MLK & Moreau Mission Retreat
People with Hope to Bring
The University encourages faculty and staff to fully embrace its Mission and pursue our Core Tenets of teaching and learning, faith and formation, service and leadership in all their work.
Employees are also called to champion the University Values inspired by our Catholic, Holy Cross mission:
- The intrinsic dignity of every person
- Being in community with others
- Academic inquiry and excellence
- Ethical reflection
- Engagement with our city, region, and world
- Hope and faith for a better future
About the Retreat
Beginning in the fall of 2025, the Mission Office led by Fr. John Donato, CSC, initiated an offering of three professional development retreats each semester. The two night retreats are held at the guesthouse of the historic Mt. Angel Abbey.
The retreats foster the educational and spiritual growth of University of Portland faculty and staff. Each cohort spends dedicated time away from work to explore the legacy of Blessed Basil Moreau, founder of the Congregation of Holy Cross, and compare similarities of his model of Christian education with UP's vision and Martin Luther King, Jr.'s writings on social justice.
Through small group discussions and guided readings, participants learn more about these two men and how three of the University Values (Dignity, Community, and Hope) can be lived out in our shared work at UP. Importantly, retreatants examine how their own personal lives can come to express how the various crosses we all experience can be born with hope. Looking back they can see what a blessing those difficult experiences can be and how transformative they are for them personally and communally.
MLK & Moreau Retreat Dates for Fall 2026 TBD. Please e-mail Campus Ministry if you are interested in joining a forthcoming retreat.
Some comments from retreatants:
"The retreat let me get to know my colleagues personally and professionally. The vibe of the retreat was very respectful, trusting and caring. It was a safe space for all of us to share."
"I will continue to remember and reflect on the topics we talked about and the stories I heard from my peers. In these difficult times, taking a moment to pause and discuss the big ideas (and the little ones) helps me to recenter and remember why I am here at UP doing what I do."
"The small group of attendees from many departments allowed us to get to know each other and our mission shared at UP more meaningfully."
The University offers employees paid “Mission Leave”, which makes it possible for staff to join in a mission-related offering for a period longer than a partial day on campus. Current employees are encouraged to learn more about UP’s Mission Leave Policies and FAQs on PilotsUP.
Together our Mission & Values foster a culture that guides the institution’s planning, programming, operations, and success. This ensures University students, faculty, staff, and alumni can put the mission into practice through community engagement and service both on, and beyond, The Bluff, so we may be people with hope to bring.
