January 30, 2014 Dear Parent, Life is extremely full and noisy. We juggle many responsibilities and many activities. A retreat provides us with some quiet time to reconnect with the sacred in our lives and to hear how God is calling us into a deeper relationship with Him and His Church. A retreat is not primarily about teaching information about the faith but rather it is an opportunity for participants to grow in faith. We step back or retreat from our regular day-‐to-‐day life and allow ourselves to be open to the Holy Spirit. With teenagers, it is best done in an overnight setting for at least two nights. This length of time is necessary to reach the depth that a retreat requires. Our retreat will take place on Friday, February 21 at 4 pm until Sunday, February 23 at Noon. We will gather at St. Rose St. Mary’s School at 4 pm to carpool to Camp Tekawitha outside of Shawano. Cars will be driven by adults over the age of 21. The Retreat will conclude with the 10:30 am Mass at St. Mary’s to which parents are expected to attend as the Confirmandi will renew their baptismal vows. We will need a few drivers to pick-‐up students at 9 am on Sunday from Camp Tekawitha and transport them to St. Mary’s. Enclosed you will find the necessary permission forms, code of conduct, a letter for your candidate with a list of what to bring, a sheet with emergency information with a slip to return, and palanca letter & prayer information. Please return the Code of Conduct, Permission Forms and slip indicating whether you can drive the Maria Scherer by Wednesday, February 12. Young people planning to be confirmed on May 10th must attend our Confirmation Retreat in its entirety. While setting priorities may be challenging, preparing for full initiation into our faith is serious enough to warrant 44 hours of time for reflection. Each year as we interview Confirmation candidates, they remark on how valuable the retreat experience was for them. We are confident your young person will feel the same way. We applaud you for the efforts you have made in raising fine children. It is an honor to journey with you and your teenager. If you have further questions our phone number and email are listed above. All forms were passed out at RE on January 29, so hopefully this letter serves as a reminder and not a first contact. Sincerely, Jennifer Wood Lincoln Wood Maria Scherer Director of Religious Education Parish Director Coordinator of Youth Formation St. Rose St. Mary’s Religious Education 715-823-3416 Jennifer Wood, Director Maria Scherer, Coordinator 140 Auto St Clintonville, WI 54929 [email protected] [email protected] www.ssrmparishes.org We want to welcome you in advance to our 2014 Confirmation Retreat “Help Me Find It” at Camp Tekawitha. We hope you will find your time both enjoyable and enriching. Here is a list of what to bring. • A sleeping bag or bedding and a pillow. Camp Tekawitha will provide a bed. • Towels, soap, toothbrush, and other overnight necessities. • Comfortable clothes for indoors and out, including boots and winter gear. • A snack to share with the group. The parishes will provide hot cocoa, water and soda. In the past our group has especially appreciated veggies, fruit, chips and homemade goodies. • Electricity is limited in the cabins, so be advised that hair should be kept simple for the weekend. Here is a list of what not to bring. • Alcohol and any illegal drugs are absolutely forbidden. The police will be called if there is any evidence of possession or use of these substances. The youth involved will be sent home immediately. • Please do not bring cell phones, radios, CD players, ipods, head phones, schoolbooks, or any tobacco products. We are retreating from our everyday distractions and friends. If you choose to bring these items along, our retreat team will choose to take them away until the end of the retreat. We will have a phone available in case of an emergency. Plentiful meals are provided by Camp Tekawitha. Please bring a snack to share with the group. However, food and drinks are not allowed in the dormitories. We don’t want critters. In case of emergency, a message can be left at 715-460-5202. Messages will be checked periodically throughout the retreat. We are looking forward to sharing this important time with you. Please contact Jenn Wood or Maria Scherer at the number and email listed below if you have any questions. Your Retreat Team! St. Rose St. Mary’s Religious Education 715-823-3416 Jennifer Wood, Director Maria Scherer, Coordinator 140 Auto St Clintonville, WI 54929 [email protected] [email protected] www.ssrmparishes.org