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RESPONSBILITIES LIST FOR BISHOP ONE DAY RETREATS
This document has been created in order to assist in eliminating confusion as to the role of each person/office regarding the Bishop’s One Day Retreats. Prior to calling the Office of Religious Education, Organizer or Hosting Parish –this document should be reviewed to find answers to questions; if after reading through it you still have questions, then call the specific person/office your question is regarding; the other “entities” will not be able to answer the questions.
We thank you all for your continued ministry and work with the youth. We also thank you for working with us throughout the years in making the Bishop’s One Day Retreats a success. We look forward to seeing all of you again this year.
Responsibilities of Office of Religious Ed:
1. Coordinate with Bishop’s Office and Host Parishes dates and locations for retreats.
2. Notify Host Parishes which schedule will be used and whether or not Bishop will be eating lunch at their location or the other for the day.
3. Inform all DREs/CREs/Confirmation Coordinators at the final meeting in May of the retreat dates available, which schedule will be followed; “A” or “B”, and a deadline for choosing a preferred retreat.
4. Give all DREs/CREs/Confirmation Coordinators a packet including:
a. Schedule of day (include both “A” and “B”)
b. A copy of this “Responsibilities List”
5. Provide a list of every parish attending each retreat with head counts prior to the start of the retreats to each DREs/CREs/Confirmation Coordinators – this document is to be used by Host Parishes so they know who is attending and numbers to expect but also to be used by Attending Parishes so that they know who to contact in the case of arranging kids needing to attend for “make-ups”.
6. Keep website current with updated information in the event that parents are looking for information on the retreats.
Responsibilities of Organizer:
1. Work with Bishop to finalize schedule.
2. Secure an MC for each retreat date and each location; work with the MC on the flow of the day, how to keep students engaged and participating in the day, leading the Commissioning Ceremony if Bishop is not present and working with the Hosting Parish.
a. The MC will keep the event on schedule, do announcements, and keep the flow of the retreat going.
b. It is NOT the responsibility of the MC to discipline the students throughout the day; nor is it his/her responsibility to organize the day – they are an MC for the event. If there are questions or concerns regarding policies, it is not the MC’s role to have those answers.
3. Secure a music ministry team and P.A. for each retreat date and each location; work with the music ministry to ensure they understand the flow of the retreat and the expectations during Eucharistic Adoration as well as the “upbeat” times. Provide a list of songs that should be used during the retreat and that will be on the songsheet for the day.
a. The role of the music ministry is to lead prayerful worship and energetic praise music throughout the retreat.
b. The music ministry works with the MC on the flow of the day and following the schedule.
4. Secure a speaker for each talk on the schedule; get the talk outline to the speaker, confirm the dfate, time and location; ensure they have an idea of the expectations of the presentation theme.
5. Provide songsheets to MC to give out to students at each retreat.
6. Work with the Host Parishes on any questions/concerns they may have regarding the day.
Responsibilities of Host Parishes:
1. Notify the Office of Religious Education as to the number of students you will have in attendance by the given date.
2. Ensure the availability of the Church for the entirety of the retreat. Make arrangements to have the Blessed Sacrament removed from the tabernacle in the Church for the day; however make sure it is available for the Adoration periods.
3. Ensure the availability of the Secondary Building which will be utilized for check-in, lunch and the “Commissioning Ceremony”* at the end of the retreat (can be done around the lunch tables). *Commissioning Ceremony can be held in a third building/space (please NOT outside due to distractions) if available, i.e. a gym.
4. Have several tables setup at the entrance of the “Secondary Building” where the attending parishes can check-in upon arrival and leave their personal items. This is where lunch will take place.
5. All sites will hold registration from 9:30am – 9:50am. The Day begins in the main room at 10am.
6. For the periods of Adoration please have available: Monstrance, Luna & Blessed Sacrament, 6 candles (3 on each side of monstrance) and a stole.
