As with some of the other sacraments, a retreat is required in advance of the reception of the sacrament of Confirmation. The goal for this retreat is that candidates for Confirmation will have a deepened spiritual life which will make their reception of the sacrament of Confirmation both more meaningful and fruitful.
Most questions that we get about the retreat requirement often ask what "counts" towards the requirement and what does not. It is a good reminder to note that the goal is not simply to check the box that they have done the retreat but that the parish has done what they can to facilitate a deepened spiritual life. For many candidates, the retreat requirement is a great opportunity for us to facilitate in their lives a deep initial conversion. For others, who are already active in their faith, the goal of retreat may be different. The prior knowledge of where each candidate is at will help a parish decide which retreats adequately accomplish the goal of this requirement.
The following conditions are required for all confirmation retreats.
1. Retreat should be least six (6) consecutive hours in length.
An ideal retreat takes people out of their everyday lives for enough time for them to collect themselves and to be able to rest in God's presence without the distraction of having to be anywhere or do anything. Six hours is hardly enough time for most people to be able to do so. Although, we understand that this requirement is one of the most difficult for parents and candidates to understand and to commit to, a clear explanation of why the retreat is in place can be incredibly helpful in encouraging parents to make the necessary sacrifices for their child to receive what an ideal retreat will offer.
2. Retreat should include opportunities for participants to share in a small group setting with no more than 7 other youth in a group.
Retreats are great opportunities for youth to share their hearts and to open themselves up in different ways. Small groups in a retreat setting are great opportunities to invite the youth more personally to open up to more fully receive God's love. It is important that those leading the small groups have been adequately trained and understand the reason for small groups.
3. Parish should offer some form of follow-up that invites the youth to share their experience of the retreat. Follow-up could include one of the following:
Contact and follow-up by DRE/YM/Priest/Catechist. Sharing experiences, thoughts, etc.
Invitation to youth to give testimony of retreat to the parish (youth group, church elders, religious education class, etc.)
Short essay by participant reflecting on retreat experience.
Follow-up letter from DRE/YM/Catechist/Mentor inviting the youth to participate in a parish youth group, prayer group or bible study.
This is in place so that youth have an opportunity to share what they have received an experience their faith more fully. For those youth who attended a retreat and had their first conversion experience, inviting them into regular Discipleship would be ideal. As most youth leaders know, the temptations and struggles after a retreat can be very difficult and one can feel very desolate. This guideline in place to stress the responsibility of the parish to be involved after the retreat has taken place.
4. Retreats not offered directly by the Parish or Diocese should be pre-approved by the parish Pastor.
Technically ALL retreats that a Confirmation Coordinator is using for this requirement need to be pre-approved by the pastor. This guideline more or less stresses that just because something is published or promoted by any person or organization, does not mean it will adequately fulfill the requirement. Ultimately, it is up to the pastor to make the call as to whether or not the retreat will fulfill the requirement.
For the best retreat experience, we recommend the following:
1. Youth are encouraged to attend a retreat outside of the parish in order to experience the wider diocesan church.
As mentioned before, the idea of a retreat is to get away from the norm. When the only retreat that is offered to the youth is one that is hosted by the parish and is only for those youth in that parish, it can be very difficult for a youth to open up as much as they do when they are somewhere different and with other people. Through events like D-Camp and the Youth Rallies, we have found the atmosphere of many other youth that are excited about the faith to be a great gift in helping youth more fully receive what God is trying to do through the retreat.
2. Retreat should include an opportunity for youth to receive the sacrament of Reconciliation along with time for a quality Examination of Conscience prior to receiving the sacrament. If this is not possible, it is recommended that parishes offer class reconciliation times just prior to receiving the sacrament so that all youth may have this opportunity.
The goal here is clearly that youth can receive the Sacrament free from mortal sin. It is recommended that even if there is Reconciliation at the retreat, that there be several opportunities just prior to receiving the Sacrament for the candidates to go.
3. One adult for every 6-8 youth from the parish should be involved and participate fully in the retreat experience with the youth.
It is important that the excitement for the faith and the love of God be shared and modeled by adults on retreats. This is not really specific to Confirmation Retreats, but ALL youth retreats.
4. If possible, parish priest(s) are encouraged to be involved in the retreat, by giving a talk or administering the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
This is mostly a reminder that if the retreat is being offered by the parish that a spiritual director be involved. It is important for the candidates to know of the involvement of the priest(s) in their preparation for the Sacrament.
5. Retreat should include a quiet time of Eucharistic Adoration if possible.
The goal of the retreat should be to facilitate opportunities for the candidate to experience Christ. Effective retreats build up to that moment of prayer where the retreatant is invited to open themselves up to Christ and receive His love. In short, we must prepare the way for Christ to do His work. An effective retreat should be centered on prayer and the Sacraments.
6. All day, overnight, or weekend retreats allow for more opportunities to deepen the faith of the participant.
This was briefly mentioned above, but Confirmation Coordinators should do what they can to encourage and invite youth to a retreat experience that will be most effective. It is understandable that every youth may not be able to do so. Personal relationships between adults and youth in the parish and in the Confirmation Program will be most effective in drawing candidates in and getting them to accept the invite to a deeper encounter like this. Simply requiring a "longer" retreat will likely only cause more problems for the coordinator and the pastor. Coordinators should pass on this desire of the pastor to those adults involved. Those adults should then respond by doing what they can to invite the youth to go even deeper.