Mission Statement

The A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Community, Theology, Service) Retreat, as offered through St Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church, is one visible sign of this community living out its mission “to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ to all God’s people through work and action.” This evangelization retreat experience is intended to be a doorway through which individuals gain a deeper understanding of what it means to be an active, conscious, participating member of St Mark the Evangelist parish and the larger Catholic Church. The primary purpose of A.C.T.S. is to strengthen this parish as a Eucharistic Catholic Community, through renewed participation in worship, fellowship and service.

A.C.T.S. Core Team Philosophy

The A.C.T.S. Core Team recognizes the call to help the parish family attain a deeper relationship with the Lord and with fellow parishioners through Adoration, Community, Theology, and Service.

Under the direction of the Pastor, the A.C.T.S. Core Team seeks to support, direct and guide the A.C.T.S. Community. The A.C.T.S. Core Team sets policies and procedures to continue the evangelization of the people of God. Through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, the A.C.T.S. Core Team continues to point the way to the presence of Jesus in the world.

A.C.T.S. Core Team Goals

• To invite as many parish members as possible to a communal faith experience that will evangelize and catechize.
• To provide prayer opportunities that are diverse, meaningful and representative of the liturgical celebrations of St Mark the Evangelist Parish.
• To expose the participants to current, post Vatican II theology.
• To provide a method for participants to discern their personal gifts as follow-up to the retreat experience.
• To provide participants with the necessary encouragement and information for each person to use their gifts in building up the Kingdom of God, here and now.
• To encourage the participants to experience the richness of the Sacred Scriptures as they are used in the day-to-day liturgies of the Church.
• To give professional spiritual support to those who may be struggling both during the weekend experience and after.
• To provide an opportunity for retreatants to become more aware of the variety of ministries that are part of the St. Mark Parish Community.

Core Team Members 2010

Retreats

The A.C.T.S. retreat is a three-day retreat presented by Catholic laymen, designed to help you enter into a deeper relationship with our Lord and your fellow parishioners. The retreat begins on Thursday evening and ends Sunday morning at a Mass celebrated right here with the parish community.

The ACTS retreat focuses on:

· Adoration and daily prayer

· Community as a member of the Body of Christ here at St. Marks

· Theology through the study of Holy Scripture and the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church

· Service All of this emphasizes and encourages the virtue of service, to our Lord, to our parish, and to one another.

All retreats are held at the Cordi Marian Center located at 11624 Culebra, #501
San Antonio, TX 78253. To learn more about the retreat center visit the following web address: http://cordi-marian.org/retreatcenter.html

Cost for the Retreat: $150.00

Upcoming Retreat Schedule

2010
May 13 - 16 Women
July 29 - Aug 1 Men
Nov. 11 - 14 Women
2011
Jan. 20 - 23 Men
May 26 - 29 Women
Juy 14 - 17 Men
Nov. 10 - 13 Women
2012
Jan. 19 - 22 Men
May 17 - 20 Women
July 12 - 15 Men
Nov. 8 - 11 Women
2013
Jan. 17 - 20 Men
May 23 - 26 Women
July 11-14 Men
Nov. 7 - 10 Women
2014
Jan. 9 - 12 Men
May 15 - 18 Women
July 10 - 13 Men
Nov. 13 - 16 Women
2015
Jan. 15 - 18 Men
May 14 - 17 Women
July 16 - 19 Men
Nov. 12 - 15 Women

“I was born and raised as a Catholic. Before I made my ACTS Retreat, I thought being a good Catholic meant attending church, taking good care of my family and donating money in the basket. On the ACTS weekend, I met men just like myself. We shared our faith together and walked in the footsteps of our lord Jesus. We learned what it meant to be True Catholic Christian Men. We discovered that giving our lives to Jesus is not about putting money in a basket. It is about living with the Holy Spirit. Taking all that you are and making your life richer and more meaningful. ACTS did not just “open my eyes”; it gave me the eyes of Jesus, to see the beauty and the hurt that exists all around us. It made me look at life and my family in a more loving and caring way. It gave me the courage to reach out, be Christ like, and touch the lives of those around me in a way I have never done before.”

YBIC (Your Brother In Christ)