Sacramental Retreats

 Reconciliation: Jesus Heals Our Hearts.

 Our First Reconciliation Retreat is designed to be an interactive       Catechesis  of how sin affects others and us and to help us understand       God’s desire to heal us through the sacrament of Reconciliation.

• Using the symbol of “loving hearts” and “hard hearts,” the program aims at helping the children to embrace the happy truth that we were made by God, in His image and likeness. [Story: You Are Special]

• After recalling that Jesus, the Son of God, came to teach us how to live as the sons and daughters of God, the children dramatize several stories of Jesus’ kindness, revealing His merciful heart.

• The distinctly human powers of thinking and choosing are then discussed, with a recognition that some of our choices come from a loving heart, like Jesus, but some choices come from a “hard heart.”

• In small groups, the children play a game of cards. They draw cards depicting either negative or positive behavior. After assessing the behavior, the child takes either a small candy heart or a small stone. The activity serves as an examination of conscience, with
  appropriate discussions regarding free will.

• A series of relay races are played first in regular fashion then one in which the children carry a bag containing 2 bricks. This activity is used to simulate the burden of sin and how it affects our every day activity.

• The retreat concludes with a symbolic ritual in which the children are given a stone and are led through a brief prayerful examination of conscience and then are invited to trade their stony hearts for a soft heart like Jesus’. The soft heart is theirs to bring home and use each
  as a reminder to examine their actions each day, give thanks for the good they were able to do and ask for forgiveness for the actions from a stony heart.
  
  

First Eucharist Retreat:  Jesus Day

Our First Eucharist Retreat is designed to be an interactive catechesis of
how God desires to be so close to His people that he has chosen to remain
with us as food for our journey.

This two and a half hour presentation consists of the following:

• Introduction to “mystery” using the signs of spring – leading into the
  mystery of what/who the children are about to receive in the
  Sacrament of Holy Eucharist.

• The children will sit in a tent prepared for them as they hear of God’s
  journey with His chosen people through the desert and His desire to
  remain close to them.

• They will then view the Tabernacle and its contents and remember
  that God remains with us in our Church.

• We then talk about that God’s greatest desire is to come to us and
  make our heart His living tabernacle. They’ll learn a prayer song to
  sing to Jesus often as they prepare for His coming.

• Afterwards they make a craft that will help them retell the things they
  learned this day.

• The children will “relive” the Last Supper with a ritual retelling of the
  event and how we relive Jesus’ Paschal Mystery at each Mass.

• The day concludes with the making of the altar bread and reflection
  on the transformation of the elements used for the Eucharist and our
  ultimate transformation in receiving Jesus in Holy Communion.

• If time permits we practice receiving the host once.

This is an interactive one-day retreat (6-8 hours depending on the need of the parish/school).  Confirmation candidates will work individually and as a group to re-examine the meaningful Gifts they have already received while preparing themselves spiritually to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation.

The retreat day begins with a warm welcome and introductions within the group, so everyone is familiar with and comfortable with each other.  This is followed by a quick prayer and a Baptismal talk that includes the renewal of the candidates' Baptismal promises and blessing.  Candidates reflect on the Gifts they have received and there is further discussion of Baptism and Reconciliation, identity and dignity.  The candidates participate in a "Sensory Signs Trust" activity. This is followed by a 1 hour break for lunch and recreation time which also includes a quick retreat activity.

Candidates then reflect on the Gifts they will receive - the Gifts of the Holy Spirit.  There are several group activities and skits concerning these Gifts. This is followed by group sharing, a short video and a quick break.

Candidates return from break for more activities, including a quick craft they will bring home with them, revealing how special each person is in God's eyes.  There is time for individual reflection.  There is a discussion about the Eucharist, followed by Adoration prep and Adoration in the Chapel.

The retreat day concludes with a symbolic letter activity and small group sharing.