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Augustine53
Guest
If you have experienced Christ Renews His Parish, please let me know what you thought of the experience
Thank you!
Thank you!
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pianistclare
Guest
A parish in the next community does it…has for years. They LOVE it. Very successful, apparently. They have a thriving parish, lots of devotions, great Mass attendance, many volunteers lots of outreach. I’ve had friend identify themselves by it…
“Hi! I’m Suzy! CHRP 17!” “Nice to meet you! I’m CHRP 23!”
They can’t say enough about it. I suppose after many session, you get it down pat, and it’s pretty well done.
“Hi! I’m Suzy! CHRP 17!” “Nice to meet you! I’m CHRP 23!”
They can’t say enough about it. I suppose after many session, you get it down pat, and it’s pretty well done.
U
Used2beSherryG
Guest
I went to a CRHP retreat at my home parish about 14 years ago. it was a great experience and helped to fan the flames of my faith in a big way. I made some great new friends that I have kept ever since. Building friendship on faith is a wonderful way to enrich your life and live you faith daily. If you get a chance to sign up, please do so. You will not be sorry!
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Usige
Guest
To be honest that is one of the reasons I have always walked away from it. The whole CHRP session number identity has always been unnerving to me. Reminds me of people who identify with a sorority or fraternity 20 years later. “Hi, I’m Tiffy, Delta Kappa Pi '64”. Bleck.
To the OP, many people love it. Luckily I have a good friend that knows me well and strongly suggested I not attend for the following reasons:
- His session had a charismatic flair and I tend more toward contemplative silence
- Personal witness from former session members with “a hug and cry fest” afterwards (his words not mine). He said he felt like it was Oprah for men
- It’s not just a weekend, but 6 months of weekly meetings
- Heavy recruitment to be involved with the next session (planning, witness, etc)
As I say, it might be for you, but those who love CRHP need to realize that not everyone is wired the same way. If you prefer silent retreats then CRHP might be uncomfortable for you.
M
Morgan2375
Guest
I suggest that if you think the Holy Spirit is inviting you to attend, then you really should attend and listen to what the Holy Spirit has to say to you. If the Holy Spirit is calling you to it, it would be foolish to say no.
Our “Yes” to God is life-giving.
Our “Yes” to God is life-giving.
R
Roy_Rannila
Guest
I attended CRHP in January of 2015. I think that it is an excellent opportunity for any catholic to experience a renewel.
Christ Renews His Parish is a 36 (ish?) hour long retreat. It is an opportunity to experience Christian witness and hospitality by members of your parish. In today’s world, men rarely slow down long enough to pay attention to feelings. So yeah, without distractions of the world, some men cry. I did. I’m better for it.
CRHP is a self perpetuating ministry. That means those who have been to a renewal weekend help with later ones…if they are able to. Some guys can’t and that is ok. They still are a part of CRHP. Some in our parish went on a retreat, then went through faith formation at a later time when timing was better for them.
For those who do choose (and it is a choice), to go through CRHP formation- it does in fact take six months. This is more to the order of faith building, affirmation, and fraternity. There is very little planning needed for CRHP. What planning is needed is generally not done during meeting times, but afterwards.
The only people who should not attend are people who think they know what it is all about or what they need.
Come with an open heart and see what the Holy Spirit brings to light in you.
Roy
Christ Renews His Parish is a 36 (ish?) hour long retreat. It is an opportunity to experience Christian witness and hospitality by members of your parish. In today’s world, men rarely slow down long enough to pay attention to feelings. So yeah, without distractions of the world, some men cry. I did. I’m better for it.
CRHP is a self perpetuating ministry. That means those who have been to a renewal weekend help with later ones…if they are able to. Some guys can’t and that is ok. They still are a part of CRHP. Some in our parish went on a retreat, then went through faith formation at a later time when timing was better for them.
For those who do choose (and it is a choice), to go through CRHP formation- it does in fact take six months. This is more to the order of faith building, affirmation, and fraternity. There is very little planning needed for CRHP. What planning is needed is generally not done during meeting times, but afterwards.
The only people who should not attend are people who think they know what it is all about or what they need.
Come with an open heart and see what the Holy Spirit brings to light in you.
Roy
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GeauxLSU
Guest
Just attended one this last weekend. Sadly I had not attended a retreat since high school.
I was annoyed that I was told nothing previously. I understand why now.
It’s really hard for me to imagine someone, regardless of their comfort level with ‘style’ of retreat, not benefiting materially from attending. There is something I have to believe for everyone, from quiet contemplative to interactive.
