“Our faith is like a snowball tumbling down a hill, growing exponentially for every turn it takes,” said Mason Tejeda.

ETC #85 (Encounter Toward Christ) ran from Friday September 22 to Sunday 24. Leaders stressed as the retreat dates approached, and the few but mighty ETC goers waited for the big retreat to come.

ETC is a time set aside for any student to start or enhance their religious life, make new friends, and find peace within themselves.

“We do not have as many people as we expected, but it will make it more individualized,” said Gabriella Costa.

Many of the student leaders were worried about the quantity of people coming to ETC, but they came to the realization that the smaller number of students made the experience far more personal for those fortunate enough to attend.

“This year’s group for ETC is going to be a very interesting mix to watch, counting the leaders as well,” said Joseph Batalla.

Student Director Mason Tejeda and other leaders worked tirelessly, meeting twice a week in the evenings to achieve the best ETC possible. They set up the retreat schedule, wrote speeches for touching witness talks, and discussed groups and how they will work together.

“ETC #85 was such an unforgettable experience filled with so many new friendships and memories… I’d recommend everyone to go to the next ETC and join the fun,” said Pierina Santeusanio.

Pierina was a leader in this semester’s ETC. She is extremely proud of this year’s retreat because of the deeply important and religious conversations that took place.  Various moderators commented that the retreat was exceptionally smooth and successful, far better than past retreats.

“This ETC was an excellent weekend camp out at Immaculata-La Salle campus on Biscayne Bay.  It was about learning about ourselves and each other, building lasting friendships, creating awesome memories, and deepening our relationship with God,” she said.