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Oct 13, 2020
Faith· Life· Resources

The Perfect Catholic Mini-Retreat for Tween Girls

This post contains affiliate or associate links with several businesses (which means if you shop through the links, I earn a small commission). As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

The Perfect Catholic Mini-Retreat for Tween Girls

If you are a Youth Minister, Religious Education teacher or Catechist, Catholic School teacher or Catholic Homeschooling mom, this retreat is ideal for girls ages 10 to 14.


The purpose of this retreat is to encourage young girls to explore their identity in Christ. This time will allow each young lady to:

*see herself as a child of God who is loved immensely and that God created her on purpose and with a purpose.

*discover that she is unique and unrepeatable and she is called to be a joyful saint.

*reassure her that her prayers are heard and matter.

*be encouraged to talk to God more frequently in prayer.


Retreat Materials
What you will need:
Be Yourself Journals (1 for each retreat attendee)

Journal for tweens and teens


A basket of holy cards

You may have a stash of these – ask around, many people have them and may not mind donating them!

Catholic Stickers

Scrapbooking paper

DaySpring has a great line with Paper Pads

The Delight in His Day Paper Pad includes 24 patterned sheets (solid color on reverse side) that are great for this. Also 8 by 8 scrapbooking paper will also work.

WASHI TAPE!!!
Glue and Scissors
Inspirational quotes/stickers

Gel Pens!
Phone/speaker to play Christian music in the background

(And materials for optional wrap up activity – the Just for fun Scavenger Hunt would be – individually wrapped gum; yarn or bracelet making thread; a box of band-aids; a bag of hard candy; leftover stickers)

To keep this retreat “Covid safe”; you can create a Retreat package for each attendee. Give extra supplies so each girl will have a choice with what she will use and what she will not use. For example, have a few sheets of scrapbooking paper – she will only need one; 3 or 4 holy cards – she can pick which one she will use, etc.

This retreat can be done using social distancing!!!


Retreat schedule/agenda:

Gathering and Opening Prayer

Start off by giving each young lady her book and supplies. Allow them to peruse the book and other fun craft items.

When everyone has settled into their seats, begin with a prayer.

Suggested Prayer:

Prayer to Know God’s Will

Lord grant that I may always allow myself to be guided by You, always follow your plans, and perfectly accomplish your holy will.  Grant that in all things, great and small, today and all the days of my life, I may do whatever You may desire of me.  Help me to respond to the slightest promptings of your grace, so that I may be your trustworthy instrument.  May your will be done in time and eternity, by me, in me, and through me.  Amen.

 -St. Therese of Lisieux

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth.

O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations, Through Christ Our Lord,

Amen.

Introductions/Icebreakers

FIRST: The Leaders of the Retreat . . . introduce yourself!!!!

Talk a little bit about how your faith has helped you in your life!

Tell the girls what you like to do,

how you prefer to pray and

who your favorite saint is!

Direct the girls to look at and fill out the ” Your Beauty Basics” page. Encourage them to also fill out the God’s Creation page.

Play some music in the background.

After about 5 minutes, ask the girls to share some or all of the responses they wrote in their journal.

Then, tell the girls to turn the page of the journal back to see:

God created you body and soul.

God created everything for you but you in turn were created to serve and love God and to offer all creation back to Him.

As a fun way for the girls to get to know one other better, encourage them to fill out God’s Creation and You and the Would You Rather Game.

Go over the “Would You Rather” Game as a group and encourage them to make some additional “Would You Rather” nature fun questions.

Craft/Scrapbooking Activity

Share with the girls that each one of them is unique and unrepeatable. God calls each one to be holy but we all have different paths and our roads will look different.

It’s extremely important to pray every day and receive the Blessed Sacrament at least once a week. Right now, God wants us to love Him first, avoid sin and, as Saint Katharine Drexel once said:

“Peacefully do at each moment what needs to be done.”

If we are looking for more guidance in our life, Scripture and the Saints have a ton of advice. We also can call on Saints to pray for us!

Direct the girls attention to their packet of supplies and the back of the book.

Let the girls know that they will start by picking a background design paper.

Explain they are going to create a scrapbook collage to be the back cover design.

The design should be all done on the background paper, then at the very end, the whole design on the scrapbooking paper and can be glued or washi-taped to the back cover.

So:

Step One – Pick your background

Step Two – Choose a Holy Card for the center of the design.

Step Three- Choose a Scripture Quote or Saint Quote

Step Four- find stickers/images of things that make them feel grateful. Prayer should always include giving thanks. Stick on the images that fill their hearts with gratitude.

Step Five- finish the design with washi-tape, their own writing, a photo of themselves or however else they want to decorate it!