I have no idea how involved I will be going forward, if at all, but the fact will always remain it was renewing (yes, very aptly named) and I’m very happy I attended. There was ALWAYS a reason to not attend previous sessions. I finally admitted to myself “tomorrow never comes” and signed up. Thank you Holy Spirit for that continued knocking.
I was annoyed that I was told nothing previously. I understand why now.
It’s really hard for me to imagine someone, regardless of their comfort level with ‘style’ of retreat, not benefiting materially from attending. There is something I have to believe for everyone, from quiet contemplative to interactive.
I have no idea how involved I will be going forward, if at all, but the fact will always remain it was renewing (yes, very aptly named) and I’m very happy I attended. There was ALWAYS a reason to not attend previous sessions. I finally admitted to myself “tomorrow never comes” and signed up. Thank you Holy Spirit for that continued knocking.
W
Whalljim
Guest
The best answer I can come up with is that your mileage may vary; but most people get quite a bit out of it.
Some people it has been a huge experience for. A major transformation. Some (like me) it was… good, but not life altering.
I’ll throw a litle transparency on this process. I’ve heard alot of people say ‘we can’t say what happens!’ but I was never sworn to secrecy as to the process, only the subject matter. I respect the men who did it so much that I’d never betray their witness talks. They were truly Christ like. The process was never listed as a secret though, and its a modified version of most retreats I’ve attended.
You go in there with your stuff, and are assigned a table with a table leader. They start with a light breakfast, then you jump right into the witness talks. You’ll have talks most of the day. Interspersed throughout the day was mass, confession, and Eucharistic adoration. You’ll be fed well by previous teams. The days are long but go quickly. You’ll be tired at the end. Don’t expect time to reflect and have deep conversations with your table mates. It won’t happen. Of the retreats I’ve been on the sub groups at a CHRP retreat do the least.
For me, the witness talks were very, very good. Intense, but very good. It was great to know that the things I struggle with aren’t mine alone. It was great to see men pray together. The team that set up our retreat was obviously very close, and it showed with the amount of love they had for each other. I was honestly a bit jealous of their fellowship.
The ability to get to the sacraments by myself or in the company of other men was fantastic.
I also really valued being involved with other Catholic men. I live and work in an area with a ton of new atheists and secular humanists. Being among men who believe as I do was very refreshing and reassuring.
The lowlights have to do more with the structure than the people who put it on. You didn’t get any time to process anything, it can be very ‘huggy’, there is no predictability to your day, and the letter boxes could be tough.
For the pace, I’m not sure if that’s because they want to get alot in in a limited amount of time, or because they are trying to hit you with a drumbeat of emotion. Either way it was really hard, and by Saturday night I was done. I picked it up the next day and was able to finish. There were 10 witness talks that each took awhile. Most were very emotional. Its alot to experience… then you just… go home.
The hugginess just turned me off. I’m not that person. I do hug people. My family, and friends I’ve had for decades. People I’ve known less than 24 contiguous hours? Not so much.
I didn’t like the lack of predictability. I have a need for it. I can see how they want people to live in the moment, but to me it just kept taking me out as I was always wondering where I was in the process. That is just a personal thing for me though.
I hated the letter box thing. For those that don’t know, they reach out to your family and friends via another contact (wife/husband/mom/etc.) and ask them to write letters to you about the impact you’ve had in their lives. Then they put them in a box with letters from the team.
It can be good and very powerful. But if you don’t have many people, have some damaged relationships, or the process breaks down… you’ll be left as the one person without any letters. Or, if you’re like me, and kind of a private person, it can be almost painful. I got great letters, and loved reading them, but am not sure what to do with them.
All together, it was good for me. I didn’t have the retreat euphoria that some have, but many did and it was totally honest. I’m not a huge retreat guy and it really nudged my faith. I’m tentatively on the next team. I’m having some second thoughts now, but I believe I’ll attend the first meeting and see how it goes. I believe the Holy Spirit is leading me in that direction, but often I can get in my own way. I’m insanely stubborn. If I don’t go through with it it will be because I don’t believe I can give it the effort its worth, not because of any fault of the program.
For someone else, I would say try it. Some try to make it mysterious, but its not. Its quite good. The positives out weigh the negatives. The example of the team was great, and very authentic. There wasn’t any pressure that I’ve heard of some people getting to join the next team. I do think its done great things for the Parishes around here, and for many, many people. Myself included. I’ve tried to lay out my experience in order to help others who might not go due to the mystery involved. For me all the positives tell me the Holy Spirit is involved heavily.
