Retreats & Workshops
Pictures from past Men's Retreats
What is a CatholicFIT Retreat or Workshop?
Each CatholicFIT event aims to be an immersive experience uniting faith, fitness, and formation in a distinctly Catholic vision of the human person. Led by fitness coach and Catholic educator Dave Reddy alongside St. Louis Abbey priest, monk, and fitness enthusiast Father Athanasius Soto, these gatherings are designed to help you pursue a properly ordered self-love, so you can better serve God, your family, and the world.
Our workshops are shorter than full retreats and are often themed or tailored to specific audiences, life stages, or physical considerations. Each event weaves together personal reflection, intentional movement, practical exercise, spiritual insight, and open Q&A, offering both depth and accessibility. Whether you are seeking renewal, clarity, a sustainable approach to personal fitness with purpose (or just want to chat about your squat form or fitting a daily walk into your schedule), our retreats and workshops provide a thoughtful, embodied path forward, rooted in the Catholic tradition and lived in the real world.
At each event, we may cover any number of the following ideas:
Strength & Balance in Virtue:
- exploration of the four “biological virtues” and how to practice each daily,
- discussion of how St. Thomas Aquinas’ powers of the soul apply to physical health and fitness,
- discussion of the purpose of training for physical health to improve spiritual health.
Movement & Mobility within the Physical Stewardship Continuum:
- understand basic biomarkers for longevity, including bone density, grip strength, and full range of motion strength.
- a joint-by-joint functional movement assessment to build orthopedic resilience,
- weight room and body weight training time with tips for any gym or home training program, and
- customized longevity and soft tissue mobility practice tips.
God bless!
CatholicFIT Event FAQ's
Do I have to be in shape to attend this event?
All fitness levels are welcomed, as the goal is ti provide tips for starting and staying on track with a sustainable, daily fitness practice customized to you.
Can I bring my son to the event? If so, how old does he have to be?
College-aged, young men and older best fit the format most events, but if you high school son is aware of his body, interested in the discussion, and is OK getting up and moving with some older guys, then please bring him along too. Our Strength Club and Classical Athlete programs released later this year will be specifically designed for high school students and student-athletes.
Are we going to be exercising mostly, or discussing faith and fitness?
Yes, we will ebb and flow between discussion and practice with “movement breaks” worked in. Each event is different. We will practice “good posture”, review some home exercises, and if time and space allow at your venue, we may get into a full body workout to elevate your heart rate. Please let us know if you have any complications or restrictions with exercise.
What should I wear to the retreat?
Wear comfortable clothes you would go to the gym in. Sweats with shorts and a t shirt underneath if we break a sweat. We will be getting on the floor, doing stretches and more so whatever is most comfortable for you in that regard.
Retreat Leaders
Father Athanasius Soto, O.S.B.
Father Athanasius, a Catholic priest and monk from St. Louis Abbey, teaches advanced statistics at St. Louis Priory High School and serves as the school's guest master, monastic bursar, and sacristan. Father Athanasius is a passionate fitness enthusiast whose struggle with obesity in his youth and adolescence inspired him to improve not only his physical but also his spiritual well-being. Father will discuss the significance of having a well-ordered self-love and how practicing the biological virtues of our created animal nature can help you align with the Creator Himself. Motto: Anima sancta in corpore sano. ("A holy soul in a healthy body.")
Dave Reddy, MS, CSCS, CSPS
Dave is owner of REDDY Health & Performance, the director of Webster University’s undergraduate Exercise Science curriculum, the creator of the CatholicFIT PE program, and the Athletic Director at Chesterton Academy of St. Louis. Over the past several years, Dave has intentionally explored the intersection of his Catholic faith and physical training, an approach he calls Everyday Strength, focusing on building sustainable, purposeful strength for real life, vocation, and service. A self-described weekend warrior, Dave trains to keep up with the young guys on the basketball court, whether coaching or playing, while practicing fitness that supports faith, family, and long-term health. His current project is to develop an online hub that brings all of his work and communities together at Everyday Strength Academy (coming soon).
