The past year has been a tough one for us Catholics. The scandals within our Church both locally and nationally have caused hurt, disillusionment, anger, frustration and a gamut of other emotions. Our spirits need to be renewed.

People experience spiritual renewal in a variety of ways. It may be through spending time in daily prayer and reflection, or by participating in a retreat, a healing weekend (i.e. for those mourning the death of a spouse or experiencing a divorce), a parenting program, marriage encounter weekend or other opportunity for personal enrichment. Parishes and the archdiocese offer many programs to help people in centering and renewing themselves.

Twenty years ago, the Archdiocese of Milwaukee was one of the first dioceses in the country to implement the RENEW faith-sharing program. To this day, I meet people who still express fond memories of their RENEW group and who became more active in their parish after participating in this faith-sharing experience.

This past Lent many parishes across our archdiocese used the new “Healing the Body of Christ” RENEW experience to help people renew their faith and spirituality in light of the scandals in the Catholic Church. Other parishes will offer small group faith-sharing through RENEW in the fall, using prayer, Scripture readings and discussion.

More and more parishes are offering an annual “mission,” which provides spiritual renewal for the entire faith community. Missions often are held over a two-to-five-day period and include spiritual presentations, as well as opportunities for the sacrament of reconciliation, Mass and other prayer experiences. Some parish missions offer small group opportunities as a follow-up way to keep the spirit of this renewal experience alive within the community.

In a parish RENEW group during Lent, someone commented that “God calls us to be ‘holy,’ which means we need to become ‘whole’ persons.” The more we get to know ourselves – our strengths, our shortcoming, our needs, emotions and desires – the more we come to know God. That is what spiritual renewal is all about – growing into a “whole” and “holy” person. Whether it is through small faith-sharing groups, parish missions, personal reflection, retreats, daily prayer or a program like RENEW, taking time out to care for and nourish our spirits – to renew our souls – is as essential to our personal growth as is exercising and nourishing our bodies.

Randy Nohl is the director of Adult and Family Ministry for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee

For small faith group resources, or for a list of parish mission presenters, retreat centers or spiritual directors in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, contact the Office of Adult and Family Ministry: 414-769-3444 or 800-769-9373, ext. 444 (within the archdiocese).