ACTS is an acronym for: Adoration, Community, Theology and Service. It is a parish based retreat and ministry. The retreat’s goals are to strengthen our faith and its application in our daily life, to renew ourselves spiritually and to build strong lasting friendships. Lay Catholic men present the ACTS Retreat with support provided by a spiritual director and clergy.
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retreat testimonies
The ACTS Retreat really jump started my faith again! It opened my heart to let Jesus take over. I came home with a renewed sense of purpose as a father, husband, and man.
Engaging in an ACTS retreat introduced me to a profound sense of belonging within our parish community, fulfilling a need I didn't even realize existed. It also exposed me to a myriad of new opportunities and experiences that I likely wouldn't have encountered otherwise.
My heart is now completely open to God. I pray with my wife every night and strive to grow in my faith even more. This retreat was the spark I needed to start this huge fire in my life. I feel rejuvenated and I feel peace after multiple encounters with Jesus on this retreat. This retreat changed my life forever.
A wonderful experience that enabled me to grow in my faith and love for Jesus, the Eucharist and the sacrament of reconciliation along side other men of our parish. I truly felt the Holy Spirit working throughout the retreat.
It was a real eye opener to spend time with fellow Parishioners talking about what Faith meant to them. There was a wide range of topics covered that I never realized could have an impact on me.
I have been attending the Manresa and Lord, Teach Me To Pray Retreats for many years. They are both silent retreats rooted in Ignatian Spirituality and I appreciate the quiet time allotted to “just be” with the Lord, sit with His Word along with the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, listening to what Jesus speaks to my heart personally. He often reminds me of the abundant gifts with which my Father has blessed me and how I must remain focused on the vocation to which God commissions me: To remain faithful to my prayer and save souls by being the good witness He calls me to be.
As a parishioner of St. Luke Church for 14 years, I have met many gentlemen during this time but have not really gotten to know them. I enjoyed how the ACTS Retreat encourages a spirit of fellowship and community, a brotherhood. In a short period of time, I got to know several of the men on a personal level and realized, although different in some ways, in many ways we had much in common. They inspired me to be a better man, a better Catholic, husband and father.
I am feeling more confident with putting my faith into action by assertively using the gifts God has given me and invite others to join me.
Since the weekend, when reflecting further upon the effects it is having on me and comparing it to the more contemplative retreat experiences to which I am accustomed, it occurred to me that it is not necessary to choose one over the other but rather, proactively share my faith by utilizing the benefits and learned strategies from each. Together, they both can bear abundant fruit, answering my call to full transformation in Christ and help save souls.
Awesome! I love being closer to my Lord. I feel so blessed Having the men and brothers from SCB Church leading and explaining everything to us was again awesome!
I believe the ACTS Retreat is one of the most positive retreats of fellowship I have attended since Katrina. The relationship building amongst our fellow male parishioners was far beyond my expectations. I recommend this flawlessly executed event to all parishioners of all churches. We are all called today, as men, to reach out to all others by example.