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What is an ACTS Retreat?
An
ACTS retreat is a three day and three night Catholic lay retreat presented by
fellow parishioners. The retreat begins on Thursday evening and ends the
following Sunday at a Mass celebrated with the parish community. Retreats for
men, women and teens are given separately. Talks and activities during the
retreat focus on Adoration, Community, Theology, and Service, from which the
ACTS acronym is derived. Holy Scripture and the teachings of the Roman Catholic
Church are the guides for the retreats. The retreat takes on the traditions and
atmosphere of the parish community sponsoring it. The retreat itself facilitates
the attainment of a new or deeper relationship with our Lord through: Adoration
- the call by, acceptance of, and response to God Community - the love and
caring of each other Theology - the study of God through scripture and the
Catholic Faith Service - to God, his people and the parish faith community. Each
retreat is conducted by a retreat “team” composed of ~ 36 individuals who have
attended prior ACTS retreats. Chosen by the retreat Director, the team organizes
the retreat, conducts the retreat talks and activities, and ministers to the
needs of the retreatants during the retreat weekend.
What is the purpose of an ACTS retreat?An ACTS weekend is designed to help the retreatants enter into a new or
deeper relationship with our Lord and our fellow parishioners. This is
accomplished through fellowship and daily prayer, the call to community in one’s
parish as a member of the Body of Christ, and theology in encouraging the study
of scripture and our Catholic Faith. All of these actions encourage the virtue
of service to our Lord, our parish, and one another.What is the goal of an ACTS retreat?A parish ACTS retreat strives to achieve the directives of Vatican II
and goals of the Revised Code of Canon Law of 1983 which emphasize “community
and pastoral care” within a parish. The weekend allows the retreatants to
experience God’s love and joy. They return to their parish with a deeper love
for each other and a desire to become more involved in their parish faith
community.
Why attend an ACTS retreat?
The
weekend can be a powerful and enduring personal conversion experience. Talks,
which draw from the personal experiences of team members, focus on Adoration,
the need for prayer and meditation on the word of God; Community, the importance
of community built on faith and love; Theology, the need to read and understand
scripture and our Catholic Faith; and Service, the need to answer Christ’s call
to service. Activities conducted during the weekend give retreatants a better
understanding of the significance and importance of prayer, liturgy, the
sacraments, scripture, community, and service.
It is a powerful community building
experience for a parish. The ACTS weekend brings the retreatants to a better
understanding of God’s love for them, and also develops their need to share that
love with others through their involvement in a faith-centered parish
community.
The retreat emphasizes our call to serve our
parish community and the greater world community. Frequently the retreatant
experiences a new or renewed dedication to the life of the parish community and
a new recognition of the needs of those around us and of our obligation, as
followers of Christ, to help meet those needs.
Who can attend an ACTS retreat?ACTS retreats are open to all Christians. While ACTS is a Catholic
retreat, it is open to other Christians who are open to learning about the Roman
Catholic faith. |
