CRHP

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KendraDZ1902

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I’m not really sure where this belongs. I’m sorry if this isn’t the right place. 🙂

I went to Mass tonight and I saw a lady that is involved with RCIA I said hello to her and she introduced me to another lady who was confirmed last year. This new lady asked me if I would be interested in Christ Renews His Parish. She told me it was life changing and handed me a sign up form. I have signed up, but what will I be doing? Both ladies told me it was life changing and that was all they could tell me. I don’t know if they were joking about that was all they could tell me. So, if anyone has done CRHP could you tell me something about it? Thanks!
 
It will change your life in one of these manners:
  1. Immediately
  2. In some time
  3. In longer time
I just went to CRHP 3 weeks ago and I am actively participating in the post CRHP process.

It is by far the best retreat I’ve had in my life!

Don’t ask too many questions and if someone wants to tell you too much, please cover your ears. Really! 🙂

Let God work in you and be on God’s time on that weekend.

The Best is Yet to Come, 😃

Jose
 
Oh goodness! I’ve lead the CRHP process at my parish for several years and yes, there are things you can know that absolutely will not ruin your experience. It is not “a secret society” or anything like that!!! It’s just difficult for some people to put into words.

The renewal process starts with a weekend retreat that is given by fellow parishioners. You will not be preached to,but will have the opportunity to listen to those other women share. You will not have to share your life story or anything like that, but there is generally time for small group discussion where you can share as much or as little as you are comfortable with sharing. You will not be forced to do anything. CRHP is but one way that people can deepen their relationship with Christ and with others from the parish community. During the weekend, you will have the opportunity to participate in the Sacraments and some private reflection time. Not sure about your parish, but at mine, we offer plenty of great food and snacks too.

CRHP provides a way to relax and reflect on our sometimes hectic lives and help us grow in our spirituality - and who couldn’t use that? 🙂

I’d recommend you go into it with an open mind and just soak up what is said. Some things have to be experienced to be understood. I think that’s why when Jesus called the Disciples, He told them, “Come and see!”

Hope you have an incredible time!!! I’ll be praying for you.
 
Suslar said:
Oh goodness! I’ve lead the CRHP process at my parish for several years and yes, there are things you can know that absolutely will not ruin your experience. **It is not “a secret society” or anything like that!!! **It’s just difficult for some people to put into words.

The renewal process starts with a weekend retreat that is given by fellow parishioners. You will not be preached to,but will have the opportunity to listen to those other women share. You will not have to share your life story or anything like that, but there is generally time for small group discussion where you can share as much or as little as you are comfortable with sharing. You will not be forced to do anything. CRHP is but one way that people can deepen their relationship with Christ and with others from the parish community. During the weekend, you will have the opportunity to participate in the Sacraments and some private reflection time. Not sure about your parish, but at mine, we offer plenty of great food and snacks too.

CRHP provides a way to relax and reflect on our sometimes hectic lives and help us grow in our spirituality - and who couldn’t use that? 🙂

I’d recommend you go into it with an open mind and just soak up what is said. Some things have to be experienced to be understood. I think that’s why when Jesus called the Disciples, He told them, “Come and see!”

Hope you have an incredible time!!! I’ll be praying for you.
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The whole secret society thing kind of had me worried. haha. 🙂 Thank you so much for explaining it to me. Not only am I a newbie (being confirmed Saturday YAY!) but I am also new to this city and only know a few fellow Navy Wives. I am looking forward to not only getting closer to Jesus but hopefully getting to know other women as well. After reading this I’m not nervous anymore. lol. Thanks so much!!
 
Secret Society… :o

:rotfl:

I’m still on CRHP high :D, sorry 😊

:heaven::grouphug:
 
Oh and…

Don’t say anything else, it’s a surprise :onpatrol::bluelite:
 
Isaiah45_9 said:
Oh and…

Don’t say anything else, it’s a surprise :onpatrol::bluelite:
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:bounce::bounce: You are killing me! LOL. I was the kid who would unwrap gifts under the tree and rewrap them. They didn’t even have to be mine! I am no good with surprises! 😃
 
I promise not to ruin any surprises!

Welcome to the Church! Thrilled you are part of the family!!!
And, I hope your CRHP experience is as awesome for you as it has been for me. Would love to hear all about it after the weekend. May God’s blessings be upon you now and always!!!
 
Oh, you will definitely get to know the women! What a great way to make friends and form a couple new sisters in Christ!
 
