3-Minute Retreats

You’ve probably heard me make reference to the very popular 3-Minute Retreat that Loyola Press offers. These retreats provide you with an opportunity to spend some quiet time each day reflecting on a Scripture passage. You can receive the retreat on your mobile device which is something that I do, especially when I’m on the train each morning. You can also receive an e-mail reminder each day with a link to a new 3-Minute Retreat. Here is an unsolicited testimonial from a 3-Minute Retreat user, Susan Hubert, Director of Religion at Mayfield Junior School of the Holy Child Jesus (Pasadena, CA):

Each class session for both 5th and 7th grades begins with the students entering into “sacred space” (my classroom) quietly. They take their seats, assume a meditation position (which is feet flat on floor connected to the earth), arms resting on desktop, with palms facing up, and eyes closed, if this is comfortable for them. Otherwise they may focus on one object. The 3-Minute Retreat music is playing through all of this time.

I lead them in quiet breathing, asking that they still their bodies and minds and feel the presence of God. I lead them in a deep breathing process (three deep breaths) and ask them to open their eyes and copy the Scripture passage in their journals. Then I take them through the rest of the retreat, at times reading it to them to clarify or use simpler language when needed. They answer both questions in their journals and say the closing prayer to themselves.

For many of the students this may be the only pause in their day. I feel the significance of this retreat affords an opportunity to connect closer to God. Relationship with God is so imperative in this fast-paced world of technology and glamour as the main focus.

Blessings for the work you do to make this possible.

God is good….all the time.

About Joe Paprocki 2742 Articles
Joe Paprocki, DMin, is National Consultant for Faith Formation at Loyola Press, where, in addition to his traveling/speaking responsibilities, he works on the development team for faith formation curriculum resources including Finding God: Our Response to God’s Gifts and God’s Gift: Reconciliation and Eucharist. Joe has more than 35 years of experience in ministry and has presented keynotes, presentations, and workshops in more than 100 dioceses in North America. Joe is a frequent presenter at national conferences including the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress, the Mid-Atlantic Congress, and the National Conference for Catechetical Leadership. He is the author of numerous books, including the best seller The Catechist’s Toolbox, A Church on the Move, Under the Influence of Jesus, and Called to Be Catholic—a bilingual, foundational supplemental program that helps young people know their faith and grow in their relationship with God. Joe is also the series editor for the Effective Catechetical Leader and blogs about his experiences in faith formation at www.catechistsjourney.com.

4 Comments

  1. Joe,
    Do you know if the 3-minute retreat can be downloaded? I love Susan’s idea, but we do not have a wireless connection in all of our classrooms.
    Thanks for using this in your blog today–helped me to see it with fresh eyes!
    Marty

  2. I will definitely incorporate the retreat in my classroom as a way of bringing some quiet time to the students’ (and my) day. And talk about God sending us messages, Susan’s last line (“God is good….all the time”) is the line I use to get my students’ attention when they “wander away”. I say the first part, and they have to respond with the second part, and then I wait for quiet. It was an idea I “borrowed” from another catechist, and it works every time. I’m sure the 3 minute retreat will also serve as a way of getting them to focus on the task at hand – namely, that it’s time for our “weekly retreat” as I like to refer to our classroom time.

    Thanks for the reminder, Joe.

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