The retreat for the junior class this year was one like no other. It featured Justin Fatica and his Hard As Nails missionary group, and they were the perfect people to do it. Some of the returning classes this year may remember him from last year as Cathedral Prep hosted him to give the whole school a talk at the auditorium. For many, they may remember how he managed to open up some of the toughest guys and brought them to tears.
That is exactly what he did again at the junior retreat. Since it was a smaller group than a whole school, he was able to have more time to talk to a lot of the juniors and be more direct with them. The class was able to hear from their fellow brothers. They shared about their personal lives and struggles, and they did it with no hesitation. Nor did anyone think that they are “soft” for it. In fact, they respected them for it, and were able to know each other better.
Fatica was able to reach to the students’ hearts and get out their struggles and let them open up to their fellow brothers. As each student shared their story and struggle, other students were able to get up to the front and give that person a hug, showing them that they understand what the person is going through and they are there for that person.
If there is anything that the junior class took out of this, it is sense of brotherhood. All of them respect each other more, and consider each other as brothers. They are not afraid to open up anymore, and they all are there for each other. That is what is Prep is all about, brotherhood.