Catholic Retreats and Conferences

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It is a different world for us Catholics to have such opportunities available to us thanks to the New Evangelization and those people and organizations like Catholic Answers responding to the call.

I’m wondering how many members here make an effort to attend these opportunities when offered within a decent road trip away. Do you seek them out or are they promoted within your church bulletin or some other parish activity? What holds you back from participating?

I recently attended the Martha and Mary Conference in Dubuque, Iowa. Just received a flier for a Feminine Genius Conference in Appleton, Wisconsin. And I see Behold Catholic Women’s Ministry is hosting their conference this coming Saturday in East Peoria, IL.

I know there’s a Great Lakes Catholic Men’s conference held annually in the fall, and a Men of Christ Conference in Milwaukee, Wisconsin coming up March 15.

Local parishes are offering programs such as God Is! Day of Renewal, Jeff Cavins’ Walking Toward Eternity Series, Fr. Gaitley’s 33 Days to Morning Glory, and other DVD/small group study programs.

I invite friends to join me but they haven’t been able to due to conflicts in their schedules, but the ones I’ve attended have had lots of people there. It is so inspiring and uplifting. I hope there are similar efforts in other states and that they are well received.
 
Wow! These sound like great opportunities! I will keep my eyes open for these near me.
 
I keep really hoping that there are marriage enrichment retreats, but the only ones I can find are retreats for couples with marriage trouble. Obviously, that is an important ministry but what about marriages that are doing well and want to continue to spend time focusing on God and marriage as a sacrament? You know, to continue to grow together? Why wait until things get bad? Why not nurture?

I can’t find anything like that.
 
The Jeff Cavins Bible Study workbooks with the reading of scripture and about 8 or 10 questions to answer for homework, and then the 45 minute DVD of Jeff Cavins expounding on what we just discussed as a group is great!

Three parishes not too far from me are presenting these studies. There are about 10 in each group, and enough facilitators for the same teachings at different times during the week, whether during the day or at night. If one cannot make their usual meeting day, they can check into the same class available that same week on a different day. The facilitators that direct the classes are also learning with us at the same time.

Right now I am finishing up a 24-week study on the Gospel of Matthew which is very inspiring, especially with all the insights into each week’s lesson that Jeff Cavins gives in the DVD. The class each week lasts two hours. It makes me feel so blessed to be Catholic!

This is the fifth study that I have attended in this area in the past five years. The shortest studies are ten weeks long.
 
UbiCaritas15 said:
I keep really hoping that there are marriage enrichment retreats, but the only ones I can find are retreats for couples with marriage trouble. Obviously, that is an important ministry but what about marriages that are doing well and want to continue to spend time focusing on God and marriage as a sacrament? You know, to continue to grow together? Why wait until things get bad? Why not nurture?

I can’t find anything like that.
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There’s Worldwide Marriage Encounter which has been great for my husband and me. It’s a weekend retreat that is about nurturing and supporting sound marriages. The main website appears to be down at the moment but the Section6 page is still up. You can learn more there, and find a retreat in your area: section6.wwme.org/
 
Dorothy said:
The Jeff Cavins Bible Study workbooks with the reading of scripture and about 8 or 10 questions to answer for homework, and then the 45 minute DVD of Jeff Cavins expounding on what we just discussed as a group is great!

Three parishes not too far from me are presenting these studies. There are about 10 in each group, and enough facilitators for the same teachings at different times during the week, whether during the day or at night. If one cannot make their usual meeting day, they can check into the same class available that same week on a different day. The facilitators that direct the classes are also learning with us at the same time.

Right now I am finishing up a 24-week study on the Gospel of Matthew which is very inspiring, especially with all the insights into each week’s lesson that Jeff Cavins gives in the DVD. The class each week lasts two hours. It makes me feel so blessed to be Catholic!

This is the fifth study that I have attended in this area in the past five years. The shortest studies are ten weeks long.
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That sounds great, Dorothy. I’ve done the Great Adventure series and the Walking Toward Eternity 1 (lectio divina) and both have really made a difference in the other reading I do from time to time. I like the small group stuff, too.
 
Here in Amarillo, nothing is close to us. When possible, I don’t mind 2-4 hours to go to a conference or retreat for a weekend, but I am single with no kids.
 
There are excellent spiritual direction talks here at this site:

advancedchristianity.com

In years past when I lived up north, I was able to attend many of Father Venard’s Days of Prayer.

His forte was spiritual direction.
 
KCT said:
My favorites:

steubenvilleconferences.com/adult

They have videos of past speakers on the website, too.
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We all enjoy the Stuebenville conferences and highly recommend them. they have more than 20 youth conferences each year, with solid Catholic teaching. We enjoy sending our vocations team to be available to the youth in our area.

They also have adult conferences and I am told the plan this year is to add conferences for post High School students.

Many Students return each year and many attend again as youth leaders. Look up the website they also have a follow up forum for attendees new as of last year, and the 40 day challenge is a great post conference tool!
 
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