ACE 16's Welcome Home

by Susan Bigelow

The ACE Advocates Summer Interns (Susan Bigelow, Christa Cloutier, and Bryan Winther, all ACE 16) recently planned and led a retreat for members of our graduating cohort. The Commencement Retreat was held July 5-7 at Lindenwood Retreat Center in Donaldson, IN. Attended by roughly fifty ACE 16 graduates, this annual event kicks off the week that culminates in Commencement.

The retreat provided soon-to-be ACE graduates a much-desired opportunity to spend time in prayer, fellowship, and reflection with members of our cohort. It was also a chance to continue conversations already begun throughout our two years in ACE about how we will continue to serve Catholic as we embark on our respective roads ahead. A remarkable number of ACE 16 graduates will be staying at their schools for a third year; many others will be teaching in Catholic schools elsewhere, engaging in service and research overseas, and pursuing graduate education. Regardless of where God has called each of us, we are, in the words of Paul in his letter to the Philippians, committed to allowing the Holy Spirit to continue the good work begun in us in service to Catholic schools.