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Events
2025 Adult and Lay Formation Holy Family Retreats and Pilgrimage
15
Mar
2025
9:00 a
“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 will serve as ongoing adult faith formation for lay Catholics to deepen their knowledge, understanding, and appreciation for the Catholic faith. It will also provide Catholic adults who are discerning whether to join the next Institute if 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 receive important faith formation and also be given time for prayer, reflection, and small group discussion with their peers. The culmination of this diocesan event will be an opportunity to participate in the annual, twenty-one mile Walk to Mary pilgrimage to the National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion in Wisconsin.
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!
Some Important Info about the Retreats
The retreats will offer Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, Confession, important faith formation, and time for retreatants to engage in small group discussion and reflection. A Spanish translator will also be available to assist any Catholics on the retreat whose primary language is Spanish. Lunch and snacks will also be provided. Daycare assistance will be offered during the retreats to those with young children (Ages 4-12). Children who are participating in daycare activities need to be potty-trained. A child who appears ill upon arrival for daycare activities shall not be admitted.
Children who are 4 years or older have a registration fee of $10. The $10 registration fee covers the child's lunch meal. Infants and toddlers (Ages 0-3) are free, but they won't be provided their own meal, so please pack snacks/meal options and beverages that your infant or toddler will eat and drink.
About the Walk to Mary
What is it? Why should I go? The Walk to Mary is an annual, twenty-one mile pilgrimage walk in Wisconsin. The pilgrimage begins at the National Shrine of St. Joseph located in St. Norbert College and ends at the only Church-approved Marian apparition site in the United States of America, the National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion. In 1859, Mary appeared to Adele Brise in Champion, Wisconsin instructing her to teach the Catholic faith to the children of the land. On this pilgrimage, pilgrims not only remember this beautifully simple Marian apparition, but they also journey spiritually with Joseph and Mary to witness their love and fidelity to Jesus Christ. People of diverse ages, races, and nationalities all come together to participate in this sacred experience.
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 for the Walk to Mary Pilgrimage ends on March 12th!!!
Registration
Register below or visit this link.