Every year, seniors at Trinity High School experience senior retreat. It is one of the biggest parts of the Trinity journey. According to Trinity’s Director of Campus Ministry, Mrs. Mary Emrich H’09, “It’s considered a key milestone experience for seniors, like prom or graduation. It’s a big component of forming men of faith and men of character, with the whole idea being built on brotherhood.”
While most seniors know what senior retreat is and understand its place in the Trinity experience, many may not know how it started or who began the tradition. Senior retreat began with Father Ron Domhoff H’98 in 1974. Father Ron wanted a retreat program at Trinity, so he looked around and discovered that St. X had one of their own called Christian Awakening. Inspired by it, he decided to start a similar program at Trinity. With the help of some Xaverian brothers and teachers from both St. X and Trinity, the first senior retreat took place.
Today, juniors sign up for senior retreat through a Microsoft form, but for Father Ron it was not that simple. Mrs. Emrich explained, “Fr. Ron told me when he started, he personally invited seniors to go and went around the school talking to them. He made an effort recruiting students to go, and the first group of seniors had such a powerful experience they did another one.”
During the 1980s, the retreat moved to Mount Saint Francis, where it is still held today. At that time, there were five retreats each year with about 85–90% participation. Over the years, senior retreat has grown even more, with participation now at around 95% and eight retreats offered each year.
The history of senior retreat has shaped what it means to be part of the Trinity tradition today. Fr. Ron’s personal touch in creating and leading the program explains why it has remained so meaningful. What started as a small group of seniors in 1974 has grown into a cornerstone of the Trinity experience, and it it continues in good hands with Mrs. Emrich and Mr. Luke H’24. As Trinity continues to evolve, senior retreat endures—showing that while the school changes, the brotherhood remains the same.
