Retreat Ideas

This page contains retreat programs that were submitted to the National Catholic Committee on Scouting® as Outstanding Retreats or the Award for Excellence programs and retreats submitted by diocesan committees. Below is a brief summary of each. All files are in pdf format. The file size is listed after the title.

Boy Scout Retreats

A Look Down the Road Less Traveled (8.5M)
This retreat is for older scouts in 6 – 12 grades. This retreat is a weekend retreat and includes a campfire on the dock, songs, skits, commercials, flag ceremonies, a station to station activities where scouts participate in skits, games, discussions, hands on activities. At some of the retreats there have been healing services, benedictions and even a baptism ceremony. After dark a dance floor is setup, with videos or just a place to sit down and talk. On Sunday morning, there is a mass in the amphitheater overlooking the lake.

Brotherhood of Christ (4M)
At this retreat, a scout will examine, share, and experience God’s word in a positive and nurturing setting. The purpose is to allow youth to reflect upon the movement of God in their lives, to provide a climate in which the young person might encounter Christ as alive among us, to experience community and formulate their personal response to the call to discipleship received at baptism. It is a period of “prime time” for God consisting of prayer, spiritual input, quiet reflection and activities designed to awaken, confirm and strengthen the God/human relationship. This retreat is organized in a campout setting over a weekend.

Circle of Life (4M)
The purpose of this retreat is for spiritual enrichment and to experience various retreat activities. The title “Circle of Life” was chosen because it reflects the need for scouters o improve their own relationship with God and to also pass their religious beliefs on to the next generation.

Duty to God Encampment (500K)
This retreat allows the scouts to enjoy the outdoors in a social and religious environment. The will become familiar with the religious emblem programs and will receive training and information beyond the emblem programs. They will discover religious vocations and will have fun playing games that require teamwork with their peers. They will become familiar with their friends belief and also have an opportunity to be trained as a Chaplain Aide. There is also training for adults. The retreat ends with scouts sharing vespers and church service with Christians from many denominations.

Experience with Jesus (3.3M)
This one day retreat is designed for the younger scouts. Scouts will walk from station to station and work on activities like building a leather cross, hearing stories, playing games and attending a Mass with the entire family.

Friday Night Campfire (826K)
This retreat begins with a Friday evening campfire and skit. On Saturday, the entire group gathers for a flag ceremony and opening service. Then, the group is broken into 5 smaller groups that attend the 5 morning workshops. Saturday afternoon includes a penance service, a smaller activity, ranging from craft to meditation and prayer. Saturday evening is a social, with a dance and movie, simultaneously occurring. Sunday morning culminates the retreat with a Mass at the waterfront, which the Bishop attends if his schedule allows.

Journey with Jesus (5.3M)
A day long retreat with four round-robin activity stations based on prominent locations in the life of Jesus (Bethlehem, Nazareth, Capernaum, and Jerusalem), and including a model boy scout camp, a praise and worship service during lunch, and end with a prayer service. This event was designed to allow Cub Scouts the opportunity to have fun and Christian Scouts fellowship while deepening their faith and learning about the life of Jesus.

Look Down the Road (8.5M)
This retreat is for older scouts in 6 – 12 grades. This retreat is a weekend retreat and includes a campfire on the dock, songs, skits, commercials, flag ceremonies, a station to station activities where scouts participate in skits, games, discussions, hands on activities. At some of the retreats there have been healing services, benedictions and even a baptism ceremony. After dark a dance floor is setup, with videos or just a place to sit down and talk. On Sunday morning, there is a mass in the amphitheater overlooking the lake.

Stairway to Heaven (12M)
This retreat is to remind scouts that we are all on our journey to heaven. This retreat is for older scouts in 6 - 12 grades. This retreat is a weekend retreat and includes a campfire on the dock, songs, skits, commercials, flag ceremonies, a station to station activities where scouts participate in skits, games, discussions, hands on activities. At some of the retreats there have been healing services, benedictions and even a baptism ceremony. After dark a dance floor is setup, with videos or just a place to sit down and talk. On Sunday morning, there is a mass in the amphitheater overlooking the lake.

