For young adults who were confirmed in or around their early teen years or for adults preparing for Confirmation, Heather Kinney offers the following retreat experience to reflect on the connections between what Confirmation celebrates and its ongoing impact in our lives.
As one of the three Sacraments of Initiation, together with Baptism and Eucharist, Confirmation does not always get the same level of attention as the other two. We rightly focus on Baptism as the birth of our Christian life and the Eucharist as the “source and summit of the Christian life,” but we do not often talk as much about Confirmation. The following retreat experience helps participants focus on the Holy Spirit in our everyday lives and how we each are to share our own gifts in making God known in our time and place.
Theme: “Be Sealed With the Gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Duration: Six hours
Core Elements: prayer, icebreakers/community builders, talks with time for reflection (journaling and conversation with partners and in small and large groups)
Suggested Schedule:
9:00 a.m. – Arrival and Hospitality/Refreshments
9:25 a.m. – Opening Prayer (ex. Liturgy of the Hours)
9:40 a.m. – Introduction of Retreat Theme
9:45 a.m. – Icebreakers/Community Builders
Now is a good time to invite participants to share their Confirmation saint (why they picked her/him and what about them is inspiring). If they do not have one or do not know, they could share about a person of faith who inspires them now.
If there is time, invite them to share with one or two others on a question that loosely connects to the retreat theme (ex. “When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?” Or “What is one great gift you received as a child (as an adult)? What is one great gift you gave as a child (as an adult)? What made these gifts meaningful?”
10:10 a.m. – Lectio Divina (1 Corinthians 12:3b-26)
10:20 a.m. – Journaling and Partner Sharing: What speaks to you from the reading?
10:35 a.m. – Break
10:50 a.m. – Talk: Everything we are and have is a gift from a generous and loving God.
11:05 a.m. – Individual Reflection: Gifts Inventory (A Google search offers many options for taking inventory of one’s gifts.)
11:20 a.m. – Small Group Sharing: Who or what in your life has inspired you to freely give of your gifts and talents?
11:40 a.m. – Large Group Sharing
12:00 p.m. – Lunch
1:00 p.m. – Talk: What we do with the gifts we have been given is our gift back to God.
1:15 p.m. – Journaling and Small Group Sharing: How have I used my gifts for the benefit of the community? How could I use my gifts for the benefit of others on a regular basis? Am I grateful for the gifts I have received? How might I show more gratitude for the gifts I have received?
1:40 p.m. – Bio Break
1:45 p.m. – Large Group Sharing
2:15 p.m. – Announcements
2:30 p.m. – Closing Prayer: Litany of (Our) Saints
