We organized this retreat in the Lent of 2018 in Fényi Gyula Jesuit High School with 600 students. The description can be used by group leaders as is.
We can often and quite easily lose the purity of our souls. Conscious sins, unconscious errors, and unintended mistakes make us dirty. We can try in vain, our own resources are not enough to have a new beginning; we are not able to cleanse ourselves. The good news, the Gospel is that God unconditionally forgives us and cleanses us again and again, every time when we ask Him with just one word.
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Collect everything with the help of parents
Each group will need:
For the starting activity and Holy mass at the end:
If there is not a large enough hall available and it is too cold to meet outdoors, the beginning can be broadcast on the school radio. In this case, the groups can do the introductory activity in their rooms.
Recommended songs:
Greetings, announcing the program of the day.
Introduction story: Some students who can read well will read the story, also we may want to include some of the teachers too. We can play the sound of a train in the background.
Introductory words: A short introduction of the theme. Do not preach! The speaker can share his personal experiences with his own words.
„Today we are trying to look upon our merciful, loving God. It will help us understand sin better. It is so liberating to understand that the whole life of Jesus is a challenge, that even the biggest sinner can have a new start in life. Let us think about the story of the Prodigal son, or the lost sheep and the lost drachma. They were found, they were accepted, they found their places again. But we can also remember the miracles of Jesus. They show that there is healing and recovery from all human weaknesses. He healed the leper, the paralytic, the blind, to show us, by the power of God, that the most impossible person will be able to stand up and reach the light.”
We often reject the sinner. We quite often and quite easily forsake one another… for example we say things like, ‘well this person will not amount to anything’. But Jesus teaches us that God will never cease to be our Father. When we turn our backs on Him, He still keeps loving us and waits patiently for us to repent and come back to Him. There is no sin He can’t wash away, from which we can’t return to Him. Whatever may happen, the important thing is that you return to Jesus with full confidence, and start following him.
Setting of
After the introduction the group leaders give one piece of clean, white cloth to every group
member (at this point do not explain what it is for).
The group leaders have to read the recommended activities as a preparation. It is not necessary to do all activities. Be bold and try to choose from among the less comfortable activities as well! Consider the age of your group, but make sure you have some quiet activities and prayer, whether they are older or younger children.
If we want to make sure we are going to spend some beautiful and meaningful hours with the group, we have to tune into the group activity, to one another and God.
Games are good ways to let the group members get used to being together, and quieten down. First play some livelier games, and after them some quieter ones.
The children stand in a circle, and close their eyes. Tell them to step toward the centre with both arms stretched out in front of them and randomly grab two other hands. (The group leader who is leading the game can help here.) When every hand is holding another hand, they open their eyes. The task is to untangle themselves into one big circle again, or as much as possible, without letting any hands go.
The players form pairs and walk around in the room having a conversation about a given topic. They have to avoid saying yes or no. If someone accidentally says yes or no they have to find a new partner. The given topic can be anything like Christmas shopping, holiday plans, favourite food, interesting family stories etc. The players will soon figure out how to trick each other into saying the forbidden words, yes or no. The group leader signals the end of the game when he/she feels everyone has talked with everybody.
The group sits in a circle, somebody is standing in the middle. There are less chairs than children. The child in the centre, the wind-blower, starts with a statement: “A big wind blows away those who… ( are wearing black socks, have blue eyes, have two siblings… there are endless variations)”. The statement has to be true for the one who says it. Every time all the children for whom the statement is true, have to stand up and quickly sit down on another chair. They are not allowed to sit on the chair adjacent to their own chair. The child in the middle also tries to sit down. One person will be left without a seat, he will stand in the middle and say another statement. If the group leader notices that someone is always left out, he can suggest a tornado, when everybody must stand up. If the one in the middle runs out of ideas, the group leader can help with a question: “What is your favourite season? What is your favourite toy?” The group leader can also whisper a helpful idea in the ear of the wind-blower to make sure the game is fast paced.