Closing Activity and Prayer:

Direct the girls’ attention to the back pages titled:

WHAT DOES ALL THIS HAVE TO DO WITH WHO I AM?

AND

HOW DO I LOVE HIM BACK?

These pages are very brief but are really helpful.

Have the girls volunteer to read parts and ask them if they have any questions. Allow a guided group discussion. Remind them that faith and life is a journey and we learn something new everyday. Our relationship with God is like other relationships – the more we spend time with Him the more we will get to know Him.

Last activity:

The “Just For Fun Scavenger Hunt”

This is a simple activity to build self-esteem and friendship. Depending on what time allows, you can include it or omit it!

This can be the beginning of a series of group meetings – or a great way to jump start a personal prayer journaling habit for each young girl in attendance!

Since each young lady will be going home with a journal, you will be providing a resource she can turn to when she is worried, scared, confused or just simply in need of prayer time.

Want more ideas for Catholic tweens, Catholic gifts and simply be reassured God loves you and hears your prayers? If yes,

subscribe to PrayerWineChocolate’s newsletter!!!

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GUIDE: How to Plan your Own Prayer Wine Chocolate Retreat

Be Yourself! Journal

Journal for tweens and teens

prayerwinechocolate

Do you ever feel like you are not doing enough? O Do you ever feel like you are not doing enough?

Often I need this reminder - God doesn't want us to feel stressed.
He wants us to rely on Him - trust Him.

He wants us to love.
Be patient and kind.

Many saints have discovered this and have advised us in their own words.

Saint Katharine Drexel said, "peacefully do at each moment what needs to be done."

Saint Teresa of Calcutta stated, "never worry about numbers, help one person at a time and start with the person nearest to you."

Saint Therese', the Little Flower, demonstrated again and again how much Jesus delights in her little way.

You don't need to be stressed.
Your little acts of love and trust for Jesus delight Him.

Have a better day 😉
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Striving for Sainthood can be as simple as this… Striving for Sainthood can be as simple as this… 

This type of advice can be really helpful for all of us… especially for a young girl navigating middle school or her early teens.

This advice would have helped me.
Why?

Because it takes some pressure off the high expectations often felt by us as individuals.

It makes God’s will for us feel achievable and realistic.

It’s totally relevant to a student in junior high
(And a slightly stressed out adult)

This page in the Be Yourself embraces scrapbooking fun- just like the back cover. Only this page encourages photographs. Yes, actual printed ones 🎞️📸

Take a deep breath.
Love the next person that comes near you.
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A prayer and the story behind the picture… Oh S A prayer and the story behind the picture…

Oh St. Joseph whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God, 

I place in you all my interests and desires. Oh St. Joseph do assist me by your powerful intercession and obtain for me from your divine son all spiritual blessings through Jesus Christ, our Lord; 

so that having engaged here below your heavenly power I may offer my thanksgiving and homage to the most loving of fathers. 

Oh St. Joseph, I never weary contemplating you and Jesus asleep in your arms. I dare not approach while he reposes near your heart. Press him in my name and kiss his fine head for me, and ask him to return the kiss when I draw my dying breath. 

St. Joseph, patron of departing souls, pray for us.
Amen.

My children had off from school on Friday. I had committed to an hour of Eucharistic Adoration on Fridays from to 2 to 3 during Lent… so since they had off, they had to come with me.
It was stressful.
They CAN NOT sit still.
Once I got one to stop walking around or talking, another one started.
But in the middle of all this… I witnessed a sweet moment.
I hesitated to pull out my phone because I really try not to during Adoration.
But, the beauty of the moment struck me, and I had to capture it.
📸 
Motherhood is hard. Parenting is difficult.
But I’m often reminded it’s like farming… and I’m planting seeds.

I just hope and pray I’m planting more good seeds then bad ones.

Thank goodness we can pray and ask for prayers from others!

Saint Joseph, pray for us!
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THANK YOU! Thank you! Thank you! If you have left THANK YOU! Thank you!
Thank you!

If you have left a review on Amazon for either of the Be Yourself Journals… thank you from the bottom of my heart!

When you leave a review on Amazon it makes me SO HAPPY… plus it sends a signal to Amazon to show more people these books!
I’d love for more girls to get this book in their Easter Basket this year!

I’m so grateful this book is being used and appreciated!

God is good!

If you like this book and haven’t left a review, please write one! It’s okay if you didn’t buy it from there!

Tag someone with a 10 or 11 year old girl!

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I can’t believe in the past week I’ve posted 4 I can’t believe in the past week I’ve posted 4 videos on YouTube!

And last week’s interview with Dr. Matthew Breuninger (@askacatholictherapist ) still has me thinking about the “psychology of prayer journaling “!

