RENEWED: A Spiritual Renewal Encounter for Graduating Students

NAGA College Foundation, Inc. (NCF) exemplified its unwavering dedication to holistic education by offering an enriching and spiritually empowering experience to its graduating nursing students from the College of Health Sciences (CHS). As these students approached the completion of their academic journey and prepared for their professional careers in healthcare, the institution recognized that success in this field required not only academic proficiency and clinical expertise but also emotional and spiritual resilience. A Spiritual Renewal Encounter served as a unique opportunity for students to pause, reflect, and rejuvenate before embarking on the demanding healthcare profession. This faith-centered retreat nurtured the development of healthcare providers who were not only skilled but also compassionate and purpose-driven.

Becoming a healthcare professional is a path that demands not just intellectual and clinical competence but also emotional fortitude and personal strength. With graduation and licensure exams approaching, many students faced intense pressures that took a toll on their mental and spiritual well-being. In response, NCF’s College of Health Sciences organized , a two-day, one-night retreat designed to offer students a much-needed respite from the demands of academia. Hosted at the serene and prayerful Mater Ecclesiae Renewal Center in Cadlan, Pili, Camarines Sur, from June 1 to 3, 2025, the retreat provided a sacred space for deep reflection, personal healing, and spiritual renewal.

During this encounter, students were invited to step away from the daily pressures of academic life and immerse themselves in a nurturing environment where they could reconnect with their faith, rediscover their calling, and renew their sense of purpose. Through guided prayers, meditation, and communal fellowship, participants were encouraged to strengthen the core values of healthcare—compassion, empathy, and service—through the lens of spiritual conviction. The retreat aimed not only to refresh the students’ hearts and minds but also to fortify their emotional resilience, preparing them for the challenges they would face as future healthcare professionals.

An essential aspect of the retreat was the Sacrament of Reconciliation, which was offered to students as an opportunity for spiritual healing and renewal. The sacrament allowed students to confront personal challenges, mistakes, and burdens that may have weighed heavily on their hearts, providing them with a chance to seek forgiveness, release past fears, and embrace the peace that only reconciliation with God can bring. As the students prepared for their upcoming board review and exams, the sacrament offered them the grace and strength to approach these challenges with renewed clarity, trust, and confidence, invoking the help of the Holy Spirit to guide them through the intense academic pressures they would soon face.

In this sacred space of reconciliation, students were encouraged to lay down their anxieties, surrender their worries, and open their hearts to God’s healing. The act of confession was not only a spiritual cleansing but also a vital step in preparing them emotionally for the demands of licensure review, board exams, and their future careers in healthcare. By invoking the Holy Spirit, the students sought divine guidance, asking for strength, wisdom, and endurance in the face of the challenges ahead. The sacrament of reconciliation reinforced the retreat’s core message: that true healing and growth come from within, nurtured by faith, repentance, and the grace of God.

The spiritual renewal activity was centered on the belief that spiritual well-being is integral to personal and professional development. The event sought to achieve several key objectives to benefit students, both in their immediate preparation for graduation and in their long-term journey as healthcare professionals. These objectives included: Providing a spiritually nurturing environment for self-reflection, personal introspection, and inner peace, allowing students to take a step back and reconnect with themselves; Facilitating emotional healing through prayer, sacraments, and guided meditation, helping students cope with the stress of academic pressures and clinical responsibilities; Instilling spiritual preparedness to help students manage the emotional and psychological challenges they may encounter during licensure exams and in their future professional practice; Fostering emotional and spiritual resilience to ensure that students were equipped to face the demands of the healthcare profession with compassion, empathy, and integrity; Promoting mutual support and camaraderie among peers, reinforcing the importance of collective strength, shared purpose, and the unity of the healthcare community.

