Spring 2025 Adult and Lay Formation Holy Family Retreats and Pilgrimage

 

“And when [Joseph and Mary] had performed everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth. And the child [Jesus] grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him” (Luke 2:39-40)

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The Diocese of Winona-Rochester is proud to present a series of retreats and a pilgrimage for its Catholic adult population. This diocesan event has a twofold purpose. First and foremost, it will serve as ongoing adult faith formation for lay Catholics to deepen their knowledge, understanding, and appreciation for the Catholic faith. Second, it will provide those Catholic adults who are discerning whether to join the next Institute of Lay Formation (ILF) class in Fall 2025 a snapshot of what they can experience and expect from a typical ILF formation session. The theme for this diocesan event is The Holy Family and it will comprise three formation retreats. Each retreat will have a particular focus, either on the Holy Family as a whole or on one of its members. During these retreats, retreatants will not only receive important faith formation, but will also be given time for prayer, reflection, and small group discussion with their peers. The culmination of this diocesan event will be a pilgrimage to the National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion in Wisconsin. Pilgrims will participate in the annual, twenty-one mile Walk to Mary, a pilgrimage that concludes at the only Church-approved Marian apparition site in the United States of America.

 

 

Dates and Locations

Holy Family Retreat | February 8, 2025 | 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. | St. Edward Parish, Austin, MN

St. Joseph Retreat | March 15, 2025 | 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. | St. Joseph Parish, Owatonna, MN

St. Mary Retreat | April 12, 2025 | 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. | Ss. Peter and Paul, Blue Earth, MN

Walk to Mary Pilgrimage | May 2-4, 2025 | Champion, WI

Download the flyer here. Please print and share this with your parish community!

 

About the Walk to Mary

What is it? Why should I go? The Walk to Mary has become a pilgrimage like no other in the world.  We start with St. Joseph (at the National Shrine of St. Joseph) and walk to Mary (at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion) to get to Jesus.  Our annual pilgrimage has impacted lives and filled hearts with many blessings from the Holy Family. The 21 mile walk spiritually prepares us for our destination – America’s only Church approved Marian apparition site, where in 1859, the Blessed Mother appeared to Adele Brise on the site of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion in Champion, Wisconsin. We walk because life is a journey of discovery and revelation, not a destination. Along the way, we tire, toil and triumph. We empty ourselves out, making room for the Holy Spirit to expand within us. When we arrive, tired and exhausted, we encounter the Shrine of Our Lady of Champion as a refreshing oasis along life’s journey, offering respite for all who are weary and thirsty. Pilgrims of all ages and nationalities unite for this blessed event. Some walk in groups to share the experience and others walk in reflective silence. Everyone has their own purpose for completing the pilgrimage.

Who can attend? The Walk to Mary is open to people of all ages specifically for people interested in discerning to enroll in the Institute of Lay Formation in September of 2025.

For a detailed look at the pilgrimage, click here. Please print and share this with your parish community!

 

Registration

Coming soon!