Question about retreats

[mac_daddy]

A retreat, new to our parish, was introduced about 18 months ago and the retreatants are very excited about it. It is the ACTS retreat and my study shows that it has its roots in the Cursillo Movement.

I take retreats occasionally presented by the Jesuits and based upon St. Ignatius’ Spiritual Exercises (3-4 day version, not the 30 day version). To me, these are personal periods of spiritual growth although I am encouraged when new participants are found.

The ACTS retreat is much more about parish renewal and participation. The problem is that the new retreatants are aggressive in trying to get everyone to join, and all my efforts to politely demur seem to be treated as obstacles to be overcome.

Anyone have experiences like this?

 

[jpjd]

I have never heard of ACTS.

Is there any particular reason you don’t want to go on this particular retreat?

 

[asquared]

there are several threads here on the ACTS retreat, and yes, it is primarily a tool for parish renewal, and the first ones invited are those in various parish ministries. I don’t know about aggressive, in fact, you have to be invited to attend, but the participants in one retreat are expected to plan and put on the next one. It is growing in popularity here, but the parishes I know that have it did not necessarily take if from Cursillo, or don’t still have an active Cursillo movement. I have not participated because it is very demanding, requiring a team commitment for at least a year. Like anything else, it can be a good thing and beneficial to a parish and to the individuals, or it can be co-opted and use to push the agenda of an person or group. People I know and respect highly have been active in their parish ACTS teams for a couple of years and have highly favorable reports about it. Another parish has used it to entrench the power of a leadership clique in the parish that is causing a lot of damage. A lot depends on the people running it, the presenters, and the direction exerted by the pastor.

 

[marty1818]

I have had a similar experience with retreats. In particular I was always asked to go on a retreat and every time I declined. I think this came out of me being told to go by some people rather than being asked. Eventually a friend asked me if I had thought about going and they weren’t pressuring at all and I ended up going. God had a lot to do with the timing of that retreat because I know if I would have gone on it earlier I would have hated. I would just suggest to do your best to be polite and not to get too frustrated about it. They are only asking people to go because they have experienced it and have seen what it has done for them. Even though they may bother you and come off as being agressive, they just want you to experience the same thing.

God Bless,
Matt

 

[mac_daddy]

To jpjd:

As I said, our parish has had other retreat opportunities, including the one that I have gone on occasion. I have a frame of reference of “retreat” being a quiet contemplative time, at least for me. Much of what I derive from retreats, in my experience, has been directed by those who have organized the retreat.

The way the ACTS retreat has been presented by its leaders is a much more “relevant” and participatory encounter led by lay leaders from our parish. If there is to be a single reason why I would not go on the particular ACTS retreat offered in our parish is that the organizers have neither my faith nor respect.

Accordingly, if there is direction from some “external” source for these retreats, then my concenrs are VERY localized. If not, then what is a drawback in this neck of the woods could potentially be a drawback elsewhere.

 

[asquared]

ACTS is a specific retreat with a specific purpose, namely to fosert personal spiritual renewal of those involved in parish leadership, and through them hopefully contribute to parish renewal. It is not suitable for all individuals or all parishes. It might be appropriate for the pastor to suggest all those in a particular ministry, such as service of the liturgy or catechesis, to participate in order to get everyone “on the same page” and that is his perogative. I would not call that aggressive.

If someone is looking for a more traditional contempletive retreat, then seek out that kind of experience and duck ACTS. As I sat, ACTS involves more than a weekend, but at least a year-long commitment, the underlying idea being that what you have freely received, you freely give to others.

If someone you respect, whose life and spiritualy you admire and who inspires you, suggests that you might benefit from a certain retreat or pilgrimage, by all means consider that suggestion. If someone for whom you have no particular admiration seems to be exerting a lot of undue influence about a certain retreat, definitely be more discerning in whether or not to participate. Every retreat is not right for everybody, and at different stages of life we benefit more from a highly structure, participatory “group effor”, and other times a quieter, individually directed, more contempletive experience is indicated. If you have doubts about whether your next parish retreat is for you, ask your spiritual director or confessor.

I would add that if a group you have a commitment to–your third order, rosary cenacle, catechetical team etc.–has a planned a retreat it would be good to participate in the interests of solidarity, even if you think it won’t be your cup of tea. Your presence will be of immense value to others in the group who may be at another stage of their spiritual journey. All retreats are not necessarily about me “getting something out of it”, I may be there to give something to someone else. Also, don’t duck out when it is your turn to help plan and carry out the retreat.

 

[mac_daddy]

Thanks asquared. You make some good points deserving of thought.

I was not aware of the nature of the ACTS retreat being specifically for parish leaders. The retreat team here is short on specifics; there appears to be a great deal of secrecy about the components of the retreat. On the other hand there is more than a bit of blandishment about how much everyone will “get” out of the retreat by its leaders. Their words. Curious.

Nevertheless, I am at least now more aware that a contemplative retreat is suitable to me. If only I can put that into terms that are not off-outting to others…