From January 15–18, Ursuline Academy of Dallas was honored to co-host the Ursuline Education Network (UEN) Student Retreat, welcoming students and faculty from eight Ursuline schools across the United States and England. With 34 students and 18 faculty chaperones in attendance, this marked the highest student retreat registration the UEN has seen in recent years.

Entitled “God will be in your midst: Practicing St. Angela’s Counsels in Daily Life,” the retreat followed a pilgrimage model, inviting students to step into the spirituality of St. Angela Merici and explore how her journey shaped both her life and the founding of the Company of St. Ursula. Through keynote presentations, breakout sessions, journaling, and shared prayer, students reflected on how to live out St. Angela’s spirituality in their daily lives and carry it back to their own school communities.

A particularly moving moment of the retreat was seeing students and adults from across the Ursuline network come together in song, singing Insieme, a piece shared among Ursuline schools that beautifully embodies the spirit of St. Angela and the global Ursuline community.

The retreat also offered meaningful opportunities for connection among adult leaders. Reuniting with chaperones and colleagues from previous UEN events was a powerful reminder of the deep relationships that continue to grow across the network.

On Friday, retreatants visited the Ursuline Academy of Dallas campus, spending time in the Terry Family Chapel, enjoying lunch together, and exploring campus through Ambassador-led tours. Many visiting students shared how much they enjoyed being on campus and experiencing the spaces that are central to daily life at UA Dallas.

The retreat was led by Peggy McCormack-Platz, UEN Director, with retreat sessions guided by Jane Cruthirds, Director of Mission Formation at Sacred Heart Schools in Louisville, KY. Her sessions focused on St. Angela’s use of hospitality as a way of drawing others closer to Christ, an enduring message that resonated deeply with both students and adults.

As retreatants departed on Sunday morning, they carried with them new friendships, renewed faith, and a shared commitment to living out the Ursuline charism in their schools and communities. Ursuline Academy of Dallas is grateful to have played a role in hosting this meaningful gathering and celebrating the enduring legacy of St. Angela Merici.