Retreats are designed for parishes who want to re-invigorate the enthusiasm of the congregation, help parishioners to connect faith in their daily life and live out their evangelizing purpose as a parish.  Retreats can be offered in a number of ways including: three consecutive evenings of the same week, on the same weekday over three consecutive weeks, or on a Saturday culminating with the evening liturgy.  Each session includes time for prayer, presentation, discussion and an optional witness speaker from parish. 

Sample Retreat:

Lent: The Road Less Traveled

We can blame the pace of life for why we lack time to enter fully into the holy season of Lent.  Lent has become the road less traveled to Easter.  Unless we arrive spiritually prepared, the bells of Easter joy ring hollow.  The three sessions of this retreat address how to be renewed by the traditional spiritual disciplines associated with Lent so that Easter is filled with joy. 

Session 1 - "The Prayers that God Hears"  Although those whom we now consider to be spiritual giants were all people of prayer, prayer is not just for spiritual giants!   Prayer is for all of us.  But many do not pray because they still have questions about prayer including why God seems to hear some prayers and not others.  This session addresses what, why, when, where and how of prayer.

Session 2 – “The Acceptable Fast”  For many of us fasting during Lent has become a necessary though often irrelevant evil.  Those who have given up candy each Lent only to enjoy the Easter binge of chocolate rightly question the good accomplished by fasting.  Many Catholics today have forgotten what constitutes a fast acceptable to the Lord.  Participants will learn about a fast, so pleasing, that it is worth continuing after Easter.

Session 3 – “The Secret of a Cheerful Giver”  Almsgiving is a form of fasting, a form that some consider the hardest of all.  When most people hear the word “almsgiving,” they think of money.  We feel guilty whenever the topic comes up.  We struggle with dilemmas like “Is money the root of all evil or is it an instrument for great good?”  For many of us this is because we lack the secret of the cheerful giver.  The Gospel is clear.  No matter how wealthy we are, each of us has what it takes to be a cheerful giver.  We only fail when forget what it means to be alms-giving.

or select another retreat on...

Challenge of Christian Living (for those seeking to live out faith in daily life)

• Living Faith at Work
• Living Faith in Family
• Living Faith Out in the World

Journey with Christ (for those deepening one's relationship with Christ)

• Who do you say I am?
• The Call to Discipleship
• Sharing Our Faith with Courage

Re-founding Church (for parish clusters)

• Re-founding our Faith in Christ
• Reconciling as One Body in Christ
• Pursuing the Unifying Purpose of a Catholic Parish

or an evening of reflection on:

• Fostering Faithful Families
• Aging with Grace
• Nurturing Faithful Marriages
• Small Faith Communities
• Using the Bible
• Building an Evangelizing Parish
• Advent

or customized a program for your parish.

Print and Video Resources

Living Christ Retreat - a self-conducted, parish retreat with planning tools, set-up instructions, prayer services, handouts and talks on: The Journey of Faith, Dying in Christ, Healing in the Community, Living Christ (by Bill Huebsch, 2007 and available from PastoralPlanning.com).  A review copy is available from Office of Parish Life or call 716-847-5531. 

Living the Eucharist Program - a comprehensive, parish-based renewal experience built around the parish Eucharist which employs small groups, a parish retreat, family events and educational materials for distribution.  This program fosters appreciation for the Eucharist, highlights the Eucharist as a means of ongoing conversion, raises awareness of the life and mission that flows from and leads to the Eucharist.  (by Rev. Kenneth Boyack, CSP 2011). A review copy is available from Office of Parish Life or call 716-847-5531. 

3 Days in Advent - Drawing closer to Christ during this busy season - a set of personal exercises for pastoral leaders that flows through three successive days.  This brief commitment to a deeper personal intimacy in faith can fuel one's faith in preparation for a joyful and and holy Christmas (by Bill Huebsch, 2007 and available from PastoralPlanning.com).  A review copy is available from Office of Parish Life or call 716-847-5531. 

For more retreat possibilities contact Office of Parish Life, 716-847-5531, Diocese of Buffalo 795 Main Street Buffalo, NY 14203 Fax: 716-847-2206