New Year’s Retreat
Questions Jesus Asks You for the New Year
Two Nights: Monday, December 30, 2024, to January 1, 2025
Jesus used questions to promote healing, forgive the past, repair brokenness, and instill hope. Come to this retreat and ponder your answer to the same life-altering questions and enter the New Year healed, forgiven, and filled with hope.
Throughout the Gospel of John, Jesus uses questions to deepen the faith of his followers. His first words were a question: “What are you looking for?” It’s a question he also poses to you. His last words were also question demanding a response: “What is this to you?” In between are many others,
Come to this retreat and join the Gospel figures whose lives were changed by answering a question from Jesus. Let them form a beautiful foundation as you enter the New Year.
In addition to several thoughtful reflections, you’ll enjoy a beautiful retreat venue with sacred spaces, outdoor meditation trails, and great dining. There’ll be an opportunity for private reflection, Adoration, and Mass. We’ll also have traditional New Year’s festivities and a banquet dinner.
We go all out with our New Year’s retreats. There are delightful activities tucked away throughout the center. People come to one and keep coming back. Please join us this year and explore the questions Jesus has for you.
Powerful Reflections
The retreat will use the questions of Jesus to explore themes that many struggle with daily: woundedness, forgiveness, trust, and purpose. From this you’ll leave the retreat ready for the New Year, renewed in faith and filled with hope.
1st Reflection: Beginning the Search
When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, “What are you looking for?” (Jn 1:38)
The first reflection will lay the foundation for the balance of the retreat. There will be a brief introduction to the Gospel of John and an overview of how Jesus used questions. Then you’ll be invited to imagine how you would answer the same question he asked Andrew: What are you looking for?
2nd Reflection: Healing the Wounds
When Jesus saw him lying there, he asked, “Do you want to get well?” (Jn 5:6)
Before Jesus deepened a person’s faith, he healed their wounds. He would always ask for permission. “Do you want to get well?” Jesus is asking your permission to heal your wounds, of both the past and present. How will you answer?
3rd Reflection: Forgiving the Past
Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Do you love me more than these? (Jn 21:15)
Peter denied Jesus three times. As part of letting Peter know that he is forgiven, Jesus asked him, three times: “Do you love me?” Forgiving oneself and forgiving another is hard. Come to the retreat. Jesus will have a few questions to help you with areas of unforgiveness.
4th Reflection: Erasing the Doubts
Many disciples returned to their former life and no longer accompanied him. Jesus then said to the Twelve, “Do you also want to leave?” (Jn 6:67)
Many have left the Church, no longer to return. Many are often frustrated with various aspects of the Church and are ready to leave. Jesus asked the followers then and still asks now, “Do you also want to leave?” Jesus asked many questions to deepen the people’s faith in the Gospel of John. Let his questions deepen yours as well.
5th Reflection: Restoring the Brokenness
When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” (Jn 4:7)
Jesus knew all the mistakes and regrets of the Samaritan woman at the well. He invited her to enter in the ‘living water’ where her broken life would be restored, she would be accepted, and her witness to ‘the prophet’ would convert a town. Jesus knows your past and wants to invite you to dive into the ‘living water’.
Final Thoughts: Increasing the Hope
Mary of Magdala stayed outside the tomb weeping. Jesus said to her, “Why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” (Jn 20:15)
Jesus began the gospel of John with the question, “What are you looking for?” He ends the gospel not with a ‘what’ but a ‘who’. “Whom are you looking for?” Our faith is built upon a relationship with Jesus. During this retreat, you’ll deepen your relationship with Jesus by answering some of his most intimate questions, and leave with renewed hope for the New Year.
Exceptional Retreat Atmosphere
Indoor and outdoor reflection areas
In addition to the engaging sessions, there will be plenty of time to pray and reflect upon the words and God’s plan for you. For those who prefer doing this in a sacred space, there is a beautiful chapel and several indoor and outdoor reflection places. For those who are more active, there are trails cut through our 180 acres. The more ambitious can take a short drive or a long hike to Baker Mountain Park. Added to the outdoor space, there is a horseshoe pit, a bonfire, and even some corn-hole boards.
