Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
We are overjoyed to hear about retreats restarting in parishes across the country and internationally! With the intent to offer a personal encounter with Christ, we believe in the power of the Holy Spirit to use the ACTS Retreat as a tool to enliven and renew the lives of all who attend a retreat. Praise be God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit!
We are humbled by the number of phone calls and emails we are getting daily with questions about restarting retreats in the parish. With the ever-changing updates and guidelines posted by the CDC, local government entities and Dioceses, we continue to recommend that ACTS Cores and ACTS Retreat Directors work directly with their Pastor and local Retreat Center to determine the health guidelines that need to be followed.
The ACTS Retreat format remains the same; no changes may be made to the Essential Elements of the ACTS Retreat (found in the ACTS Core Charter (c) 2019, ACTS Retreat Manual (c) 2019 and Teen ACTS Retreat Manual (c) 2020.)
All mandatory Archdiocese/Diocese, Parish, federal, state, local, and administrative orders, laws, rules, and ordinances concerning COVID-19 or coronavirus should be followed at all times. ACTS Retreats should not be held if prohibited under any mandatory restrictions. To the extent the guidance herein conflicts with mandatory restrictions, the mandatory restrictions should be followed.
Disclaimer
ACTS Retreats are group events and carry certain inherent risks related to COVID-19 and coronavirus transmission that cannot be eliminated regardless of the care taken to avoid such risks. Moreover, the prevalence and transmission of COVID-19 and coronavirus in each Diocese and Parish significantly varies and rapidly changes on a day-to-day basis. Therefore, each Parish has the sole and exclusive responsibility for determining whether or not to conduct ACTS Retreats during the time of any COVID-19 and coronavirus transmissions or outbreaks. ACTS Missions shall not be liable or responsible for the guidance herein or for any COVID-19 or coronavirus transmissions or infections arising from or relating to ACTS Retreats. Each Parish assumes all risks of personal injury, sickness, and death that may arise from conducting ACTS Retreats.
As always, you remain in our prayers and we rely on the Holy Spirit to guide us.
ACTS Missions