I went to CRHP in 1987. It was a GREAT weekend and I loved every minute of it! Really was wonderful. Go, you’ll love it. 🙂
 
KendraDZ1902 said:
:bounce::bounce: You are killing me! LOL. I was the kid who would unwrap gifts under the tree and rewrap them. They didn’t even have to be mine! I am no good with surprises! 😃
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LOL, sounds like my wife! It is killing her that I have not given any details :D.

Seriously thou, I didn’t know anything about CRHP and I kept my mind and my heart open to it. Praise be to God!!!

My wife is entering RCIA this fall and she is not sure to wait until she finished with RCIA or to do it during RCIA.

Welcome to Old School Christianity :cool:, that’s Catholicism by the way 🙂

May God Bless you on your journey!
 
I am about to be on the presenting team for my second consecutive CRHP Weekend this weekend. I wasnt even planning to be on this group but God had called me to join and I was glad to partake in the last month of formation with these brothers that i presented to 6 months ago. So here I am, just wrapping up preparing to help usher in the group. No fears or worries and knowing that God will look out for us and make his presence in that room, all throughout the weekend.

I recommend the retreat to anyone who is on the fence about it. It is a spiritual journey and transformation.
 
pez222 said:
I am about to be on the presenting team for my second consecutive CRHP Weekend this weekend. I wasnt even planning to be on this group but God had called me to join and I was glad to partake in the last month of formation with these brothers that i presented to 6 months ago. So here I am, just wrapping up preparing to help usher in the group. No fears or worries and knowing that God will look out for us and make his presence in that room, all throughout the weekend.

I recommend the retreat to anyone who is on the fence about it. It is a spiritual journey and transformation.
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My CRHP weekend was this past weekend. I LOVED it. I would highly recommend it, as well.
 
I’m a Catholic-wannabe, in the midst of the RCIA process now. I just attended my first, and I imagine my last, CRHP weekend. I should say that I “partially” attended, since I found it necessary to leave about half way through the experience.

I found nothing unifying about the experience. If anything, I found it to be divisive. My perception was that most of the presenters, those who have previously completed a CRHP weekend, seemed rather cliquish. And as I have seen mentioned in other posts, there does seem to be a secretive side to the whole experience, which is understandable on some level since there are some private experiences shared, but I don’t find it necessary to frequently and repeatedly pray about the confidentiality issue. I have a checkered past, and my life is an open book. If there are things that you don’t want shared with others, keep them to yourself in the first place.

I don’t know what I expected from CRHP, but it certainly wasn’t anything I could have imagined before I attended. I guess I hoped for something more spiritual and less social. Not at any time did I feel the spirit move me. I attend spiritual gatherings outside the Catholic Church with regularity, at least once weekly. While these gatherings are not associated with any church or denomination, there are often several Catholics in attendance. Those people have been essential in drawing me to the Catholic faith, without preaching or witnessing concerning the wonders of Catholicism, but just through the way they live their lives on a regular daily basis. I will be at one of those gatherings this evening, and we won’t discuss who our favorite sports team is, or how important our career is, or how God has blessed us with wealth an property. We will discuss things spiritual, and I can promise you that I will leave there feeling much closer to my God than I did from CRHP.

I am currently considering taking a break from my RCIA journey. I will discuss the matter with a trusted friend. Perhaps I’m simply disillusioned from the CRHP experience, and I imagine these current feelings will pass. I do believe I can simply and quietly practice my faith, continue to pray, and leave the rest up to God.
 
sparky100 said:
I’m a Catholic-wannabe, in the midst of the RCIA process now. I just attended my first, and I imagine my last, CRHP weekend. I should say that I “partially” attended, since I found it necessary to leave about half way through the experience.

I found nothing unifying about the experience. If anything, I found it to be divisive. My perception was that most of the presenters, those who have previously completed a CRHP weekend, seemed rather cliquish. And as I have seen mentioned in other posts, there does seem to be a secretive side to the whole experience, which is understandable on some level since there are some private experiences shared, but I don’t find it necessary to frequently and repeatedly pray about the confidentiality issue. I have a checkered past, and my life is an open book. If there are things that you don’t want shared with others, keep them to yourself in the first place.

