ST. KATHARINE DREXEL CATHOLIC CHURCH

Here you will find the most frequent asked questions about the Emmaus Retreat. Nevertheless, if you still have any question not covered in this page, just send it to us through the Contact Us option at the menu above and we will be glad to answer it to you.

Emmaus Retreat

What is this Emmaus Retreat about?

Emmaus

Who can participate in this Retreat? Only Roman Catholics?

The Emmaus Retreat is based and follows the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. Every participant will be informed about it before registration is accepted. We expect each retreatant to come with an open heart to fully live this experience with the willingness to get closer to our savior, Jesus Christ.

So, if you're 25 years old (or older) and if you want to have your life changed by walking by Jesus Christ's side in this Road to Emmaus, we will be there walking also with you.

(*) If you are not yet 25 y/o, but if you feel the need to live this experience and understand you are ready for it, send us a message through Contact Us option letting us know about it, and we will do our best to get you registered.

So, ready to register? Just go to the menu above and select which retreat is yours (for women or for men) and do it! Not an English speaking person? No problem, just click on the flag to switch to the language of your preference.

Is there a cost to participate? How much should I pay and what does it cover?

When & where does this Retreat happen? And ... how long is the Retreat?

How does the registration process work?

And, what if I have special needs (food, medication, etc.)?

I've talked to other people who alredady did this Retreat, but nobody wants to give me details about what happens there? Why is it so secretive?

By definition, to Retreat means to stop the current course, to step back a little and then give ourselves the opportunity, outside of the current moment (noises and distractions), to rethink our strategies for the future. That's not only true for the military, but also for businesses and for each one of us in our personal lives.

The Catholic Church has many of those retreats, some for couples, for kids and teenagers, even for Priests. The Emmaus Retreat is one of them, especially designed to give us an opportunity to find ourselves and to restablish a closer relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ. The Retreat is conducted by Lay Men, previous Retreatants like you will be. If you want to know more about the history behind the Emmaus Retreat's creation and implementation, just click HERE.

We charge the minimmum amount possible as registration fee, just enough to cover the Retreat expenses, which are:

- Retreat House rental for the weekend;

- Transportation;

- All meals and snacks/beverages for break sessions;

- Emmaus Polo Shirts for each Retreatant;

- All materials (office, cleaning, etc.)

With the current Retreat House we are using (great facilities) the Registration Fee is US$ 200.00 (two hundred US dollars). This fee might change (lower or higher) but you will see it in the Registration Form.

(*) Now, if you need to live the experience of the Retreat but you are currently in a complicated financial situation, there is a space in the Registration Form to mention it. Don't feel embarassed - just remember to mark that box and we will do our best to accomodate your need. We only ask you not to use that option if you are not really going through a financial distress as it might take resources we could use for other men really living in that situation.

The dates of the next Retreats can be found in our Home Page.

The Retreat starts around 5:00pm on a Friday and finishes at the same time on Sunday (so, 48 hours long). All Retreatants will receive clear instructions during the week that preceeds the Retreat about where to meet before it starts and at what time, what to bring (and what not to bring), etc.

Our Parish works with different Retreat Houses - all of them with great infrastructure to accomodate all our needs to prepare and conduct a great Retreat. There's no need to know the exact location as our team will be in charge of bringing all Retreatants to the House and then back to St Katharine Drexel Catholic Church in Weston, FL.

May I bring my cell phone, or tablet, or even my laptop to the Retreat House, just in case I need to use them for an emergency?

Actually it is really simple:

- Find and click on the Registration option at the Page Menu - select the Retreat you are looking for;

- At the Registration Page, you can either do your registration using an on-line secure form, or manually by clicking on the form image, printing it, filling it out, scanning it and sending it to the e-mail address mentioned at the page.

All your information will be safe and never shared with anyone outside the registration team, and payment information is encrypted when submitted.

Unfortunately not, as it would conflict with the very definition of a Retreat. You will be there, with God and with us, for the weekend, and we know that the best way for us, mordern men, to focus on what is really important is to be fully disconnected. Do not worry though - our team leaders will have their own cell phones that could be used in case of emergencies - those phone numbers will be given to your family members for those cases. We ask you to TRUST in God's care - not even wristwaches are allowed as to know the time is really not necessary for you. Just relax and enjoy the walk.

We encourage you not even to bring those items - if you do, they will be collected from you and returned at the end of the Retreat.

What happens after the Retreat?

Don't worry - we will do everything we can to accomodate any special needs you might have, as long they are related to your health and/or physical situation. The Registration Form will ask you if you have any food restrictions or any health conditions we might need to be attentive to, and even if there are medications you must take at specific times so we can remind you about them.

You will not be able to pick and choose what do you want to eat out of a menu though - a big part of the humbleness exercise is to accept what is lovingly offered to you and to be thankful for that - what we can ensure you is that you won't be hungry at any time!

If you have any other health or physical condition we must be informed about, just mention them in the registration form - we will not disclose it to anybody who doesn't need to know about it!

Well, that might be the million-dollar question, and only you can answer that! Our job is to reintroduce you to God, our Loving Father, and to Jesus Christ, our Savior. We will show you a way to get intimate with God again. After that, how you will conduct your life and if you will get closer to the church offering your talents and your time to help others, it will be your decision. The second most beautiful gift God has given to all of us, after life itself, is our free-will. What you can count on is to have a new Emmaus family to help you deciding which would be your next steps to get even closer to God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit).

First of all, instead of being mad with those people, thank them for not giving you details about the Retreat! How would you feel if a friend comes to you and shares the end of a great new movie? Or the final score of a great game you still couldn't watch? Or, even, who won a great car race?

SPOIL ALERT!!!! (not)

There are so many great things during the Emmaus Retreat, really fantastic experiences that only can happen if you're caught by surprise, with no previous preparation and, for sure, no rehearsal - that's when God will talk straight to your heart. You will see - trust us, and trust in God!

Then, when your Retreat is finished, you will not only fully understand the need not to disclosure details about the Retreat, but also you will see yourself doing the same! So, it's not "secretive", just making sure others will enjoy the same "surprises" as you did!