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Frequently
Asked Questions |
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What
is the Emmaus retreat? |
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It is a spiritual retreat for men given by laymen, or for women given by laywomen. The laymen/laywomen are your peers in the community who face the same challenges and obstacles you do on a daily basis. The retreat offers a unique opportunity for personal spiritual growth. Who can attend an Emmaus retreat? Anyone who is over the age of 21 can attend. Those who are seeking answers to questions, which need a contemplative environment rather than the hustle and bustle of our every day mundane life are welcome. Others, however, are not seeking answers yet realize the need to change their life and aren't sure where to look for direction. Some attend the retreat willingly, others are forced to attend by a loved one and others attend seeking refuge from stress, anxiety or addictions. All are welcome and have the opportunity to change their lives forever. Do I have to be Catholic to attend an Emmaus retreat? No. Many men and women who are not Catholic have experienced the retreat. There has always been a positive reaction from non-Catholic retreatants. What if I am divorced, can I still attend an Emmaus retreat? Yes. The retreat is geared towards anyone who has the need to reflect upon their life, assess where they are at the present moment and find direction for the future. How does the Emmaus retreat fit in with Parish life? One of the things the retreat points to is the sense of community life we are presently living and where we want to go from there. What are the personal benefits to attending an Emmaus retreat? It helps the individual focus their life in a positive and meaningful way. It may be as simple as learning to pray or serving the community by volunteering their time with a charity or ministry, such as feeding the homeless or visiting the sick in a hospital or even corresponding with men or women in prison. What are the community benefits to sponsoring Emmaus retreats? It becomes the instrument by which individuals return to a community setting. Where everyone is there to help others and in return finds the help and/or answers they might be seeking for themselves. When an individual does his or her retreat they will find that they belong to a large family. That is the nature and spirit, in which Emmaus retreatants interact. We learn to treat each other as brothers and sisters.
In our Web site there is a list of Parishes with all the scheduled retreats in the coming weeks and months. There are many to choose from. Maybe your Parish has an Emmaus Ministry. What if my Parish does not offer Emmaus retreats? In our Web site there is a list of those Parishes, which do have Emmaus retreats, with their schedules. Pick the closest one to your Parish and call the contact person that you will find on the list. He or she will instruct you accordingly. Emmaus began in St. Louis parish in Kendall by Sister Myrna Gallagher. To read more about the history of the retreat see "The History of Emmaus" on the previous page. Are there any differences between the women and men's retreat, or between parishes? There are no fundamental differences as they all follow the same format. There may be some subtle differences since your peers run each retreat and each parish supervises its own retreats. The differences would simply exist to accommodate the different sexes or different Charisms of each Parish. Are there any activities for after the retreat? Yes. Once you have participated in the retreat, you can then attend monthly meetings held at the parish. At these meetings they sometimes have lectures. If not then there usually is a topic for discussion. Sometimes there are organized functions where both the women and the men get together. I just finished my retreat no too long ago but I'm not sure what else to do other than go to the monthly meetings? Check our Parish directory in our Web Site and call the team leader so you can speak with him or he can direct you to someone else in the Parish. There are many ministries in most Parishes where they are always grateful to have more volunteers. I just finished my retreat and I am more confused than before the retreat … what do I do? Call one of the Emmaus brothers or sisters in your Parish. Remember, we are all there to help each other. This is what makes us a community, with Christ's teachings as our rule and guide. Exercise your Spirituality. Just as we diet and keep fit and attend school and study, we must also exercise our Spirituality and feed our soul. There's not much going on in my parish that I'm interested in, who can tell me what else is going on in other parishes?Go to our previous web pages and check out other parishes and their upcoming events. My Pastor is not very enthusiastic about Emmaus retreats, what should I do? Try speaking to a Pastor at another parish so that maybe he will bring it up to the attention of your Pastor. The chief job of a Diocesan priest is to serve his community. Also, let us know as we may be better able to explain the benefits of the retreats to your Pastor. Those I love the most are turned off by my Emmaus experience … what should I do? The first order of business is to pray, pray, pray … The second order of business is to set an example, just as Christ did, and live a truly Christian life. This doesn't mean that we are going to be perfect. Only our God is perfect. Finally be patient, God has His own agenda. Accept His will and do His will, only He knows what is best for everyone. Call your table or retreat leader also, he has probably experienced something similar before. With these four guidelines and the Grace of our Lord you will persevere. Is this another of those programs for saints? Not at all, it is a relaxed weekend where you will have a chance to bond with others by sharing life's experiences. Remember that the retreat leaders are your peers in the community, they have experienced all of the challenges and temptations you have. More importantly, they continue to experience them yet have found a way to overcome them to the benefit of all. |