got to know so much about everyone that I had no clue beforehand.” I asked him how he felt after the retreat. Austin said that he felt closer to God and he that he feels more connected with his classmates. He would definitely go into more of these kind of retreats with an open mind because you never know what you can get out of it. 

Bradley Donovan

I saw Bradley Donovan and asked him the same questions as Mikey and Austin. Bradley said, “I expected the retreat to be very spiritual and that I would not like it. I was excited to be away from home but anxious and nervous because I did not know what we would do. Bradley said that his favorite part of the retreat was the true brotherhood that he felt and how close he was able to get with new people. Bradley said that when he came back from the retreat he felt closer to his friends and family and he sees a new relationship with God.

Like I said before, Kairos is a very special time for us here at Elder. It’s a time where we can find out who we truly are and figure out what kind of person we are. It’s a time to keep our minds open and see who other people are as well. You walk into Kairos with a group of guys who you call friends and you walk out of Kairos with a group of guys that you call brothers.