The players sit in a circle, someone throws a ball or stuffed toy to another person. The receiver holds the objects for a few seconds, and laughs while holding it. Then they stop laughing and throw the object on to the next person. Nobody else is allowed to laugh, only the catcher.
If somebody forgets to laugh or laughs when it is not their turn, they have to stand up while the others play. The players standing are allowed to laugh. Because laughter is quite contagious, most probably everyone will be standing up laughing by the end.
The treasure is going to be a small object. The group is sitting or standing in a circle. Someone leaves the room (or just stands in a corner with their back to the group). The group members start quickly passing on the treasure to one another. Before the person waiting outside or in the corner wants to enter or turn back towards the room, they knock loudly three times and quickly enter or turn to the group. The person holding the treasure must hide it either on themselves or right by themselves as fast as possible as soon as the treasure hunter enters or turns around. The treasure hunter player has to find out who had the treasure at the moment of their entry and where it is hidden.
The players sit in a circle with someone sitting in the middle, blindfolded. The person in the middle has to guess who spoke. After blindfolding the person in the middle, the group members quietly change places. Then the person in the middle randomly points to someone. The chosen person has to change their voice and say the name of the player in the middle. If the one in the middle guesses correctly who said his name, they change places.
The players stand in a circle holding hands. One player is standing in the middle. Somebody in the circle sends a letter saying “I am sending my letter to XY’’ and sends the letter in one direction with a hand squeeze. When the person in the middle can see the hand squeeze, he points to the person sending it, and changes places with the sender. When the addressee gets the letter, he/she says “I got it!”. He can start sending the next letter.
The players have to line up according to their date of birth. It is forbidden to speak, but they can give signals. ‘The floor is lava!’ version: We may place newspapers on the floor, and the players must stand on them. There must be two extra newspapers on the floor on which they can stand. The floor is lava, therefore players are not allowed to step on the floor only on the newspapers. They are allowed to move the extra papers wherever they need to step in the line. When they are lined up, check the results by everybody telling their date of birth. Blindfolded version: You can play it allowing the players to speak, but they have to line up blindfolded.
Ask the group about the story in the introduction. „What touched you in the story? Is it a familiar situation? Can you forgive like that family? Which Bible story talks about something similar? What are the differences between the two stories?”
It doesn’t matter if this time the discussion is rather flat and ends quickly. This is only the beginning. Later you can have a deeper conversation.
Read the Bible passage twice, very slowly | Lk 15:11-32
„A man had two sons, and the younger son said to his father, ‚Father, give me the share of your estate that should come to me.’ So the father divided the property between them.
After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings and set off for a distant country where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation. When he had freely spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he found himself in dire need. So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens who sent him to his farm to tend the swine. And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed, but nobody gave him any.
Coming to his senses he thought, ‚How many of my father’s hired workers have more than enough food to eat, but here am I, dying of hunger. I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, „Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers.” So he got up and went back to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him. His son said to him, ‚Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son.’
But his father ordered his servants, ‚Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.’ Then the celebration began.
(verses 25-31)
Now the older son had been out in the field and, on his way back, as he neared the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing. He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean. The servant said to him, ‚Your brother has returned and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ He became angry, and when he refused to enter the house, his father came out and pleaded with him.
He said to his father in reply, ‚Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends. But when your son returns who swallowed up your property with prostitutes, for him you slaughter the fattened calf.’ He said to him, My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours. But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’”
An example of how to tell the story simply with our own words:
Jesus told them one more story. It was about a young man who left the house of his parents, went to a faraway country and wasted all his money. When he had no money left, he did not know what to do. There was famine in that country at the time, and he was starving. He was so desperate that he took the worst possible of jobs: feeding the pigs in a pig farm. He was so hungry that he would have eaten even from the pigs’ food. Maybe that is what he ate actually. Then he thought to himself: “At home, in my father’s house the servants live much better than I live now. I will go back to my father, tell him how sorry I am that I have lived such a sinful life. I will tell him that I am truly sorry. I know I am not worthy to be called his son any more, but maybe he will take me back as his servant.”