I don’t know what I expected from CRHP, but it certainly wasn’t anything I could have imagined before I attended. I guess I hoped for something more spiritual and less social. Not at any time did I feel the spirit move me. I attend spiritual gatherings outside the Catholic Church with regularity, at least once weekly. While these gatherings are not associated with any church or denomination, there are often several Catholics in attendance. Those people have been essential in drawing me to the Catholic faith, without preaching or witnessing concerning the wonders of Catholicism, but just through the way they live their lives on a regular daily basis. I will be at one of those gatherings this evening, and we won’t discuss who our favorite sports team is, or how important our career is, or how God has blessed us with wealth an property. We will discuss things spiritual, and I can promise you that I will leave there feeling much closer to my God than I did from CRHP.

I am currently considering taking a break from my RCIA journey. I will discuss the matter with a trusted friend. Perhaps I’m simply disillusioned from the CRHP experience, and I imagine these current feelings will pass. I do believe I can simply and quietly practice my faith, continue to pray, and leave the rest up to God.
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I thoroughly enjoyed my weekend. The presenters were close, but they know each other and are sisters. I am proud to say that I am now apart of that sisterhood. I’m sorry that you didn’t get anything out of the weekend. Maybe if you would have stayed, you would have gotten something out of it. I know that everyone in my group did.
Just because you didn’t like a particular ministry doesn’t mean that you should stop your RCIA journey.
 
Thank you for your for your reply Kendra. My wife, a cradle Catholic, also thoroughly enjoyed the CRHP experience. She came home enthused, invigorated, and very positive about her Catholic faith. I don’t think she was particularly surprised at my reaction. From what I can glean from my own research into Catholicism, I might be much more orthodox in my appreciation of the faith. If I’m not mistaken, that might leave me somewhat less moved by some of the more progressive Catholic ministries.

It is not my intention to totally stop the RCIA process, but perhaps just to step back for a while and take stock of the situation. And I’m not here to discourage anyone from attending a CHRP weekend if they feel moved to do so. My reflections are nothing more than my own experience, and I’m sure that there are many, such as yourself, who benefit greatly. I would imagine that my experience is not typical.
 
sparky100 said:
I’m a Catholic-wannabe, in the midst of the RCIA process now. I just attended my first, and I imagine my last, CRHP weekend. I should say that I “partially” attended, since I found it necessary to leave about half way through the experience.

I found nothing unifying about the experience. If anything, I found it to be divisive. My perception was that most of the presenters, those who have previously completed a CRHP weekend, seemed rather cliquish. And as I have seen mentioned in other posts, there does seem to be a secretive side to the whole experience, which is understandable on some level since there are some private experiences shared, but I don’t find it necessary to frequently and repeatedly pray about the confidentiality issue. I have a checkered past, and my life is an open book. If there are things that you don’t want shared with others, keep them to yourself in the first place.

I don’t know what I expected from CRHP, but it certainly wasn’t anything I could have imagined before I attended. I guess I hoped for something more spiritual and less social. Not at any time did I feel the spirit move me. I attend spiritual gatherings outside the Catholic Church with regularity, at least once weekly. While these gatherings are not associated with any church or denomination, there are often several Catholics in attendance. Those people have been essential in drawing me to the Catholic faith, without preaching or witnessing concerning the wonders of Catholicism, but just through the way they live their lives on a regular daily basis. I will be at one of those gatherings this evening, and we won’t discuss who our favorite sports team is, or how important our career is, or how God has blessed us with wealth an property. We will discuss things spiritual, and I can promise you that I will leave there feeling much closer to my God than I did from CRHP.

I am currently considering taking a break from my RCIA journey. I will discuss the matter with a trusted friend. Perhaps I’m simply disillusioned from the CRHP experience, and I imagine these current feelings will pass. I do believe I can simply and quietly practice my faith, continue to pray, and leave the rest up to God.
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Like I said earlier, I did CRHP years ago and loved it. But I understand where you are coming from, this is somewhat how I reacted to Cursillo. Bottom line, not every program/retreat is for everyone.

If you feel as though you need a break, you might need some time to think about everything and contemplate where you are going with your spirituality.
I wish you well, finding one’s spirituality and finding where they fit in can be difficult at times.
 
Perhaps my lack of experience with the Catholic Church has a great deal to do with my CRHP experience, but the other Catholic experiences I’ve previously enjoyed have been nothing remotely akin to CRHP. I won’t call it a cult, or evil, but I did sense a significant lack of real spiritual humility from the majority of the presenters, and they did seem bonded to one another in what seems somewhat unusual, even unhealthy, to me. Probably not a very good analogy, but it was like the high-school football team, all dressed in bright red jerseys just before the big game, raging testosterone, focused totally on winning, with little regard for anything else.