The encounter brought together 223 graduating nursing students, organized into three batches. Each batch was accompanied by faculty and clinical instructors to ensure holistic guidance throughout the retreat. Esteemed spiritual mentors and speakers led the retreat, including Rev. Fr. Rex Luis Hidalgo and Fr. Jhun Oliva, who served as the Eucharistic celebrants, along with spiritual guides and confessors Msgr. Noe Pastor Badiola, Rev, Fr. John Poblete, and Rev. Fr. Mark Beria. Prayer warriors led by Rev Fr Ryan Fenis, Rev Fr. Fidel Mamerto Bagayaua and Rev Fr, Alfonso Grageda. Their wisdom and guidance enriched the students’ spiritual journey, empowering them to embrace their faith and navigate the challenges ahead with renewed purpose. The retreat was further enriched by the significant contribution of Brother Josef Badiola, who facilitated the spiritual renewal, guiding students through meaningful reflections and discussions. Additionally, gratitude was extended to the Daughters of Mary Sisters for the use of their serene Renewal Center, a peaceful environment that perfectly complemented the retreat’s objectives. Special thanks also went to the Sisters of the Little Mission for the Deaf of the Joseph Gualandi School for Hearing Impaired for their thoughtful gift of rosaries, stampitas of Ina and Divino Rostro, as well as the Manto of Ina, which were used for imposition after Mass—a beautiful act of faith and blessing.

As part of the retreat’s sacred rituals, a special blessing of pencils, sharpeners, and religious articles was held. These symbolic items served as a reminder to students of their sacred calling, which extended beyond the classroom and clinic into their vocation of compassionate caregiving. The spiritual gifts presented—rosaries, stampitas, and the manto of Ina—were cherished by students as symbols of faith and protection as they continued their journey into the professional world of healthcare. Graduation marked both the end of an academic chapter and the beginning of a new journey into the healthcare profession. For the graduating students the spiritual encounter served as more than a retreat; it was an empowering experience that nourished their emotional, spiritual, and mental well-being as they prepared to step into their roles as healthcare providers. By the end of the retreat, students had not only gained knowledge and skills but had also been imbued with a sense of purpose, compassion, and faith that would guide them in their future endeavors.

As they embarked on their professional lives, CHS’s graduating students carried with them the spiritual insights, wisdom, and faith they acquired during the spiritual activity. These lessons transcended the clinical and intellectual demands of their careers, helping them serve with integrity, empathy, and a deep commitment to their vocation. Through this encounter, NCF’s College of Health Sciences reinforced its mission to shape healthcare professionals who were driven not only by knowledge but also by the unwavering faith and compassion necessary to make a meaningful impact in the world.

For the students, it was not just a retreat—it was a transformative experience, a sacred moment of reflection, and a spiritual foundation for the journey ahead. It was a gift that would continue to inspire and guide them as they stepped forward into their roles as healthcare providers, forever grounded in faith, compassion, and service. As they invoked the Holy Spirit, students were reminded that they were never alone on this journey and that their calling was one of profound service, guided by divine grace.

Heavenly Father, We come before You with humble hearts, lifting up these nursing students who are preparing for their board exams. Lord, You have called them to a life of healing, service, and compassion. As they embark on this challenging journey, we ask that You pour out Your Holy Spirit upon them, blessing them with wisdom, strength, and peace. Grant them the gift of wisdom, that they may discern knowledge with clarity and apply it with understanding in their practice. Bestow upon them knowledge, that their minds may grasp and retain the lessons they have learned, preparing them well for the tasks ahead. Bless them with fortitude, that they may overcome anxiety and doubt, facing their exams with confidence and perseverance. Fill them with counsel, that they may make sound and ethical decisions, always placing their patients’ welfare above all else. Anoint them with piety, that their work as nurses may be rooted in faith, compassion, and love for others. Enlighten them with the fear of the Lord, that they may remain steadfast in their trust in You, knowing that their vocation is guided by Your divine will. Lord, ease their worries and calm their spirits. Let them feel Your presence as they prepare and as they sit for their exams. May their hard work bear fruit, and may they always be instruments of Your grace, healing, and mercy. We entrust them into Your loving care, knowing that You will lead them to success according to Your divine plan. All this we pray in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. May the Holy Spirit guide and strengthen each one of them as they take this important step toward their vocation. AMEN