To read some comments I think that sometimes people expect a retreat put on by lay people to be like Pentecost every time. They sometimes aren’t, but they don’t have to be in order to be valuable.
So give it a try. Its worth a weekend to spend time in fellowship with other Catholics and the Holy Spirit.
Some people it has been a huge experience for. A major transformation. Some (like me) it was… good, but not life altering.
I’ll throw a litle transparency on this process. I’ve heard alot of people say ‘we can’t say what happens!’ but I was never sworn to secrecy as to the process, only the subject matter. I respect the men who did it so much that I’d never betray their witness talks. They were truly Christ like. The process was never listed as a secret though, and its a modified version of most retreats I’ve attended.
You go in there with your stuff, and are assigned a table with a table leader. They start with a light breakfast, then you jump right into the witness talks. You’ll have talks most of the day. Interspersed throughout the day was mass, confession, and Eucharistic adoration. You’ll be fed well by previous teams. The days are long but go quickly. You’ll be tired at the end. Don’t expect time to reflect and have deep conversations with your table mates. It won’t happen. Of the retreats I’ve been on the sub groups at a CHRP retreat do the least.
For me, the witness talks were very, very good. Intense, but very good. It was great to know that the things I struggle with aren’t mine alone. It was great to see men pray together. The team that set up our retreat was obviously very close, and it showed with the amount of love they had for each other. I was honestly a bit jealous of their fellowship.
The ability to get to the sacraments by myself or in the company of other men was fantastic.
I also really valued being involved with other Catholic men. I live and work in an area with a ton of new atheists and secular humanists. Being among men who believe as I do was very refreshing and reassuring.
The lowlights have to do more with the structure than the people who put it on. You didn’t get any time to process anything, it can be very ‘huggy’, there is no predictability to your day, and the letter boxes could be tough.
For the pace, I’m not sure if that’s because they want to get alot in in a limited amount of time, or because they are trying to hit you with a drumbeat of emotion. Either way it was really hard, and by Saturday night I was done. I picked it up the next day and was able to finish. There were 10 witness talks that each took awhile. Most were very emotional. Its alot to experience… then you just… go home.
The hugginess just turned me off. I’m not that person. I do hug people. My family, and friends I’ve had for decades. People I’ve known less than 24 contiguous hours? Not so much.
I didn’t like the lack of predictability. I have a need for it. I can see how they want people to live in the moment, but to me it just kept taking me out as I was always wondering where I was in the process. That is just a personal thing for me though.
I hated the letter box thing. For those that don’t know, they reach out to your family and friends via another contact (wife/husband/mom/etc.) and ask them to write letters to you about the impact you’ve had in their lives. Then they put them in a box with letters from the team.
It can be good and very powerful. But if you don’t have many people, have some damaged relationships, or the process breaks down… you’ll be left as the one person without any letters. Or, if you’re like me, and kind of a private person, it can be almost painful. I got great letters, and loved reading them, but am not sure what to do with them.
All together, it was good for me. I didn’t have the retreat euphoria that some have, but many did and it was totally honest. I’m not a huge retreat guy and it really nudged my faith. I’m tentatively on the next team. I’m having some second thoughts now, but I believe I’ll attend the first meeting and see how it goes. I believe the Holy Spirit is leading me in that direction, but often I can get in my own way. I’m insanely stubborn. If I don’t go through with it it will be because I don’t believe I can give it the effort its worth, not because of any fault of the program.
For someone else, I would say try it. Some try to make it mysterious, but its not. Its quite good. The positives out weigh the negatives. The example of the team was great, and very authentic. There wasn’t any pressure that I’ve heard of some people getting to join the next team. I do think its done great things for the Parishes around here, and for many, many people. Myself included. I’ve tried to lay out my experience in order to help others who might not go due to the mystery involved. For me all the positives tell me the Holy Spirit is involved heavily.
To read some comments I think that sometimes people expect a retreat put on by lay people to be like Pentecost every time. They sometimes aren’t, but they don’t have to be in order to be valuable.
So give it a try. Its worth a weekend to spend time in fellowship with other Catholics and the Holy Spirit.
W
Whalljim
Guest
Addendum:
I’d do the retreat again, but not Team.
I’d do the retreat again, but not Team.
D
Dwight_Starr
Guest
I did CRHP five years ago. Have regretted it ever since. It is not for everyone, and it was not for me. Since then, it has become a parish "take-over"program in our (now former) parish. You are either part of the hip-happening CRHPers there or you aren’t. They even had a parish-wide “CRHP picnic” recently. So if you didn’t like CRHP or haven’t done it, maybe you weren’t supposed to go to the picnic? In some parishes, I suppose it is a good program, but in this particular one, it has become divisive…cliquish even…with the distinct feel of a country club or college fraternity about it…complete with booze party during the CRHP weekend.
