Held on Saturday, February 11, 2012, our annual retreat was facilitated by Rev. George Crespin. R'56, from the Oakland Diocese. Begun in 1998, this is the 15th year that your Alumni Association has hosted this very special day. If you want to see a quick history page of these days: (click here).

So, for openers, Fr. Crespin posed the following:

50 years a priest - 50 years since Vatican II - 50 years of growth...
Where are we now???

WOW!!! What a question! Thought provoking, timely and absorbing. Throughout our day we returned to this question as we focused our efforts.

Our day of recollection was divided into four segments. Three of these were in-depth talks where Fr. Crespin directed our thinking about (1) our personal growth history, (2) significant influences upon our lives, and (4) what qualities are needed from us today. In our third session, we formed some discussion groups where we focused upon the changes that we have experienced over the years. The truly marvelous thing about this day was the opportunity for us to consider our own growth in the era which we have lived, and in parallel with our fellow seminarians. This is powerful stuff!

Here are a few pictures that show a little bit of our day...

	Kevin Connolly, R'59 Our Alumni Board president welcomes everybody to our 15th annual day of recollection
Dennis McQuaid, R'59 Introduces Father George Crespin
	Fr. George Crespin, R'56 traces his own growth and influences over a 50 year timeline. Then he encourages us to do the same.
Bringing us, somewhat abruptly, into the present day, Fr. George asks us: "What are the qualities (necessary today) of a person trying to follow Jesus?" Our group responses led us to enumerate a powerful list of qualities that we actually have exhibited in recent decades. We definitely have been following Jesus' footsteps.
	Fr. John Cloherty, R'54, and Sid Custodio, R'48, are participating in one of several discussion groups that were formed in the early afternoon (just after lunch). We discussed the 50-year theme of the day as it applied to our own lives, our growth and the changes that we have experienced.
Our day of recollection ends with mass Fr. George is the celebrant Attendance is optional as some folks head home at this part of our day
	The mass is ended with a final blessing ...and then our "goodbyes"
I am including this last picture for fun. The year is 1954, George Crespin, the seminarian, is in the center of the action. Due to a flu epidemic, everybody is leaving the seminary and heading home - hence the bus in the background. The group is trying to look as sick as they can. Dick Matthews is on the left side of the picture holding his shoes. Dennis Reidy is right behind Dick. Jack Navarro is behind George Crespin's shoulder. Cliff Wixson has his head on George's other shoulder. Alex Gonsalves, facing the camera, is behind Cliff. Other folks, looking askance, are not identified.