De La Salle Retreat Belfast: Dominican College, Year 8

The year 8 classes from Dominican College, Fortwilliam have been in with us over the past couple of weeks. It's always lovely for us to work with them and our retreat theme was Qualities. We talked a lot about the qualities we look for in a friend. We talked about the qualities we recognise in ourselves and our friends and family. This got us thinking about the God who made us and gave us all our good qualities. We talked about the qualities that were evident in Jesus and how it's up to us to be like Him so that "others may see the good you do, and praise your Father in heaven." Matt. 5:16

Dear Lord, I ask you for help, not only for me but for others as well. Please grant them all their wishes, and I ask you to help me through every exam I'm going to have. I thank you for creating the world and everyone in it. Amen.

Dear God,
I am praying to you for you to help me in all my exams. I am very grateful for you helping me in all the exams that have just passed. Thank you very much. Thank you God for helping my little baby cousin get through his transplant and get discharged from hospital. My whole family were very thankful. Thank you very much.
Amen

Dear God,
Please help my nanny get better as she is very very sick at the moment. Can you also help my daddy... Thank you for helping me get into Fortwilliam and make such wonderful friends. Help me all the way through Fortwilliam and further. Thank you.
Amen.

Dear God,
Can you help me through the school years.I would like to pray for my papa because he is quite sick and help my mum get through it because she is worried about him. Thank you for helping me through the school year so far. Keep all my friends and family safe!
Amen.

Dear God,
Can you help me to do well in school and get good marks in school tests?
Thank you for getting me into Fortwilliam and making good friends. Amen

Dear God,
Please help my daddy who has arthritis to get better soon.
Also can you help my mummy who isn't quite well.
Please help her make a recovery.
Amen.

Dear God,
Please help my granda and all the other grannys and grandas in the world who are ill.
Take care of them and give them strength and good health.
Lord hear us!

God, you are amazing. I pray for all the people in Haiti. For the doctors and nurses and hope all the people are okay. I would also like to pray for both of my friends' brothers' - one of them has severe kidney and heart problems and the other has severe back problems.

Amen

Dear God,
I would like to pray for my brother and my puppy dog and also my dear mother. She has to look after my brother because he was not well but thank you God for getting him a kidney transplant.
And I would like you to help my Auntie because she needs a lung and heart transplant.
Thank you God. Amen!

Dear God,
I want to pray for the people of Haiti. They have been going through a tough time lately.
Please help them find shelter, food and aid.
Lord hear my prayer.
Amen.

Dear God,
I would like to pray for all those who are in need like people that are lonely sick, or suffering in ways that people can't get food or medicine care.
I would also like to pray for people in 8c who have intentions that they are worried about.
Lord hear my prayer.
Amen.

Dear God,
Please help my mum because last week and this week there have been four people who have died who my mum knows so could you please help her get through these sad occasions.
Thank you God for my loving family and all my friends.
Amen.

Dear God,
Please help my granny get well soon because she is in a very bad condition at the moment. She is strapped down to a bed and if she moves too much she could get paralyzed. Please pray for those who help her and I thank you for them also.
Amen.

Today's was about God who cares and shows us love.
Jesus is alive outside and in.
Jesus loved and never sinned.
I love my family and my family loves me
I have faith which you can see.

God is always there. To prove, we say a prayer!
He's special in his own way and is there for us everyday.

If I was drowning

Jesus would swim
And save me from
This nightmare I'm in.
Jesus is gentle.
Jesus is kind.
A heart in Jesus
You'll always find.

Jesus loves you,
Don't worry, it's true!
Even if you do wrong
He'll always be with you.

Jesus has an ear
Which will always be near.
The light will shine
on everyone.

Friends are faithful.
Reliable friends are the best.
Important are friends!
Everlasting love they have. They
Never turn away.
Don't stop believing
Should they ever go astray.

Together we work, together in groups,
Eating, drinking, laughing, having fun.
Always wanting to help.
Making and sharing ideas.
We enjoyed all of this day.
Opening your heart to people is important,

Reading and sharing everyone's opinions,

Knowing we had a wonderful day. Can we come back another day?

Who is God?

God is the one we turn to each day.

He's there for us when we're down or not okay.

We can share our feelings with Him and He will not tell.
If we're confused or unsure what to do,
God will be there to guide us through.
Everything will get back to normal.

Quiet in meditation
Unique in every way
Amazing everyday
Listens to you
In good times and bad
Talks to you when you're sad
Interesting personality
Excellent at being a good friend
She always sticks with you.

Dear God,
Please help the people in haiti and make them have hope and faith.
Please fill all their needs. Let them try to see a good life ahead of them.

Give them strength to be happy and help them to build the strength of their loved ones.
Lord hear us.

Restful and fun

Enjoying all the fun activities

The yummy trolley full of sweets we all enjoyed

Relaxing, respecting and meditating

Ever respecting Christ

Arriving we were nervous, but our confidence was built.

Thanks to all wo helped us and to our teachers for arranging the day.

If you've been watching the news lately you would probably know about the earthquake in Haiti, and how it's the worst earthquake to have hit Haiti in over 200 years. Many people have died. We remember them in our prayer.