If you’re considering it, you really need to read these posts and learn about it BEFORE you go. Don’t make my mistake and go in blind like CRHPers want you to. The program is definitely not for everyone, no matter what they tell you. Read and learn beforehand…get informed…then decide when no smiling, glaze-eyed CRHPers are looking over your shoulder. Peace.
If you’re considering it, you really need to read these posts and learn about it BEFORE you go. Don’t make my mistake and go in blind like CRHPers want you to. The program is definitely not for everyone, no matter what they tell you. Read and learn beforehand…get informed…then decide when no smiling, glaze-eyed CRHPers are looking over your shoulder. Peace.
W
Whalljim
Guest
Dwight,
it sounds like you had a singularly bad experience. I’m really sorry about that. Mine overall was pretty good, but, as I’ve stated, not perfect. (What is?).
one thing that might be helpful is to find out who is on the CRHP continuation committee at your Parish. Your (name removed by moderator)ut might be really valuable to them. Maybe just write a letter with your concerns.
Just a thought. At worst they just ignore it. At best maybe they make changes to make it better for the next group, or try to reduce the exclusivity.
it sounds like you had a singularly bad experience. I’m really sorry about that. Mine overall was pretty good, but, as I’ve stated, not perfect. (What is?).
one thing that might be helpful is to find out who is on the CRHP continuation committee at your Parish. Your (name removed by moderator)ut might be really valuable to them. Maybe just write a letter with your concerns.
Just a thought. At worst they just ignore it. At best maybe they make changes to make it better for the next group, or try to reduce the exclusivity.
C
Casilda
Guest
My experience was very similar to Whalljim’s, good but not life-altering. I attended a woman’s retreat.
, I don’t have any numbers memorized. That was kind of weird as those of us who kept looking in our bags for something we may have missed. Very awkward.
But unlike Whalljim, I would not attend the retreat again, too draining, physically (kept us up until 11pm and woke us up at 6am for another full day, spiritually, etc. I do enjoy the faith building classes. It’s very well organized, start and stop times, studying Bible verses, spiritual songs and readings. I opted out of the mandatory ‘faith and theology’ class with the pastor because I just came out of four years of that. This is not my parish, and I am not obligated to continuing with the team. That said, this would NOT work at my own parish. It is run here by very devout people and I can attest that they have turned around the parish and are restoring Catholics back into the church. They genuinely care about each other and Christ’s kingdom.
I would give it a B rating.
This, exactly and this
A few goofy things I remember similar to a sixth grade, girls only birthday party, but overall, okay. We got goodie bags that held the letters, if you got them. They told us not to bring our phones then kept asking us for the numbers of family members
, I don’t have any numbers memorized. That was kind of weird as those of us who kept looking in our bags for something we may have missed. Very awkward.But unlike Whalljim, I would not attend the retreat again, too draining, physically (kept us up until 11pm and woke us up at 6am for another full day, spiritually, etc. I do enjoy the faith building classes. It’s very well organized, start and stop times, studying Bible verses, spiritual songs and readings. I opted out of the mandatory ‘faith and theology’ class with the pastor because I just came out of four years of that. This is not my parish, and I am not obligated to continuing with the team. That said, this would NOT work at my own parish. It is run here by very devout people and I can attest that they have turned around the parish and are restoring Catholics back into the church. They genuinely care about each other and Christ’s kingdom.
I would give it a B rating.
K
Karen107
Guest
I can’t say enough praise for CRHP,. It has done wonders for building up our Parish in fellowshipping and faith and overall evangelizing our Parish.
I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to build up their own personal faith and be part of a family of believers. Sometimes even our closest companions don’t understand our need to share faith and grow in it. Those who are looking to find friendship with those who are faithful should go. Spend time concentrating on your spiritual growth and it will help you find more peace and joy in your life because you’ll be seeking Christ. Isn’t working on our spiritual lives worth time taking out from our busy lives? Try it, I did and don’t have any regrets.
I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to build up their own personal faith and be part of a family of believers. Sometimes even our closest companions don’t understand our need to share faith and grow in it. Those who are looking to find friendship with those who are faithful should go. Spend time concentrating on your spiritual growth and it will help you find more peace and joy in your life because you’ll be seeking Christ. Isn’t working on our spiritual lives worth time taking out from our busy lives? Try it, I did and don’t have any regrets.
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