Puppets introduce the retreat themes Jan. 30 at Sacred Heart Parish, Hawi.
Story and photo by Jayne Mondoy Special to the Herald
The “family retreat” continues to roll across the state. These are days of spiritual reflection, coordinated by the diocesan Office of Religious Education, that the whole ohana can attend.
Parents who attended the Maui family retreat Sept. 9 at St. Anthony Parish, Wailuku, commented:
“I really needed this!”
“It was good to be with other Catholic families, to be able to speak freely about some of the challenges we face in raising our children in the faith.”
“We might see each other at Mass but this retreat helped us to get to know each other. We plan to get together with a couple of families that we met today because our kids got along so well.
“To see my teenage son participate in a faith sharing group with other Catholic teens brought tears to my eyes. He’s in our parish youth group but I never get to see him interact with others like this.”
“I loved attending Mass and receiving Holy Communion with all the families we bonded with during the retreat. It was a renewed sense of community.”
Catechists on the Big Island gathered at Sacred Heart Parish, Hawi, Jan. 30 to familiarize themselves with the family retreat format. It’s built around four themes: communication, affirmation, reconciliation and commitment.
At a retreat, a puppet skit introduces each theme. Participants then move to peer groups — adults, teens, pre-teens and young children — for age-appropriate conversations and activities.
For example, while parents discuss family communication skills, young children learn that prayer is a way to communicate with God. They make paper umbrellas to depict prayer as God’s love “raining down upon us.”
After spending time in peer groups, families reunite to explore the theme through conversation and a family activity.
The theme of reconciliation is explored by examining ways family members may have hurt one another. Quiet time is spent as a family, sharing hand-written letters of reconciliation and peace.
The session culminates in a foot-washing ceremony, with the parents washing each other’s feet then, together, washing the feet of their children.
Hawaii Island catechists plan to introduce family retreats in the upcoming months.
To learn more about the family retreat, contact Marianist Brother Dennis Schmitz, baldschmitz@aol.com; or Jayne Mondoy, diocesan Director of Religious Education, jmondoy@rcchawaii.org.
Mondoy is the diocesan Director of Religious Education.