Anyway, I don’t feel I lack opportunities for spiritual growth in many other areas of my life, and I believe I can be content for now sitting in “quiet contemplation of Him who presides over us all”. My God will show me the way as long as I listen to Him. I find myself frequently praying for guidance and direction these days, and I try to appreciate that all my experiences are somehow a gift. For now, RCIA will go back in the box.
 
sparky100 said:
Perhaps my lack of experience with the Catholic Church has a great deal to do with my CRHP experience, but the other Catholic experiences I’ve previously enjoyed have been nothing remotely akin to CRHP. I won’t call it a cult, or evil, but I did sense a significant lack of real spiritual humility from the majority of the presenters, and they did seem bonded to one another in what seems somewhat unusual, even unhealthy, to me. Probably not a very good analogy, but it was like the high-school football team, all dressed in bright red jerseys just before the big game, raging testosterone, focused totally on winning, with little regard for anything else.

Anyway, I don’t feel I lack opportunities for spiritual growth in many other areas of my life, and I believe I can be content for now sitting in “quiet contemplation of Him who presides over us all”. My God will show me the way as long as I listen to Him. I find myself frequently praying for guidance and direction these days, and I try to appreciate that all my experiences are somehow a gift. For now, RCIA will go back in the box.
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YIKES! It’s not supposed to be that way. I’m sorry you had a bad experience. But just as there are entire football teams who bleed team spirit and nothing else, there are also some who go around performing volunteer acts of community service. I guess what I’m saying is each team is different because each one is made up of different people. Therefore, each CRHP experience is different.

The presenters were to have spent significant time in prayer and spiritual formation to prepare to serve the attendees. Yes, they do bond because of the hours and hours spent together, but their mission is to SERVE you and the others who come. Seems like that didn’t happen. It’s also unfortunate that you felt they lacked humility in giving witness. . . again, there is supposed to be someone from the parish who leads the group as a Spiritual Director. It is this person’s job to make sure all the witnesses are based in prayerfully sharing their experience of where God was present in the events of life.

I’m glad you’re not giving up on RCIA and the RCC after your experience! I led CRHP at my parish for 7 years (as a volunteer) and had extensive training from my Archdiocese. It was not a “progressive Catholic ministry” but instead, an opportunity to present the Faith from a more orthodox perspective. . . . because I made it that way. I started formation (the time the team prepares) with “Catholicism 101” before we even got to witness prep. It’s too bad it’s not like that where you are. But it might be in the future if another team comes in.

As for being secretive . . .it’s not that people can’t know what is happening next, but that the sequence of events makes the most sense as it’s lived. If you knew what the last event scheduled was without having gone thru the whole experience, it doesn’t have the same impact. If you mean “secretive” in terms of what is shared in the witnesses, then I’m with you - there is a huge difference between “public-private” and “private - private” . . for instance, it’s one thing if you want people to know you have an illness and it’s a whole other thing to go into gory detail about the type of illness and describing how you got the illness from participating in scandalous activity.

Anyway, no two people ever experience CRHP the same way. God bless you on your journey thru RCIA!!!
 
Thank you very much Suslar. It’s not my intention to bash CRHP, and your words offer some needed encouragement. I do find it disturbing that no one called to follow up concerning me leaving early. I didn’t just sneak out the back door, but instead took one of the leaders aside during a break to let him know I wasn’t comfortable. It’s not at all that I think I’m important enough to warrant a follow-up call…I suppose if the shoe had been on the other foot, I’d believe I’d have at least wanted to know why someone left early. Maybe there are still some sour grapes on my part, something I’m not proud of I promise.

I did meet with another married couple from the church for a couple of hours yesterday. They are not associated with CRHP and have never attended a CRHP weekend. They were leaders during the inquiry part of RCIA, and I’ve felt a special closeness with them since. They were immensely helpful in helping me recognize where my focus needs to remain. I don’t know what God has in store for me, but I trust that all of my experiences with guide me in His direction.

Again, thank your your encouragement. I’ve been an occasional Protestant all my life, but I never before found the closeness to God that I’ve experienced with the Catholic faith. It’s like having been spiritually hungry for years, and never even aware I was hungry at all. I hope that makes some sense…
 
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