Introduction:
From March 9-13, Mrs. Prezelski and GC’s students from the Xaverian Brothers Sponsored Schools leadership (XBSS) team participated in the 2025 XBSS National Retreat. The XBSS Retreat is an annual event for the thirteen schools in the XBSS network. All of these schools have XBSS leadership programs from which six juniors, one senior leader, and an adult moderator are selected to attend the retreat. The purpose of this retreat is to allow students and adults in this network to connect with each other, and learn about the community–specifically what it means to be part of the Xaverian Brothers Sponsored Schools network. Through the exchange of information and experiences between people from different schools, students can learn from each other, and therefore bring back something new and better to their schools as to how to fulfill the mission of the Xaverian values and charisms. Today, let’s dive into an interview with Mrs. Prezelski, who was the adult moderator that led the GC’s XBSS team on the retreat, and various students who took part in the retreat.

Description of the Retreat:
The XBSS National Retreat takes place at The Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center in Hartford, Connecticut. It lasts 5 days. Every day, there is a different theme, and many guest speakers and speakers, including the senior leaders and the adult moderators, give talks based on the themes. They also give presentations about God and Xaverian values, such as what it means to be a leader under the Xaverian charism. Additionally, there are many prayer services, including programs where each school is responsible for giving the prayers. Most of the time, students are divided into small groups to share their thoughts and reflections related to the Xaverian mission, and do various group activities or warm-up games. “We also had free time, and we were expected to go outside at least for part of the time. We had the opportunity to bond with each other while playing volleyball and basketball or even just walking around and talking. Mrs. Prezelski even had a yoga session!” says Maggie
Friel ‘26 excitedly, an XBSS member who attended the retreat.
One of the days is a day of service. Adult moderators and students perform services at different places, such as senior centers and soup kitchens. “We would do things like cleaning and socializing with the people,” says Mrs. Prezelski when depicting the day of service. “We also went to the same elementary school every year to do services and talk to the kids. I remember that I even met the same kid; this kind of bonding is very meaningful and wonderful,” Mrs. Prezelski remarks. At the school, students also have to play football or basketball games as warm-up activities.

Thoughts and Reflections on the Retreat:
“I went to the retreat with low expectations, and it turned out that the retreat experience was nothing like what I had expected. It was a lot more open and the activities there helped us a lot in expressing ourselves and beliefs,” says Alvin Lee ‘26, an XBSS member who had just been on the retreat. “The retreat was so much better than I could have ever imagined! It was a great spiritual experience where we got to exchange different perspectives in a judgement-free zone and worked to achieve a common goal,” says Maggie Friel ‘26. Mrs. Prezelski shared that “most students didn’t have any expectations and were even awkward at first as they didn’t know each other at all. But as the retreat progressed, they established genuine relationships instantly–some kids even went to each other’s prom!” Mrs. Prezelski notes that most students went to the retreat with no expectations initially, but then, unique relationships that overcame distance and backgrounds started growing.
“My favorite thing about the retreat was our transformation from being strangers to being friends with inside jokes and laughter that we still keep in touch with now, ultimately becoming one community that has a common goal. I probably spent the least amount of time on my phone during the retreat, so it’s very unique,” Alvin Lee ‘26 reflects. Maggie Friel shared that “it’s hard to choose one between so many amazing things, but I would say my favorite part was the day of service, when we got to see the ways that different kinds of service have an immense impact on both the person being served and the person serving. I also really enjoyed how the day of service brought me closer to my small group.” “I liked how the overall vibe of the retreat was peaceful and calming, and we would feel deeply inspired to continue with the Xaverian mission,” says Mrs. Prezelski from an adult’s perspective of the retreat.

Takeaways from the Retreat:
“I learned about the importance of connecting with each other to talk about values, experiences, services, leadership, and how every school did things differently–some schools are more active in services. We also learned more about ourselves and came to a self-realization of our potential–it was hard to see by ourselves alone, but others can see that for you and show appreciation for your qualities,” Alvin Lee ‘26 confesses. “I learned that we are each a unique expression of God’s love through the impactful connections I formed with with others and understanding more about myself. We learned a lot from each other from just talking about our experiences both in and outside of school,” Maggie Friel ‘26 answers. “Even as an adult, I was inspired by how the students were doing so well and contributing in the retreat,” Mrs. Prezelski remarks.

Applying the Retreat Experience to School and Daily Life:
“We were required to make a pledge at the end of the retreat about what we are going to bring back to school,” Maggie Friel ‘26 explains, “I hope to take inspiration from other schools and people to improve our school’s environment. For example, we could work on getting our school to connect with other XBSS schools in the area,” she suggests. Alvin Lee ‘26 shares that he “intend[s] to put myself in uncomfortable situations and remind myself to take action constantly as well as encouraging others to step out of their comfort zones. I would also be more open to others and listen to their stories.”

Advice for Future XBSS Members Who are Going on the Retreat:
“It is a good chance to be in a separate spot and rest a while, so I would say cherish the great experience and be open to it! You will be so incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have such a meaningful experience and make such great connections,” Maggie Friel ‘26 says. “Be open to everything, even outside of your comfort zone, and appreciate each moment as it comes and goes,” Alvin Lee ‘26 says.

A list of the thirteen schools in the XBSS sponsored network:
Nazareth Regional High School
St. John’s High School
Xaverian Brothers High School
St. Xavier High School
Our Lady of Good Counsel High School
Mount St. Joseph High School
St. Mary’s Ryken High School
Xaverian High School
St. John’s Preparatory School
Lowell Catholic School
St. Bernard School
Malden Catholic School
Xavier High School

Sources:
https://xbss.org/schools/