As he was approaching his home, his father saw him coming from afar. The father rejoiced and ran out of the house to meet him. He hugged his son. The young man said to his father: “Father, I know I have sinned. I am not worthy to be your son. Please, accept me as your servant.” But his father interrupted him and called his servants: “Hurry up, bring clean clothes, good shoes. Start cooking the nicest food because my son has come home!” They had a big celebration, they were all rejoicing, because the son returned home, to his father’s house.
The group leaders can choose the way they want to process the story based on the age of the group. You can change the order of the activities. You can do several activities, or just one or two but have more discussion. The important thing is that you look at all the possibilities before the retreat so that you know what to choose from.
Be sure to leave enough time for the last activity, the examination of conscience and the closing prayer!
Ask the group to sit comfortably in silence, and try to imagine the events as they are listening to the story.
Read the story. Twice, and slowly. You may want to insert your own words to make it more vivid and detailed.
SCRIPTURE PASSAGE | Lk 15:1-10
„The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to him, but the Pharisees and scribes
began to complain, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” So to them he
addressed this parable. „Ez bűnösökkel áll szóba és velük eszik.”
“What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it? And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy and, upon his arrival home, he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’
I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.
“Or what woman having ten coins and losing one would not light a lamp and sweep the house, searching carefully until she finds it?
And when she does find it, she calls together her friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found the coin that I lost.’
In just the same way, I tell you, there will be rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents.””
An example of telling these parables with our own words:
Jesus told them another story about a man who had one hundred sheep. One day a lamb strayed away from the flock. The shepherd immediately left the rest of the herd and set out to look for him. He searched as long as he found him. He put the lamb around his neck and walked home. At home he told his friends: “Rejoice with me, I found the lost lamb.”
Jesus also explained the story: There is great happiness in Heaven when just one repents and returns to the right way. To repent means to be truly sorry for the sins we committed and decide that we will not sin again.
Jesus told them one more story about a woman. She had ten silver coins. That was all the money she had, but one day she lost a coin. She was looking for it everywhere in her house, took a broom and started cleaning, hoping that she would find it. And that is how she eventually found it. She was very happy. Hesus explained that it is exactly like that in Heaven too. Everybody, even the angels in Heaven are happy when a sinner repents.
Finding ourselves, sweeping out our sins
We sometimes get lost too. We roll off to a dark, dusty corner, where, because of our sins, we can’t see how beautiful and good we are. Let us try to list everything we do that prevents us from seeing our own goodness.
Talk about the theme along these or similar questions: What would you want God to find? The many bad things, or us? What would we like this room to be? Where do we want the balls to be? Where shall our mistakes and sins be? Nowhere? Do we want them not to exist at all? Shall they be in the corner? Or shall we sweep the room?
After the discussion, sweep the floor together and solemnly tidy up the whole room. Sweep all the rubbish, but be careful not to sweep up ourselves (the balls). Let us pick up all the scrap paper, tear them up into tiny pieces, and throw them in the dustbin. Let everything bad be thrown away, and only we and our goodness will stay on the floor.
Now let us collect ourselves. We can place all the balls in the center of the room. We can untie the knots to see the names, and see how clean we are. (Actually, the white fabric is not really clean any more, but that is what we are. It is all right.)
Discuss deeper questions. Here is a list of helping questions. The group leader should choose from these the ones he thinks will help the group.
The prodigal son went quite far away from his home. When we look at our cloth, we can see that we are not that close either. Where are we? Where would we like to return from?
The following videos may be used for this activity:
Watch these videos during the preparatory time and choose the one you think will be most suitable and helpful for your group and yourself.
Prepare the room beforehand: Projector, sound system, internet. What do you do if there is no Internet?
Sit comfortably, and watch the video.
Watch it again and pay attention to the differences between the Scripture passage and the video. In what way is it different from Scripture?
Discuss the video:
Talk about ourselves and the Father who is waiting for us to return home.
We silently collect words that will gradually convey our message.
