Information on ACTS

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No offense intended, Chuck, but there has been no one who attended an ACTS retreat who did not like it? No one? That is like the old story about a good time was had by all.
Why not just disclose everything that is done? No secrets.
If someone steps on your foot that is a surprise, but not necessarily something pleasing.
From some stories I have heard, this sounds like boot camp. And boot camp is not something anyone would want to endure.
Email me if you want to disclose some of what is done. I have the discipline not to disclose anything said.
But before I will attend an ACTS retreat, I want to no definitively what I an getting into before I go.
 
clmowry said:
I would highly recommend an ACTS retreat for anyone.

The “secrecy” isn’t to hide anything nefarious. It’s more around confidentiality and surprise.

There are simply some elements of the retreat that are more impactful if they come as a surprise.

I’ve been directly / indirectly involved in many ACTS retreats and seen hundreds of men and women from different parts of the country return from their retreats.

I’ve not yet met anyone who regretted having attended.
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with all due respect, and I know you are sincere, but this shows the problem. You say you have never met anyone who regretted having attended, and you would recommend it to everyone. Most people are certainly not going to tell someone they regret attending, out of politeness to those who work on it if nothing else. But for those of us who have looked into it, we can find people who regret attending. No one who has run a business, hosted events, etc for years can say they have never had an unhappy customer.
No one is claiming anything is nefarious, but needing it to be more impactful just confirms that it is all about emotional programming. And of course we understand things are said that need to be confidential for personal reasons.

ACTS is great for some people. Perhaps in this day and age of lukewarm faith, its great for most people. And any worthwhile movement has to have its strong promoters. But there needs to be more transparency.
 
“Helping you to avoid temptation and embrace the experience.”
Is that the temptation to leave?
 
I didn’t say there was “no one who attended and ACTS retreat who did not like it”. I’ve not met the entire population of participants. I’m sure there must be “someone”. I believe there was an earlier post where someone on reddit who had some serious issues with the retreat.

What I said was of the hundreds of people that I’ve been directly associated with I’ve not yet met one who regretted attending the retreat and that I would highly recommend it. And that’s the truth.

Even the one guy I know that refused to take the bus and insisted on driving himself so he could leave when he wanted too, in the end was delighted he had come on the retreat.

If I had to speculate as to why I’ve seen very few complaints, I would guess that anyone that really didn’t want to be there and wasn’t being lead to something the retreat could provide didn’t show up.

For what I hope are obvious reasons, I’m not going to get into what actually happens on the retreat.

Chuck
 
I guess it’s possible that folks could have hated the retreat but they were to polite to provide that information on the feedback on the forms they were given after the retreats.

Seems unlikely to me. But possible.
 
Chuck, thanks for your reply.
I am not trying to be a jerk, though I sometimes am, but I just do not understand why you cannot give a general description of what transpires.
I have heard there are personal stories told during these retreats. I am not looking for you to disclose anything that should remain private.
As what said by someone else posting, most people are kind. They are not going to say that they did not like something for fear of hurting that person’s feelings. I have to think that some of the people you feel did not regret taking part actually did. They are just too nice to speak differently.
 
tafan2 said:
ACTS is great for some people. Perhaps in this day and age of lukewarm faith, its great for most people.
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So this got me thinking. I can’t really see into anyone else’s soul but of all the people I’ve seen on an ACTS retreat, who do I think go the least out of it?

And frankly, I think you are right on task here. I’m friends with one gentleman that has to be the closest to a walking talking saint that I’ve ever known.

For him, I think it was just a “normal” weekend!
 
clmowry said:
There are simply some elements of the retreat that are more impactful if they come as a surprise.
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Some of us simply don’t have the personality or the mindset to benefit from this type of impact. It may help others, perhaps it jolts lukewarm people into thought, but I personally find surprises of any sort to be very offputting.
 
Well I can’t share any details because as a former retreat participant I promised not too!

I guess what I would be willing to say is there is nothing that takes place on an ACTS retreat that wouldn’t be part of living an active Catholic spiritual life.

What I jokingly told my wife when I got back, she hadn’t been on a retreat yet, was we “stood around a campfire in our underwear sing and eating s’mores.” (That did not happen, just to be clear!)

Chuck
 
I think that kind of settles things for me.
If the “secrecy” of what goes on is such that it would make someone like me too apprehensive about participating, then I just will pass on the option to attend.
The trouble with this world, in general, is that too much is done behind clothes doors.
Jesus Christ was one of the most, if not the most, transparent persons to ever walk this earth. You knew who he was and what he wanted for all of us.
If I am going to be asked to pay a couple of hundred dollars without know what I am paying for, then I must say no.
Chuck, I think you will find many, many other Catholics like me who err on the side of caution.
ACTS is beginning to sound more and more like a cult following than something spiritual.
 
I am not one who enjoys surprises, either.
My faith may at times be lukewarm, but I don’t need a bucket of cold water thrown my way to get me out of any spiritual funk.
 
clmowry said:
I guess what I would be willing to say is there is nothing that takes place on an ACTS retreat that wouldn’t be part of living an active Catholic spiritual life.
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I am not for sure I agree with this. I no people who have very active Catholic spiritual lives, and from my understanding there are things in an ACTs retreat that are not part of their lives. Listening to emotional testimonies, love bombing, group hyms before meals, promises of secrecy… Not saying any of these are necessarily bad things, but I don’t think they are part of many active Catholic spiritual lives.
 
If it is that big of a concern, then I would certainly pass on this particular retreat. Hopefully there are plenty of other options available.

If the ACTS retreat is new to your parish then I would suggest you withhold final judgement until you get feedback from friends or family that have been on retreat.

To your last point. I certainly wouldn’t call it a cult.

About the only problem I have with ACTS (or any similar movement) is that it does potentially create a little sub-community within the parish. But I’m not sure that its any different than KoC or different prayer groups / ministries etc.

Chuck
 
Okay, I used the wrong term, faulty memory. All the emotional letters and cards that each person receives at some point in the retreat (I think at the end).
 
clmowry said:
About the only problem I have with ACTS (or any similar movement) is that it does potentially create a little sub-community within the parish. But I’m not sure that its any different than KoC or different prayer groups / ministries etc.
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This I agree with. I have heard this complaint also, and it makes little sense to me. Any parish should have lots of sub-communities.
 
JackMcCoy said:
The trouble with this world, in general, is that too much is done behind clothes doors.
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Which is why I loathe surprise birthday parties.
JackMcCoy said:
If I am going to be asked to pay a couple of hundred dollars without know what I am paying for, then I must say no.
Chuck, I think you will find many, many other Catholics like me who err on the side of caution.
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With all due respect, the one thing I really, really covet as a Protestant that you guys have and we don’t (as much) is the idea of vetting by “senior management”. Everything you guys do is approved, no? Am I wrong in supposing that the ACTS retreats have been fully vetted and approved by a Bishop somewhere? You know the general idea of the retreat is to get closer to Christ and your fellow believers. You know it’s been approved by “senior management”. Why not set foot in the great unknown?

#takearisk
 
clmowry said:
I guess what I would be willing to say is there is nothing that takes place on an ACTS retreat that wouldn’t be part of living an active Catholic spiritual life.
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If it’s a normal day at the office, or at the church as it may be, then why is there a need to be so secretive about it?
 
Why the need for secrecy with the ACTS retreats?
Just say, when we get together we go out to pray and sing.
We have group discussions about life.
Confessions are offered for those in need.
Mass is celebrated.
Why the need for secrecy?
 
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