Great retreat lodging and fine dining
The lodging rooms were fully renovated in 2015. Each room has two full-sized beds and a private bath. Our dining area has an exceptionally qualified full-time chef with a wide range of culinary expertise. The dining room has also been recently renovated and has a 100% sanitation rating. The meeting room has cathedral ceilings and spectacular views.
Grace-filled encounters
For those who want to immerse themselves in the retreat, there will be several scheduled hours of Adoration and Mass. The chapel is open all night for those who wish to have a more intimate encounter with the Lord. There will also be opportunities to share your faith with others during social times and small and large group discussions.
A Retreat Schedule Just for You
| Monday, December 30 | |
| 12:00 PM to 4:30 PM | Check-in. Confessions. Spiritual Direction |
| 4:30 PM | Opening Mass |
| 5:30 PM | Social |
| 6:00 PM | Dinner |
| 7:00 PM | 1st Reflection: Beginning the Search |
| 8:30 PM | Night Prayer |
| Tuesday, December 31 | |
| 7:00 AM | Adoration and Morning Prayer |
| 8:00 AM | Breakfast |
| 9:00 AM | 2nd Reflection: Healing the Wounds |
| 11:00 AM | 3rd Reflection: Forgiving the Past |
| 12:00 PM | Lunch |
| 1:00 PM | 4th Reflection: Erasing the Doubts |
| 4:30 PM | 5th Reflection: Restoring the Brokenenss |
| 6:00 PM | Social |
| 6:30 PM | Banquet Dinner |
| 7:30 PM | New Year’s Eve Activities |
| 11:00 PM | Adoration and Benediction for the New Year |
| Wednesday, January 1 | |
| 8:00 AM | Breakfast |
| 9:00 AM | Final Thoughts: Increasing Hope |
| 10:00 AM | Holy Mass: Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God |
| 11:00 AM | Resolutions |
Optional Spiritual Direction
Meet with a trained and experienced spiritual director during the retreat for an additional $60. A separate schedule will be published. If you’d like to know more about spiritual direction, follow this link prepared by one of our spiritual directors: Spiritual Direction – Font of Mercy
Comments on Past New Year’s Retreat
Our New Year’s retreat has become our signature event. We’re pleased to welcome back our previous director and seasoned retreat Master Deacon Scott D. Gilfillan. Follow this link and read just a few of the comments that people shared in our follow-up survey: Comments on New Year’s Retreats
Meet your retreat master
Deacon Scott D. Gilfillan
Deacon Scott has extensive experience facilitating groups and leading retreats for parishes, RCIA programs, and deacon candidates. Ordained in 2001, he has devoted many years of ministry in prisons, homeless shelters, and nursing homes. For 12 years, he was the director of the deacon formation for the Diocese of Charlotte, assisting and guiding deacon candidates and their wives in discernment and formation. He has met all of the certification requirements in spiritual direction through Divine Mercy University, an institution of higher learning specializing in educating Catholic psychiatrists, psychologists, counselors, and spiritual directors. He is currently an adjunct to their spiritual direction residencies. He was previously director of the Catholic Conference Center and devoted much of his time to spiritual direction, facilitating workshops, and leading retreats. Past retreats and workshops have included “Advent with Saint Ignatius”, “A Retreat with the Angels”, “Rediscovering Catholic Spirituality”, “Taken, Blessed, Broken, and Shared”, and “How to Discern the Will of God”, “Spiritual Exercises for the New Year”, and a popular series of workshops called “Date Night with a Saint”. (see comments on New Year’s retreat). He most recently became the founder and executive director of Font of Mercy, a non-profit that advances the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. He enjoys writing, is a guest author for JesuitPrayer.org, and shares many spiritual insights on his blog, My Morning Reflections.
Read Deacon Scott’s latest reflection in the Catholic News Herald: Living in the Now..
Sacramental Support
Fr. Amaro Saumell
Fr. Amaro Saumell has a very interesting journey to the priesthood from his early career as a nightclub entertainer. He will be the celebrant for the opening Mass on December 30, and for the Feast of Mary, Mother of God on January 1. Fr. Amaro will also hear confessions the afternoon of December 30. Fr. Amaro is retired and currently supports several local parishes.
Registration
Registration is closed. If you would like to be added to our waiting list, please email info@catholicconference.org
- Shared room (two persons per room): $290 per person
- Single, one person per room: $360.
Cancellation Policy: A full refund will be granted up to two weeks before the retreat.