While the parish does not charge a fee for the weekend, there are costs to putting it on.  We seek to support the ministry through donations by those who have been blessed by their experience on the retreat.  Please help us keep this experience available for those the Holy Spirit is prompting to make this retreat.  Thanks in advance for your support.

CLICK HERE to make a secure, online donation to support the Light of the World parish retreat.

What is the Light of the World Retreat?

• A parish-based weekend retreat intended to provide a personal encounter with Jesus Christ through the power and inspiration of the Holy Spirit. 
• The weekend invites participants to discover or deepen their personal relationship with Jesus and his Church.
• The foundation of the retreat is the Kerygma – the Good News of Jesus Christ: 
  • God loves us.
  • Sin separates us from God.
  • Jesus came to rescue us from our enemy, the devil and our sin.
  • Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we are invited to accept God’s free gift of salvation in Jesus and then commit to maintaining and building that relationship for a lifetime.
• The goal of LOTW is to invite each retreatant to begin (or renew) a personal, intimate relationship with Jesus Christ and then provide them the tools to maintain and build on that relationship as a life-long disciple.
• During the retreat, the Good News of Jesus Christ and His personal love for us is connected to the sacramental life of the Church.
• The Light of the World Retreat seeks to help retreatants access that storehouse of grace that too many have taken for granted.  This is accomplished on the weekend through powerful renewals of the Sacraments of Reconciliation, Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist.
• The experience of this retreat can be an awesome first step in a person's deeper spiritual journey ... or ... it may be a powerful renewal of a journey already well underway.  Either way, however, for the retreat to bear lasting fruit, retreatants are provided an opportunity to continue and support one another following the retreat itself:
  • Participants provide love, care and support for one another as disciples on the journey - seeking always to enter ever more deeply into relationship with Jesus and to serve Him and His Church.
  • Those who desire to build on their retreat experience have the option of joinig a small faith community (if they are not already engaged in a similar small group) to keep the flames of faith experienced on the weekend alive for the long-haul.
    • Participants meet regularly to share life and to share faith - seeking to continue growing as a disciple of Jesus in the Catholic Church.
    • Relationships are built and the community prays together, learns together and fellowships together.
    • The small faith community makes our large parish a lot smaller as the participants grow in faith with a number of their fellow parishioners who all take their relationship with Jesus seriously, desire to grow that relationship and want to help others who have that same desire.
  • This helps the parish build a community of communities – so parishioners come to share life with one another and enhance the idea of the parish being a large family and complimenting our weekend/Sunday communal worship experience at Mass.
• The retreat is open to both men and women (18 or older).
• While the retreat is very Catholic, non-Catholics, especially those engaged in the OCIA process are welcome to participate. You will be warmly welcomed!

What happens on the weekend?

• The weekend is led by a team of four evangelists and a member of the clergy from the parish.
• The weekend is held at the parish – but everyone goes home at night and sleeps in their own bed.
• Schedule of the weekend is as follows:
  • Friday:  6:30 PM - 9:00 PM *
  • Saturday:  8:00 AM - 8:00 PM
  • Sunday:  8:15 AM - 7:00 PM
  • Monday:  6:30 PM - 9:00 PM *

• The weekend consists of a series of talks, activities, small group discussions, along with periods of individual adoration which provide time during the weekend to process what is being experienced.
• The environment is focused but at the same time relaxed.
• Mass is built into the weekend on Sunday so no worries about your Sunday mass obligation.  
• The Monday evening session is an essential part of the weekend so plan on being at that closing session.
• Lite breakfast is provided on Saturday with a more substantial breakfast on Sunday.  Lunch and supper are provided on Saturday and Sunday.  Lite snacks/drinks are provided during the weekend.
• Participants go home and sleep in their own beds on Friday and Saturday nights and return the following morning to continue the retreat.

Is there a cost to attend the weekend?

• There is no fee due in advance to make the weekend.
• There is a cost to put on the weekend and a love offering is requested at the end of the weekend.
• Participants are simply asked to give in response to the blessings they receive during the weekend and as they are financially able to do so.
• There is the notion of paying it forward so future parishioners can make the weekend (especially those who can’t afford it).
• But the cost of the weekend should never be a reason not to make the retreat!

How does one sign up for the weekend?

• Complete the above registration form and click on the Submit button.
• If you have questions, contact Deacon Tim ([email protected] or 859-338-4066).
• Capacity for the weekend is 30.  A waiting list will be maintained if/when needed.

PAST LIGHT OF THE WORLD WEEKENDS AT THE CATHEDRAL

Weekend # 8:  November 17-20, 2023


Weekend #7:  October 28-30, November 1 2022

31 people participated in the first Light of the World Evangelization Retreat in the entire state of Kentucky and took place November 3-6,2017.  The Holy Spirit was most definitely acting in amazing ways throughout the retreat.