From the corners of the University of St. La Salle is a program that echoes faith, friendship, and family. Transforming lives since 1985, Search-In is more than just a retreat. It is a transformative experience that molds leaders and competent individuals who are guided by faith.
Through the eyes of fourth-year Special Needs Education major, Mariella Ferraris, Search-In was the start of something that changed her life forever. She grew up in a community that had Jesus at the heart of it, and during her fourth-grade recollection, Mariella was inspired. She wanted to be a recollection facilitator, someone who guided people through their journey.
Her decision to join Search-In was a life-changing experience. Search-In does not just create a community. It created individuals of competence, empathy, resilience, and faith. Mariella highlights that the program trains its facilitators in creating meaningful and safe spaces to grow.
Search-In teaches young individuals to lead with compassion, listen with intent, and act with purpose. Open to all Grade 10 students, regardless of religion, Search In offers a space where everyone is welcome. It helps prepare students for the real world while staying grounded in their faith.
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Search-In starts with a written application and an interview, which is followed by a retreat and the creation of a “Circle”. The Circle is the designation of the group that was chosen to be a part of the Search-In program. It is a spiritual family bonded by shared vulnerability, reflection, and faith. These circles become lifelong support systems, built on trust and anchored in Christ.
To Lasallians who don’t know where to start, “Listen to where God is calling you.” She emphasizes that it is through the silence that we hear our purpose. Start by asking questions and exploring the possibilities. As Br. Irwin puts it, “Judgement stops understanding and understanding stops judgement.” Mariella explains that when we see through the eyes of faith, we see goodness.
For many of the siblings, Search-In was not just a passing chapter of their junior high school. It was a lifelong reminder that faith is lived through a connection, a calling, and courage. The program teaches that despite the fast pace of life today, we should take time to pause, reflect, and recognize that we are not alone. As Mariella puts it, “God is, was, and always will walk with us”.