Put three sheets of A3 paper in the centre of the room. They do not have to touch.
Listen to the story again. What is our central theme? What are the most important words that come to our mind? (Is it already boring that we have to listen to the story so many times? Let us be patient, and listen to the story again and again.)
Everybody shares one word, expression or thought that comes to his mind. Repetitions are OK.
With less mature groups it may be helpful to ask everybody to bow their head and keep it down until they find the word or expression. Then they can look up. This way we can help the children to decide upon their own word and not just repeat someone else’s.
Discussion
At the end of this activity read some more interesting parts. Do not try to find who wrote the word. rather:
Discuss the Father waiting at home, and talk about yourselves.
If there is time, a dramatization of the story may be helpful. It is not absolutely essential, and certainly not every group can do it, but it could be very useful for the children.
Close your eyes and listen to the story. Try to feel which person you may be.
Ask the children to cross their legs while they are thinking, and uncross it only when they already know which character they will be in the story. This way everybody has time to think and we can wait for one another.
In a round everyone tells the group which character he or she chose. (There is no wrong answer. It is ok to imagine oneself even in God’s place. Or the pig’s food. The important thing is to be serious about it.)
Dramatize the story together.
The performance can begin. It is ok if it is funny, if there are some jokes. But try to maintain some seriousness so that it is not empty clowning about.
Discussion
Talk about the Father who is waiting at home, and about yourselves.
As we are reading the story of the prodigal son we all look into ourselves: How was it, when we did wrong things or made a wrong choice? How do we turn away from God again and again? This is a sort of an examination of conscience, when we quietly review our deviations. For younger children these are usually breaking rules and regulations given by authorities: the parents and the school. For older children the relational sins get more emphasis: omissions, and hurting someone.
Prepare the accessories. For the younger groups use paint, brushes, water. Older children just use pens.
Ask the group to be quiet. „Let us listen to the story and try to imagine what is happening.”
The younger children have already named their sins in the activity about the lost coin. Now it is not necessary to name them again.
Try to keep the activity silent.
Ask the children to think about a particular sin or deviation of theirs, and smear the white linen all over according to that.
Help the children by asking questions from an examination of conscience. (The example below may help. You do not have to ask all the questions, and you may add your own.)
God is asking you to love Him with all your heart, all your soul and with all your will.
I deliberately did not talk to God… I did not pray, and avoided Holy Mass.
I was not grateful for the many good things in my life. I was not willing to learn about the faith (For example, I did not pay attention in religion class.)
We are to love our friends, neighbours and enemies….
I deliberately disobeyed my parents, teachers, and acted contrary to their advice. I did not tell them something important despite knowing I should let them know.I deliberately did not help someone, although they asked me, and I could have helped.
I lied to somebody or betrayed him.
I did not care about my classmates. I did not comfort the sad one, although I could have. I tempted my friend to do something bad. I was envious, or wished someone ill. I did something bad against somebody. I was teasing, mocking or excluding someone. I did it offline or online. I saw serious bullying, or something really wrong, but I did not tell an adult who could have helped.
God is calling us to love ourselves too.
I risked my own health or safety. I did not do something good that I could have. I used bad, ugly language, and obscene words. I excessively ate, drank, or sat in front of the computer without caring for myself.
God gave us the created world to take care of.
I damaged the environment. I littered. I allowed someone else to do so. I deliberately destroyed nature. I was wasteful. I spent money on things I did not need.
Sometimes the children really enjoy making their linens dirty. It is not a bad thing. In such cases we can tell them the following:
„Oftentimes, unfortunately we actually have a good time when we commit sin. Just like the way you enjoy smearing paint on your linens. We do not commit sins to feel bad. On the contrary. We lie because at the time it may be more comfortable than telling the truth. We hurt someone so that we can enjoy having power over him, etc. But somehow we are not happy in the end. Somehow these bad actions do not help us to be happier. As you are smearing beautiful colours on the whine linen, remember that in the end it will look simply dirty and chaotic.”
