Participants of an earlier ACTS retreat(Courtesy photo)
Most stories these days start with some version of “what a crazy year it’s been.” We’ve been restricted to our homes, unable to travel to visit loved ones, witness a grandchild’s first steps, or even walk the streets of our own communities without fear or a facemask.
The time has come to emerge. Parish churches are filling up, and we are finally able to seek reconciliation and partake of the Precious Body of Christ. Normalcy is finally on the horizon.
Surprisingly, one of the best ways to re-embrace normalcy may be … to go on a retreat. A place without Zoom or Teams, where we can pare away the things that create stress and re-focus on what matters most: the Word of God.
The ACTS Mission (Adoration, Community, Theology and Service) is offering an opportunity to turn off the news and social media — all competing to tell us just how afraid we should be today — and spend a few days praying, sharing, talking and listening.
ACTS Missions began in San Antonio in 1987. The fruit from this tree blossomed and spread, testifying to the presence of the Holy Spirit. The ACTS retreat model expanded to 27 states and five countries and continues to grow with Hawaii joining in 2013. Since then, nine retreats have taken place with participants from across the Hawaiian Islands. Retreats are three-day events delivering an opportunity to participate in spiritually enriching activities and talks. Retreats are men or women-only with the hallmark of enabling safe, open, honest and confidential discussion.
Under sponsorship from St. John Apostle and Evangelist Parish in Mililani and Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in Wahiawa, ACTS will conduct a women’s retreat at the St. Anthony Retreat Center in Kalihi Aug. 5-8. Hawaii ACTS coordinator Richard Weathers says, “Details of retreat activities are confidential. Experiencing elements of the retreat without foreknowledge enables them to have a more profound impact — and knowing retreat discussions are confidential encourages an openness hard to replicate outside the confessional. Retreatants can put their concerns into perspective as they hear the stories of their brothers and sisters.”
Retreats move from discussions of life issues to lessons in theology, understanding of adoration and sacraments, and growing in mind and spirit through prayer, learning and action. Retreatants discover they are part of a larger community of imperfect men and women re-dedicated to the work of the church. The ACTS community in Hawaii feeds the hungry, clothes the naked, and prays continually for causes personal and global.
The ACTS Retreat experience is transformative. Weathers notes again that “I have been on two retreats — one as a retreatant and one as a team member. I grew as much from the second experience as the first — and I’m trying to enable others to grow in the same ways.”
The next ACTS Women’s Retreat is Aug. 5-8 at the St Anthony Retreat Center in Kalihi. Contact Judy Brasel, jbrasel06@yahoo.com or 381-2063, or Richard Weathers, richardweathers1986@gmail.com or 342-4770 for information.