Campus Ministry
by Julia Marie Teti
assistant perspectives editor
Amazing, wonderful, exciting. These are just a few of the words that the leaders and retreatants of Search Seven have used to describe the feeling and success of the weekend that they all shared.
Twenty-six retreatants, nine leaders and campus ministry ministers, John DiMucci and Mary Laver, spent Friday, Nov. 17 through Sunday, Nov. 19 at Appel Farms in Elmer, N. J.
“It takes a lot of courage to go on a retreat where you don’t know what will happen next,” said junior Anthony Contipodero, who served as a Search leader. “But the retreatants and the team worked together with great chemistry.”
Amy Gassen, a sophomore, who also served as a leader, was a retreatant on Search Five, where she had an “amazing” experience. Gassen says going on Search Seven as a member of the team enabled her to give that experience that she had as a retreatant to other students.
“It’s amazing that a group of people that don’t know each other very well can share experiences and become friends in a short span of time,” senior Celena Blasucci , another Search leader said.
“I think that everybody has a story. Search gave me the privilege to hear those stories,” Contipodero said.
“All of the leaders put a lot of hard work into the retreat. I would like to think that the retreatants got a lot out of it,” senior Dave Wiley said.
It seems as though they have.
“It’s the most caring and supportive group of people that you will ever come into contact with at Cabrini. The Search team gives you unending love,” sophomore Carissa Bassett said.
Similar comments came from first-year student, Lisa Dankiw. “Search made me realize that I have a good life. I think that anyone who is unsure of where they are in life should go. It opens you up to other people.”
Not only did the retreatants gain experience from their leaders, they also gained experience and inspiration from each other.
“I was inspired by my fellow retreatants,” first-year student Vince DeFruscio said. “I was truly moved by the openness of the members of the retreat. But most of all I made friendships with people that I hope will last forever.”
“The weekend was exciting,” said first-year student Brian Fry. “But it means so much more to me now.”
To put the Search weekend simply, “It rocks!” said sophomore Renee DiPietro.
DiMucci feels that all of the students who attended the retreat took something away that will make their lives better.
“Not just in the short term, but in the long term, too,” DiMucci said.
DiMucci and Laver look forward to the spring Search retreat that will take place March 23-25.
“I love it when a Search team comes together!” Contipodero said.