But there is hope: God is good. And He is happy to wash our dirty linens so that only the beautiful colors stay. We just have to ask Him. We just have to tell Him, “I am sorry, it has become too dirty. Please help!”
In an examination of conscience we collect our sins and wrongdoings that we committed while turning our backs on God. Even the ones that just happened without us wanting them to.
Keep the silence.
Ask the children to write down all their sins and errors that come to mind.
Help the examination of conscience by asking questions. You can use the list below. You can leave out some questions or add more.
We are not focusing only on the actual sins in this examination of conscience, but everything that we may do accidentally. Whatever pulls us further away from God.
God is asking you to love Him with all your heart, all your soul and with all your will.
I deliberately did not talk to God… I did not pray, and avoided Holy Mass.
I was not grateful for the many good things in my life. I was not willing to learn about the faith (For example, I did not pay attention in religion class.)
We are to love our friends, neighbours and enemies….
I deliberately disobeyed my parents, teachers, and did contrary to their advice. I did not tell them something important despite knowing I should let them know. I deliberately did not help someone, although they asked me, and I could have helped.
I lied to somebody or betrayed him.
I did not care about my classmates. I did not comfort the sad one, although I could have. I tempted my friend to do something bad. I was envious, or wished someone ill. I did something bad against somebody. I was teasing, mocking or excluding someone. I did it offline or online. I saw serious bullying, or something really wrong, but I did not tell an adult who could have helped.
God is calling us to love ourselves too.
I risked my own health or safety. I did not do something good that I could have. I used bad, ugly language, and obscene words. I excessively ate, drank, or sat in front of the computer without caring for myself.
God gave us the created world to take care of it.
I damaged the environment. I littered. I allowed someone else to do so. I deliberately destroyed nature. I was wasteful. I spent money on things I did not need.
Dim the light if possible. Everyone puts their dirty linens around the candle or the crucifix. Put them as close to God as you can.
No matter how many times we get dirty or turn our backs on God, the Father forgives us again and again. He gives us his cleansing love through the people around us.
A large washing machine is awaiting the children in front of the church or in a location where there is enough space for all the classes. This washing machine is a sign of God washing away our sins.
We can paint the symbolic washing machine on a big sheet or build one from cardboard boxes. We can write Scripture verses next to the program buttons.
We can ask one class to prepare the washing machine well before the retreat. Usually the children happily do such creative projects in an art lesson.
There are “cleansing points” in a circle as the gates in an airport.
The students line up at the cleansing point of their class.
They stand in front of their class teacher one by one.
The students take their seats in the church. (Some teachers or group leaders coordinate this.) The students practise songs while they are waiting for everybody to take their seats.
At the end the class teachers put all the dirty linens into the washing machine and they carry it into the church.
We will take our cleansed selves (the white linens) And hang them on the trees. We divide the participants into three groups (by age or seats), and these groups will bring their linens during the penitential rite, the offertory and at the sign of peace.
While in small groups, practise/learn one or two of the songs of the mass
Reading | Micah 7:18-20
Gospel about the Father | Lk 15:11-24
During the silence of the examination of conscience read the story about the train journey from the beginning of the retreat. Then while we sing the ‘Lord have mercy’ the first third of the groups bring their white linens in an orderly manner, row by row, and hang them on the trees.
„Let us bring our white linens that represent our cleansed selves, so that God can make us the signs of His merciful, forgiving love for the world.”
The second group brings their linens and hangs them on the trees while everybody sings.
„ We have just asked God to forgive our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Let us pass on his forgiveness with shaking hands. And let us bring this forgiveness in the white linens to these trees next to the altar, so that whoever comes into this church can see that God indeed forgives.”
We sing a song about peace and the third group brings their linens. When everyone returns to their seats we can start the Agnus Dei song.
We can tell the children to take home one white linen to remind him of this day. They can make something out of it, either by painting it with pretty colours or writing something on it.
„Let us thank the group leaders for their service. Please all group leaders come to a short meeting at the meeting place right after Holy Mass!”