The Holy Family: Adult Faith & Lay Formation Event Series Planned for 2025

By BRIAN HANSEN

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

In the winter and spring of 2025, the Diocese of Winona-Rochester will offer a series of retreats and a pilgrimage for its Catholic adult population. This diocesan event has a two-fold 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 the fall of 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, 21-mile Walk to Mary, a pilgrimage that concludes at the only Churchapproved Marian apparition site in the United States of America.

The hope and intended outcomes for The Holy Family retreats and pilgrimage are for Catholic men and women to develop a greater devotion to the Holy Family in their prayer life. The retreats and pilgrimage will also impart to Catholic husbands/ fathers and wives/mothers a greater awareness of and commitment to the pivotal role they have in the spiritual formation, sanctification, and salvation of their spouses and children. Consequently, Catholic families in our diocese can then strive to be intentional in practicing and living out their Catholic faith and identity inside and outside their homes. Doing so is absolutely vital. Not only does this fulfill the laity’s Christian calling to witness Jesus Christ and his Gospel in the world so as to transform it, but it also perpetuates and renews the Church’s life because the Catholic family is the wellspring of religious and marital vocations from which Holy Mother Church drinks to preserve her wellbeing. Some general information about the dates, locations, and times of the retreats and pilgrimage are mentioned here. However, in the coming weeks, more details for these events will be made available, along with access to registration, on the diocesan website. So stay tuned, and we hope many lay Catholic adults will attend and/or journey with us in the upcoming pilgrimage!

Holy Family Retreat

Saturday, February 8, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

St. Edward Parish, Austin

St. Joseph Retreat

Saturday, March 15, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

St. Joseph Parish, Owatonna

St. Mary Retreat

Saturday, April 12, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Ss. Peter & Paul Parish, Blue Earth

Walk to Mary Pilgrimage

Friday, May 2 - Sunday, May 4

Champion, WI

Brian Hansen is the coordinator for adult faith & lay formation for the Diocese of Winona-Rochester.