Parish Retreat Ministry

 “CRHP” is an acronym that stands for “Christ Renews His Parish.” Welcome reminds us that there is more to life. Both are two-day retreats that are offered to all parishioners and others who wish to participate.

Upcoming Weekends: 

Women’s CRHP – March 15-16, 2025 at Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Center, Norwood. 

Women’s CRHP – March 14-15, 2026 at Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Center, Norwood. 

Christ Renews His Parish and Welcome are a personal and parish spiritual renewal process.  CRHP is for spiritual renewal and community-building. It is intended to strengthen personal faith commitments to God and to the parish. As Catholic Christians, we are called to witness to one another the amazing things God has done for us. The CRHP and Welcome processes allows us to do just that — take a break from our busy lives; maybe put things in a better perspective about our faith life; share our faith and life's journeys with others; and get to know God through His works.

The retreat program is designed to bring members of our parish together in Christ. It is an effort to make us more aware of what our faith means and what it means to be a parishioner. The weekend includes reflection by team members about their life experiences and faith journeys, group activities, Mass and prayer. 

The weekend is also an opportunity for each individual to respond to Christ’s call to a closer and deeper relationship with Him in a relaxed atmosphere.

 A team of fellow parishioners who have made a previous renewal weekend present the weekend. It begins at 8 a.m. on Saturday and ends by about 3 p.m. on Sunday. There will be a Eucharistic celebration for those who attend the weekend on Saturday evening.

Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Center will put you at rest! Your private room will have a comfortable bed, including linens. Bathrooms and showers are located on each floor for your convenience. There will be regular breaks for drinks and snacks. 

 Personal invitations will be sent to prospective attendees by CRHP Team Members or complete the information form and submit to St. Mary Parish Office, c/o Jenn Ledonne. 

Praying for guidance about the decision to attend is important. If you feel that Christ is calling you through the Holy Spirit, or through a friend or family member, please prayerfully consider joining us.  

The registration fee to attend the weekend is $55. No one will be turned away for lack of funds. If you have questions regarding registration, they may be directed to the parish office at:

St. Mary Parish

Phone: 859-635-4188

E-mail: stmaryalex@fuse.net

CRHP has impacted almost 1000 lives since it began at St. Mary Parish over 25 years ago. Each year those who have participated in CRHP are asked to “pay it forward” to allow someone else to experience CRHP. 

Looking to go deeper after having served on a team? Consider becoming a Formation Leader. This role helps guide a team from post-retreat weekend through the giving  of a new retreat weekend. There are 2-3 Formation Leaders per team, to help distribute the responsibilities. If this is something you're feeling called to, please click the link below and complete the form. Without Formation Leaders, a team cannot plan a retreat weekend.

If you're wanting to be involved, but can't commit to the time to be on or lead a team, please consider donating to help offset the costs of a retreat weekend or team formation. Your donation, no matter the size, makes a difference. Donations can be placed in the collection basket or dropped at the parish office marked “CRHP Donation.” Thank you so much for passing on the gift of CRHP!

 A team of fellow parishioners work to provide a men's camping retreat each spring.
If you'd like to be part of the giving team, contact Deacon Tim Britt at  deacontimbritt@gmail.com or call the parish office at 859-635-4188 to leave a message for him.  

Watch for registration information coming spring 2025.