Spiritual Retreat Focuses on Renewal, Growth, and Shedding the Past

March 31, 2026

At Mercy Home for Boys & Girls’ winter spiritual retreat, our young people stepped away from their daily routines and into a weekend focused on growth, reflection, and renewal.

Held at La Salle Manor in Plano, Ill., the retreat invited our young people to explore the theme, “shedding the old and stepping into something new.”

“We do (the retreats) twice a year,” said Mercy Home’s Director of Milieu Training and Spiritual/Cultural Development Marc Velasquez. “The big purpose is that we want to have spiritual experiences for the kids. That spiritual experience is part of treatment and part of overall well-being.”

Velasquez explained that spiritual wellness can mean different things to different people, but at its core, it’s about connection.

“Spiritual wellness is whatever connects you to the world and makes you want to be a better person,” he said. “We want them to find out who they are and how that person is connected to the world and to others.”

Throughout the weekend, sessions encouraged young people to reflect on what they might need to let go of and what parts of themselves they want to carry forward.

One of the most impactful activities was kintsugi, a traditional Japanese art form that involves repairing broken pottery with gold. The practice highlights cracks rather than hiding them, making the piece more valuable because of its history.

Using this concept, our young people reflected on their own challenges and futures.

“We talked to them about what it means to repair pieces of yourself that feel like they might be broken,” Velasquez said. “And how you make yourself more valuable having gone through that.”

For D’Arvae, one of the participants, the conversations throughout the retreat offered a new perspective.

“I liked the discussion about anger because we talked about how it shouldn’t take up too much of your energy because it isn’t good for you,” he said.

In addition to the structured sessions, the retreat also created space for in-person connection without the distraction of phones, which the young people were asked to leave behind.

“There’s always hesitancy to leave their phones,” Velasquez said. “But once they are there, they have a good time. They’re talking to each other, dancing and singing, and connecting beyond what you normally see.”

D’Arvae agreed, mentioning that one of his favorite parts of the weekend was spending time with others.

“I really liked hanging out with peers in other programs,” he said.

The retreat also provided moments of lighthearted fun. On the first night, the young people explored the idea of stepping into a “new self,” and do so by giving our coworkers makeovers with wigs and asking them to perform a dance.

“It was really fun to see them be silly and just be kids,” Velasquez said. “That is always the best part of the retreat, when they just get to be carefree.”

Velasquez, plus staff members Andrew Purvis, Dennis Legrier, Sarah Kelly, Daybreon Thigpen, Kristin Olson, and Ariel Brown, provided a positive experience for our young people. They helped lead exercise and reflection sessions in addition to supporting the young people while they were away from Mercy Home.

“I couldn’t have done it without the staff,” Velasquez said. “They were the retreat. I just brought the supplies.”