What is an
ACTS Retreat?
An ACTS Retreat is a parish-based event which offers parishioners an opportunity to experience the love of Jesus Christ. This in turn fosters a desire for intentional discipleship.
ACTS Retreats are given by parishioners for parishioners, and in this way, serve to build Christian community at the parish.
The Retreat Experience:
The ACTS Retreat begins Thursday evening and ends with Sunday Mass in the parish.
While utilizing prayer, service, and teaching, the ACTS Retreat meets people where they are in their spiritual journey and invites them to experience God in a manner that is both personal and communal.
In this way, the ACTS Retreat fulfills the mission of:
“Spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ among Catholic communities through ACTS.”
It’s Spiritual Reflection…
The ACTS Retreat experience is rooted in the Pascal Mystery in that retreatants are invited to reflect on the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
…And Spiritual Surrender
Throughout the weekend, retreatants are invited to prayerfully consider how they can respond to His love by spiritually surrendering to Jesus in order to have new life with Him.
This invitation is extended through the pillars
of the retreat:
Adoration:
Responding through prayer and worship to receiving God’s gifts of grace, mercy and love
Community:
Living and participating in the One Body of Christ as Church, beginning with the parish
Theology:
Deepening our relationship with God through prayerful study to better understand and fulfill His will for our lives
Service:
Answering the call to discipleship by following the model Christ gave us
Immediate Impact
After Attending
Those who attend an ACTS retreat share in an experience that has impacted more than one million lives worldwide since the first retreat in 1987. There are numerous testimonies describing retreatants who were evangelized through a personal encounter with Jesus Christ. They witness to becoming better fathers, mothers, husbands, wives and children.
Parishes have been revitalized, diaconate classes have been filled, and all seek to deepen their relationship with Christ through prayer and service.
The Results
As a result, ACTS is supported by bishops and priests worldwide as a legitimate participant in the Church’s New Evangelization. Through ACTS, the laity respond to their baptismal call, and seek to participate in the apostolic mission of the Church to “go and make disciples of all nations,” and this has been found to be good.
Become a Missioner
Are you on fire after attending an ACTS Retreat? Can’t wait to share the experience with others? Share your joy as we are called to go forth and serve our community by becoming an ACTS Missioner!
Did you know?
ACTS Missions is Represented Worldwide in:
Dioceses Worldwide
87 dioceses throughout the world
Dioceses in the U.S.
64 dioceses throughout the U.S.
U.S. States
28 states in the US representing 74 dioceses
Countries
6 countries throughout the world