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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.
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