This December 9th and 10th was the last of the senior retreats held at the Solomon Episcopal Conference Center in Robert, Louisiana. The central theme as in the other retreats centered on Christian Manhood. Talks by Dean Songy, Connell Vallette, Jim Bourg, Chris Buse, and Rhett O’Keefe all dealt with topics related to father-figures, male mentors, and the act of recognizing basic central truths about life that ultimately shape and measure one’s life here on earth. Mrs. Stewart provided a woman’s perspective of releasing the adolescent male to a father-figure who could usher him into manhood by providing him with manly virtues that a mother cannot provide. She talked about having to let go, about realizing the need to release the maternal nourishing to more masculine pursuits. This concept seemed to resonate with the 55 seniors and opened the pathway for more serious discussion in small groups about the attributes of manhood and the need to have male mentors in life. The retreat ended with a powerful nature exercise despite the rain that drenched the conference grounds. In evaluating the retreat experience, the seniors admitted that it became for them an extremely satisfying and enriching weekend.
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