The last 4 videos posted consist of two new interviews (Jessica Castillo from @athrivingcatholic and Dr. John Spitzer @johnspitzermd ); 

a box opening of @pinksaltriot ‘s latest JOY BOX and finally 

a “how to” video that demonstrates how girls can design the back cover of Be Yourself: a Journal for Catholic Girls!
Whew!

Dr. John Spitzer shared parenting advice for moms and dads of tweens;

Jessica Castillo shared how our physical and spiritual health are connected;

The Joy Box had some fun surprises… one will be going in my daughter’s Easter Basket;
And my friend’s daughter was the perfect co-host in the “how to design “ video!

Tell me which topic interests you the most… maybe I’ll dedicate an Instagram post highlighting that content!

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FLASH SALE!!!! Boy’s journal sale ends MONDAY!!! FLASH SALE!!!!
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Finish up Lent strong… and add this fun book to an Easter Basket!
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I adore you Jesus, true God, and true man, pres I  adore you Jesus, 
true God, and true man, 
present in the Holy Eucharist, 
kneeling before you 
and united in spirit 
with all the faithful on earth 
and all the saints in heaven. 

In gratitude for so great a blessing, 
I love you with all my heart, 
for you are worthy of all praise 
and adoration. 

Lord Jesus Christ, may I never offend you with my lack of love. 

May your Eucharistic presence refresh me in body and soul. 

Mary, Mother of the Eucharistic Lord, pray for me 
and obtain for me a greater love for Jesus. Amen.

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Have you ever seen a statistic and thought… thes Have you ever seen a statistic and thought… these numbers are NOT in my favor?

Years ago, I was lonely, depressed and wondering if I would ever not be lonely and depressed.

I dreamed of falling in love and getting married.

But, I wanted to marry a faithful Catholic man… and I believe I saw that only 22% (?) of Americans were Catholic.

And then I thought…
Half of them aren’t men, a large percentage are not practicing and … also how many are BOOMERS?

Lucky for me, God math goes like this…
5 loaves 
2 fish
=
5,000 meals and leftovers 

This is my handsome husband and our awesome nephew with the Bishop that Confirmed him on Friday.
Matt was -and is- such a proud Sponsor and Uncle!
God bless Grayson Patrick FRANCIS!

Thank you God for all of your gifts!!!
“You pay God a compliment when you ask big things of Him.” ~ Saint Teresa of Avila

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Don’t you love when a plan comes together for a Don’t you love when a plan comes together for a retreat and you see joyful faces! 

Listen, this is the best retreat hack for Catholic girls!
****The Be Yourself Journal Scrapbooking activity.****

Give each girl a Be Yourself Journal.
Explain how, “We are all called to holiness but we take different paths.” ~ Saint Katharine Drexel.

Have each girl pick out a Holy card and two Catholic stickers.

Put scrapbooking paper and Catholic washi-tape (thank you @thestumpofjesse ) on the tables and get them started with decorating the back of their journals.

As they work add more stickers and quote cards to their table.

Point out that they were all given the same set of instructions… yet each cover design is unique.

The same is true for their calling!
God has a unique mission for each individual.

He calls us to follow the Commandments, embrace His Word and trust the teachings of the Church…
same set of basic instructions, different yet BEAUTIFUL results when followed!
“Be who God meant you to be and you’ll set the world on fire!” ~Saint Catherine of Siena
Huge thank you to the women who donated journals and holy cards!!!
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Not sure what to do with all those prayer cards? Not sure what to do with all those prayer cards? 

Holy cards can be a fantastic prayer journal prompt. 

Copy the prayer off the back and glue the card to the page ;next to, underneath or above where you wrote the prayer).

Follow me for more prayer journaling tips!
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Getting ready for a Confirmation Retreat this week Getting ready for a Confirmation Retreat this weekend!

So excited to help these young Catholics see that each is called to holiness… but each mission is unique and unrepeatable!

Huge thank you to the women who donated journals for the retreat (11 donated!!!) and the women from my Bible study group who donated Holy cards!

If you would like to donate a Journal for one of the girls attending the retreat this weekend… send me a private message and I’ll explain how!

Holy cards are GREAT prayer journal prompts!

Which Holy card would you put in your prayer journal?
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Keep at it!!! Don’t give up and Don’t give in! Keep at it!!! Don’t give up and Don’t give in!!! “The world offers you comfort… but you were not made for comfort, you were made for GREATNESS!”
Pope Benedict XVI
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New post up on the blog!! I found some awesome Hol New post up on the blog!!
I found some awesome Holy Spirit themed gift ideas!
Link in bio!
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Holy Spirit activate!!! New gift guide up!!! One m Holy Spirit activate!!!
New gift guide up!!!
One might say … these gifts are on FIRE!!!!
Check it out… link in bio!!!
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