Confirmation Retreat Weekends are $175 per teen. This cost covers all housing, meals, snacks, materials, and staffing for the 2-day retreat. Meals provided include lunch, dinner, and snacks on Saturday, as well as breakfast, lunch, and a snack on Sunday. 

If a teen is unable to attend the retreat on their selected weekend and there is space available for a different weekend, their reserved space can be transferred until two weeks before their original retreat date. If transferred less than two weeks of the original retreat weekend, a $50 rescheduling fee will be charged for the change. 

If a teen cannot reschedule their retreat, NET will issue a $100 refund. 

Accommodations can be made for those with allergies to egg, dairy, gluten, and nuts, provided advance notice of at least two weeks is given. For other special food requests, including vegetarian and vegan meals, please contact Jeffrey Campeau at jeffreyc@netusa.org.

Saturday‍
9:30 AM - Retreat Begins
10:00 AM - Opening Session
10:45 AM - Small Group 1 with a snack
11:15 AM - Small Group Tournament
12:15 PM - Award Ceremony
12:20 PM - Break
12:30 PM - Lunch
1:00 PM - Grace and clean-up
1:30 PM - Short Elimination Game
1:35 PM - Talk - "Never Alone"
1:45 PM - Gospel-Based Activity 
1:55 PM - Drama & Testimony
2:05 PM - Small Group 2
2:35 PM - Capture the Flag
3:30 PM - Welcome back and into to Video Drama - "All This For Me"
3:35 PM - Talk - "Known"
3:45 PM - Small Group 3 - Walk through Examination of Conscience
4:15 PM - Free Chosen Activity
5:15 PM - Dinner
5:45 PM - Grace, clean-up, free time for youth & adoration set-up
6:30 PM - Prayer Ministry Introduction
6:35 PM - Song & introduction to praise
6:40 PM - Testimony & Drama
6:50 PM - Exhortation
7:00 PM - Exposition
7:05 PM - Prayer Ministry Begins, pray over each youth
7:10 PM - Reconciliation begins
7:40 PM - Prayer teams begin
8:00 PM - Musician leads song
8:05 PM - Benediction
8:15 PM - Night Announcements & quick night prayer
8:30 PM - Movie
10:00 PM - Movie End
10:30 PM - Lights Out

Sunday
8:15 AM - Wake up
8:30 AM - Team Meeting
9:00 AM - Breakfast
9:20 AM - Grace & Clean-Up
9:45 AM - Gather and elimination game
9:50 AM - Talk - "True Presence"
10:00 AM - Gospel-Based Activity
10:15 AM - Drama
10:20 AM - Testimony
10:25 AM - Small Group 4
10:55 AM - Small Group Survey
11:10 AM - "Fear Not" + intro to letter-to-self; given by Retreat Leader
11:20 AM - Writing letter-to-self
12:00 PM - Lunch
12:30 PM - Grace & Clean-Up
12:45 PM - Change & move luggage to lobby
1:00 PM - Building Clean-Up
1:45 PM - Mass Prep: Teach youth mass parts
2:00 PM - Mass
3:00 PM - Closing Announcements & End

Please complete and submit an Event Waiver (Spanish version) at least two weeks before your scheduled retreat. If you have any questions, please contact our Local Outreach Coordinator at 651.450.6833 x224 or crw@netusa.org

NET Ministries thoroughly screens and trains every NET Missionary before their work with young people. Specifically, NET follows the recommendations of the “Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People,” created by the National Catholic Conference of Bishops (now USCCB) in June 2002. Per these recommendations, all of our missionaries undergo an intense, comprehensive training process to ensure their suitability for work with youth before they conduct any ministry with youth. 

1. In the initial screening and selection process, NET requires several references for each potential NET Missionary who can testify to the suitability of that potential missionary. Each reference is originally submitted in writing and then verified by our staff. This is part of the extensive application process, which includes two live interviews and a letter from their pastor stating they are in good standing with the Catholic Church.

2. NET Missionaries undergo a criminal background check specialized to accommodate their age. These checks are conducted by The McDowell Agency, the agency being utilized by the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. This includes but is not limited to, a search on the National Sex Offenders Database and the USA Criminal Index (which is similar to fingerprinting) but does NOT include fingerprinting.