7. For those on Schedule A: have someone (a priest or deacon) available and ready to expose the Blessed Sacrament at 11:30am.
For those on Schedule B: have someone (a priest or deacon) available and ready to expose the Blessed Sacrament at 2:00pm.
8. Please provide a basket large enough for the letters to be placed in.
9. Provide lunch for the team (4 – 6 people) in a separate space away from the participants. Make note whether or not Bishop will be eating lunch at your location. (This information comes from the Office Religious Education when the dates & locations were originally sent out).
Responsibilities of All Parish:
1. Discern and Confirm date, Organize your group:
a. You will receive, before June 1st, the list of dates and locations available for the upcoming year’s program. BEFORE scheduling your retreat, check with your students concerning any major conflicts that may exist (i.e. ACT testing).
b. Contact the Office of Religious Education by the given date to schedule your retreat location and to give the number that will be in attendance.
c. Make arrangements for the students to get to the designated location. It is up to each DREs/CREs/Confirmation Coordinator whether to allow them to drive themselves or not; otherwise your parish will provide the transportation - and turn in all necessary “Youth & Travel Forms” to the Office of Property Insurance at the Diocese (forms can be obtained on the website for the Office of Property Insurance at www.htdiocese.org).
d. Notify, in writing, all 11th grade students and parents of the retreat date and location your parish will be attending and your plans for transportation. Ensure that each student and parent is aware of the arrival times and pickup times. You are responsible for any student dropped off early/picked up late. Be sure to let them know that they MUST bring a bag lunch & drink – deliveries will not be permitted and leaving the grounds is not permissible.
2. DREs/CREs/Confirmation Coordinators (person overseeing the confirmation program for your parish) MUST be in attendance with your group at the retreat the entirety of the retreat; this is to address any issues that may arise such as health or discipline problems.
3. DREs/CREs/Confirmation Coordinators should be the FIRST of your group to arrive to the site; therefore all DREs/CREs/Confirmation Coordinators need to arrive no later than 9:15am.
4. DREs/CREs/Confirmation Coordinators should be the last of your group to leave – it is not okay to leave prior to all of your students being picked up. Dismissal is at 3:00pm.
5. Arrange to have additional adults in attendance with your group; preferably 1 adult for 8 students. The adults involved in your Confirmation Program should be in attendance. All adults in attendance MUST be safe environment trained and up to date with their training. This is important for the “Commissioning Ceremony”.
6. Students and attending adults are to arrive at the retreat site no earlier than 9:30am and no later than 9:50am. All students are to check-in upon their arrival with their DREs/CREs/ Confirmation Coordinators in the secondary building and again after lunch to ensure no one has left. It is NOT the responsibility of the Hosting Parish to check your students in.
7. DREs/CREs/Confirmation Coordinators must bring enough paper, pens & envelopes for each of your students.
8. All DREs/CREs/Confirmation Coordinators are responsible for making sure that your group is monitored and behaves at all times; it is not the responsibility of the Hosting Parish to tend to your group.
9. STUDENTS ARE NOT allowed to go to vehicles at any time during the retreat; especially during lunch break.
10. NO CIGARETTES, ALCOHOL, ETC. WILL BE ALLOWED ON THE PREMISES. Participants are not allowed to have cell phones, Ipods or other electronic devices at the retreat. Please alert the students ahead of time to this policy; all DREs/CREs/Confirmation Coordinators are responsible for enforcing this policy.
11. All DREs/CREs/Confirmation Coordinators should make clear to their students that the Hosting Parish property is to be respected and kept clean.
12. All students/Confirmation Candidates MUST ATTEND a Bishop’s One Day Retreat in order to meet the requirements to be confirmed. Students must remain in attendance for the entirety of the retreat.
13. Arrangements for a makeup retreat for a student who was absent MUST be made between DREs/CREs/Confirmation Coordinators. Parents and/or students are not allowed to make their own arrangements. |