Build up interest locally and secure permission and funding from the relevant local leader(s) to run a Life-Giving Wounds retreat and/or support group. (We require receiving diocesan approval first if this is for a parish or diocese, and recommend starting with an initial launch retreat, as the support groups work best as follow-up accompaniment after the retreat. However, we are flexible to meet your needs if you want to start first with a support group.)

Select dates and book a venue for the first retreat or support group.

Establish contract with Life-Giving Wounds and provide an initial deposit to secure dates; remainder of cost due at end of the event.

Begin to Recruit and vet volunteers to help facilitate the retreat or support group; these should be faithful Catholics who are adult children of divorce or separation. It is especially important to try to find a coordinator, chaplain, and team counselor.

Select whether you will do leadership training prior to or after the initial launch retreat or support group (the most popular is the latter and these ten steps are based on that order). If choosing the former, then select dates for the three leadership training webinars in conjunction with the national ministry (as we try to coordinate multiple groups at once in cohorts and usually run two cohorts a year in the Winter/Spring time and Summer/Fall time). Join online leadership community and resource portal for further resources.

Prepare for and handle all registration and on-site logistics for the support group or retreat (e.g., set up and run registration page, coordinate food, tech needs, etc.). As part of the pre-retreat logistics, secure lodging and transportation needs for Life-Giving Wounds traveling retreat team to assist with the initial launch retreat.

Develop an outreach team and market the retreat or support group in local channels (Catholic newspaper, radio, parish bulletins, social media, ask leaders to make personal invites, have alumni in your area give witness talks about major events, etc.), 4 to 6 months prior to the event dates.

Orderretreat guides and journals for the retreat participants; materials for support groups are currently accessible through our digital library on our blog and leaders-only group. Receive in-person training on the retreat itself (led by our traveling retreat team), if partnering with us to run the initial retreat.

After the event, pay the balance of the contract and remaining travel expenses, if any. Schedule a follow-up phone call with Life-Giving Wounds to evaluate the retreat/support group and plan how to move forward with the post-launch event logistics in step ten.

Keep the momentum going by recruiting and vetting further volunteers from the initial launch retreat. Schedule and attend the three leadership webinars in conjunction with the national ministry (again, we try to coordinate multiple groups in one training session) if you chose the after-retreat option. Decide on the date of your next retreat and develop a timeline for implementing a support group before or after the second retreat. And finally, stay in touch with the national ministry, we’ll do at the very least a yearly check-in call and meeting with the coordinator.