Fifth Form Explores Servant Leadership at Retreat

“Be the change you want on this campus.” That was the prevailing message for students at the 2025 Fifth Form Retreat held on January 20 in the Dining Hall on campus.

With the theme “Servant Leadership at Canterbury and Beyond,” the retreat challenged these rising student leaders to reflect on how they can each be a person of service and help build up a community of kindness, acceptance, and faith. It was an ideal way to launch the School’s Social Justice Series on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Following an opening prayer by Sacristan and Sixth Form Council member Emily Lynch ’25, the group examined essential questions about servant leadership, participated in several interactive discussions, and shared their reflections.

Guest speaker and Saints alumnus Eli Taylor ’19 revealed how two memorable trips—the annual Lourdes pilgrimage with Canterbury and an immersion trip to El Salvador as part of a Fordham University theology course—sowed the seeds in him for a life of servant leadership.   

Since graduating from Canterbury, Eli has devoted his life to higher causes. He is currently an Assistant for Liturgical Ministry and Church Operations at Fordham while pursuing his Master of Theology degree there. Originally from Litchfield County, Connecticut, Eli completed his undergraduate work at Fordham with a bachelor’s in accounting and a minor in theology. As an undergraduate, he was involved in retreat and liturgical music ministries.

“My understanding of servant leadership did not develop primarily from reading books or achieving some remarkable breakthrough on a retreat,” Eli told the students. “In retrospect, my appreciation and humble attempts to embody a spirit of service comes from everyday human interactions.”

He went on to share some stories of those interactions, such as the first time he greeted pilgrims at the healing baths of Lourdes, where he prayed with them and helped them undress and store their belongings in preparation for the experience. “The whole process stunned me a bit, as person after person trusted complete strangers in what might have been the most personal and vulnerable moment of their lives,” he said. “Everyone who passed through the baths was immensely thankful to us that day.” 

Director of the D’Amour Center for Faith, Service & Justice and Theology Teacher Joshua Leeuw was grateful to see students immerse themselves fully in the activities and spirit of the evening. “This retreat focused on how our Fifth Formers can be leaders during their Sixth Form year and what they can do to help foster a positive culture at Canterbury,” he said. “It was rewarding to watch them become so engaged and excited for the possibilities of servant leadership next year.”

Eli concluded with some final thoughts about what servant leadership has meant to him. “I have come to realize that leadership is not necessarily about being the strongest or being first. The most impactful leaders are people who listen, accompany, and are willing to open themselves up to vulnerable moments and experiences,” he explained. “Servant leadership is about encountering each other humbly with an attentive ear and an eager mind. Some of my most formative encounters in life happened in places like Lourdes and El Salvador, but the truest work of leadership starts right here on your teams, in your dorms, and in the classroom.”

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