We Gotta Talk (10M)
This retreat was designed for 6th-12th grade boy scouts and girl scouts. This retreat is setup in a workshop format for scouts to openly discuss issues. The retreat also includes acting-out and singing prayers, discussion of patron saints, sign language, pantomime, letters to missionaries, and healing services, a nightclub, music, and dancing.

Where the Wild Things Are (8.2M)
The title was based on the children's book by Maurice Sendak. This retreat is all about saints who lead their lives or used wild methods in their ministry. This retreat is setup in a workshop format for scouts to openly discuss issues. The retreat also includes acting-out and singing prayers, discussion of patron saints, sign language, pantomime, letters to missionaries, and healing services, a nightclub, music, and dancing.

Working with Kids and Loving it (2.3M)
This retreat was designed for 6th-12th grade boy scouts and girl scouts. This retreat is setup in a workshop format for scouts to openly discuss issues. The retreat also includes acting-out and singing prayers, discussion of patron saints, sign language, pantomime, letters to missionaries, and healing services, a nightclub, music, and dancing.

Day of Recollection (1.6M)
This retreat is a day long event for Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and Scouters. The Scout Leaders and parents are trained to be counselors. Scouts form a Living Rosary where they pick up a rope in the shape of a rosary and the each say a portion of the rosary. The scouts also build a rosary out of a stick and end the day with a Mass. The stick rosary is pretty cool.

Cub Scout Retreats

Signs and Symbols (3.6M)
This retreat is designed for 4th-6th grade scouts. The purpose is to have scouts realize that the symbols in scouts, their community and their church have meaning, Also, to have scouts realize the message that the symbols in advertising are giving them. Finally, to have scouts make a personal commitment to be a better Christian and to draw a symbol to remind them of that commitment.

Interfaith Retreats

Camping Retreat #1 (380K)
The retreat is designed for a weekend of camping. The activities include Mass, working of religious awards by age group, counselor training, penance, service projects, campfires, camp wide games. This retreat is a jointly organized for Catholics and Protestant youth.

Camping Retreat #2 (2.8M)
The retreated is designed for a weekend of camping. The activities include Mass, working of religious awards by age group, counselor training, penance, service projects, campfires, camp wide games. This retreat is a jointly organized for Catholics and Protestant youth.

Celebrate Life (1.7M)
The retreated is designed for a weekend of camping. The activities include Mass, working of religious awards by age group, counselor training, penance, service projects, campfires, camp wide games. This retreat is a jointly organized for Catholics and Protestant youth.

Interfaith Retreat #1 (3.5M)
This overnight and day retreat discussed issues like Sexuality, Rape, Abortion, Popular Music, Suicide, Nuclear War, Cults, Fantasy, Dealing with Death, and Death Penalty with older scouts.

Interfaith Retreat #2 (3.2M)
This overnight and day retreat discussed issues like Sexuality, Rape, Abortion, Popular Music, Suicide, Nuclear War, Cults, Fantasy, Dealing with Death, and Death Penalty with older scouts.

The NCCS Award of Excellence is awarded every two years at the Biennial Conference. Click here to find out more information on the Award of Excellence. Email the webmaster to add your retreat to this page.

Retreats submitted by diocesan committees (not submitted as Awards for Excellence)

Scout's Trail to Sainthood (432K)

"Scout's Trail to Sainthood" was presented in 2003 by the Diocese of Richmond. The retreat encourages scouts to follow in the footsteps of Servant of God Frank Parater, a 1915 Eagle Scout who may become the first Boy Scout to become a saint. The retreat combines old-time scoutcraft with traditional devotions and worship, including the Traditional Latin Mass.

10 Commandment Hike (71K)

Planning steps for a 10 Commandment Hike provided by the Interfaith Committee of the Grand Canyon Council, Phoenix, AZ.