3. NET Missionaries are trained and certified in safe environment through the “VIRTUS–Protecting God’s Children” course by the National Catholic Risk Retention Group, Inc. NET Missionaries are also required to successfully complete NET’s training process, which is conducted prior to and during their ministry.
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During this training, the NET Missionaries receive instruction concerning:
- appropriate standards of conduct for those working with youth;
- inappropriate speech, touch, and relationships with youth;
- requirements for creating a safe environment for all retreatants;
- guidelines for ensuring their own personal safety.

4. All missionaries annually acknowledge, by their signature, that they have received, understood, and intend to conduct themselves in accordance with NET Ministries’ Personal Conduct Policies. Once the NET Missionaries are in active ministry, they continue to receive ongoing training and supervision by NET staff members, which includes weekly contact and monthly on-site visits. Personnel records, including the paperwork mentioned above, are all kept on each individual missioanry at the NET Center. A more comprehensive explanation is available if needed by contacting our Chief Operating Officer, Brenda Grubb (brendag@netusa.org, 651.450.6833 x104).

You can contact our CRW Emergency phone number, which will be emailed to you prior to the retreat. The phone will always be with a staff member, who will help you connect with your child within an hour of your call.

The NET Center has both women’s and men’s dorm rooms. Each dorm has a shower room, toilet room, two sinks, five bunk beds, and cubbies to hold clothes and bags.

We try to accommodate all allergies and dietary restrictions. When filling out the Event Waiver, please inform us of the retreatant's allergies or dietary restrictions. Our hospitality staff goes to great lengths to ensure that each allergy is accommodated with an adequate substitute and that there is no cross-contamination with foods. If you have concerns, please contact Jeffrey Campeau at jeffreyc@netusa.org.

You can drop off your child at the NET Center Events entrance located at 110 Crusader Ave. W, West Saint Paul, MN. The Events entrance is at the far end of the parking lot. Drop-off/Sign-in is at 9:30 AM Saturday morning, and pick-up is at 4:00 PM Sunday evening.

Each small group is split between men and women and has about 6-8 youth. We try to ensure that there are at least 2-3 youth from the same parish in each small group.

We encourage all youth to leave their phones at home. If they do not, they will be asked to keep them in their dorm room for the duration of the retreat, helping them fully enter into the environment without distractions of friends or social media.

Yes, our building is locked at all times besides drop-off and pickup. We have staff who regularly walk through the building to make sure all youth are in their session or small group. Additionally, we hire overnight staff to stay up throughout the night to ensure sleep and dorm safety and to be awake and alert if emergencies occur.

Unfortunately, we do not allow youth to come and go throughout the retreat as they will miss important talks and sessions. If there are schedule conflicts, please contact crw@netusa.org to reschedule your weekend or discuss any unique circumstances. We do make exceptions in some cases.

We will send informational emails about the retreat one month, two weeks, and the Monday before the retreat weekend. It will contain all the information you will need to know about the retreat and what to bring. It also contains this packing list below:

- Sleeping bag & pillow
- Toiletries & towels
- Water bottle
- Casual & gym clothes
- Dress clothes for Sunday Mass
- Bible
- Journal or notebook (if you want to take notes)
- Pen

- For the safety of anyone with food allergies, please do not bring any food (chips, candy, soda, etc.)
- Drugs, alcohol, or tobacco (including e-cigarettes)
- Headphones or Airpods

Youth are encouraged to dress casually, comfortably, and appropriately during the retreat. There are a few recreation sessions, so bringing rec clothes is encouraged. We also ask that you bring “Sunday Best” clothes for Mass on the retreat.

It is important for parents to be involved in their child’s faith life. We encourage asking your child how they were impacted on retreat. You can ask these prompting questions:
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1. What is something you learned about the Sacrament of Confirmation that you didn’t know before?
2. How was your experience of adoration, confession, and prayer?
3. How are you feeling about being confirmed soon?
4. What new things do you want to implement in your life since the retreat?
5. Is there anything our family can do to further our faith?
6. What is the most meaningful thing you got out of the weekend?
7. Does the retreat make you think differently about the confirmation process and classes you’re taking?
8. What was it like being in a small group with people your age?