Testimonials: Men's ACTS Retreat

Daniel Barineau
My experience from the Men’s ACTS retreat last year were life altering and I regret having waited so long to attend. I had always found some reasons why I couldn’t go, and I had convinced myself that it sounds interesting, but I just can’t make it this year because of whatever. But something funny happened to me last year while sitting right where you are. I ran out of excuses, and ran into the arms of the Lord. I finally decided to see what all that ACTS stuff was about. Rarely in my life have I made such a momentous (and seemingly insignificant) decision at the same time. I cannot begin to tell you all the wonderful things that God has opened up in my religious life, but I implore you to let the Holy Spirit work through me and my ACTS brothers to give you that insight and more this coming June. I truly believe that an ACTS retreat can be a transformative event; to the individual, and through the individual the group, and through the group, our faith community, to the point where a chain reaction can and will occur. Honestly ask yourself if you are fully immersed in your faith, or possibly just going through the motions as I was. Then give the Holy Spirit the chance to waken in you, like he did in me, a brand new sense of spiritual energy and fellowship. You will not regret that decision.


Frank Bejarano
I have been involved with ACTS retreats since my first one in September 2006. The retreats have brought me closer to the Holy Trinity (Father-Abba, Jesus and the Holy Spirit) as well as my parish community. I feel the greatest impact in my life has been my growing Love of Jesus in Weekly Adoration which includes my wife, Margaret. Our time with Jesus is the most precious time of the week except for attending Mass (on any day). MEN -- If you want to get CLOSER to GOD then please consider attending this retreat!


Ken Bueche
I came to this parish 18 years ago with my family not knowing anyone and not very willing to get involved. My family and I spent many years coming to this very church every Sunday and leaving, engaging with very few and never getting to know anyone closely. Some years ago, I helped establish the Life teen program and found that to be very fulfilling and became acquainted with many fellow parishioners and teenagers. I participated in the ministry for over five years until my wife and I were blessed with our youngest daughter, Kate. I decided that I needed to get back to the family tradition of reserving Sundays for family time that we had established when our three other daughters were younger. So, I relinquished my position in life teen and started spending my entire Sunday with my family. Even after my life teen service I still did not know many men in this community closely. I had no one to call brother. That was six years ago. I went on my first ACTS retreat 3 years ago and I can attest to you that this single event changed my life profoundly. In fact, the change in me was so profound, that other members of my family decided to attend a retreat. Since then, my wife and three eldest daughters have all been on ACTS retreats and all feel blessed to have had the opportunity to participate. Today I stand before you and can tell you that that things have changed and that because of the ACTS retreat that I participated in, I now have well over 100 men that I am proud to call my brothers. These men are my support group and I know that if I have any needs, I can call on them. I can’t tell you what you will personally get out of this coming retreat, but I can tell you that what I myself and my family got out of ACTS is nothing short of a blessing. The retreats that I and my family have participated in have helped us understand that our lives are in GOD’s hands and that we need to let him control the daily worries that we all deal with. Once this is realized and relinquished, you can apply your energy to GOD, Family and Career. I cannot tell you the details of the weekend; it would diminish the effectiveness of the retreat. But I can tell you that it feels a bit like what I would image heaven is. You leave the worries of the world behind and become totally immersed in a relationship with GOD so that when you return home to your families, they will notice a bit of a glow about you. I guess this glow could be likened to the glow that saints have after a spiritual encounter with GOD. You will feel reenergized, and your life will feel less like a daily rut and more like an opportunity to truly rejoice in the day the Lord has made. The retreat is time spent focusing on GOD, Family and Community and should not be undervalued! This has been a very powerful weekend for many. Several of my brothers have gone on to pursue the Deaconate and Acolyte ministries. Furthermore, many of these brothers have also become active members of the Knights of Columbus. My wife also wants me to add that it has made me a better husband and father. If you open your hearts and join the retreat you are likely to receive a deeper relationship with GOD and a bunch of men that you can call your brothers. In fact, nearly all who have experienced an ACTS retreat feel truly blessed by God through the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Miguel Camacho
One of the best gifts I received from attending the ACTS retreat was the realization that I was trying to do things myself rather than FULLY trusting GOD to be my guide in life.I consider myself a work in progress and there is much to be improved but there is in me much to be shared and that is my love for my family, my faith and my community.


Vince Eklund
ACTS is a 3 day retreat that is centered around a renewal of your faith life journey, and how you can jumpstart your spirituality. It is designed to help you get more involved in your parish community, to make you aware of the opportunities for service to our parish and our community. I went on my ACTS retreat about 5 years ago, and I haven’t looked back. I know we all have busy lives, but it is my experience that you get way more than you believe you will get out of the time you are there. I can’t tell you specifically what you will personally get out of the retreat, but I can tell you what I myself got out of mine, I was on top of a mountain that I hoped I would never come down from. I know that eventually I will return to sea level, but until then I will continue to stay up as high as I can on that mountain. I can’t tell you where the Spirit will lead you, I only know that if you let it, you will be even more fulfilled than before you went on the retreat, just as I and many of the men and women of our parish have been.


Rodney Gregory
I didn't know how lost I was until I went to my ACTS retreat. Yes, I went to Mass, I was in full communion with the Catholic Church, I prayed almost every day, but I was largely just skimming the surface of my spirituality. No, my retreat did not make me a Bible thumping man of God. Nor did it make me perfect and free from sin. What my retreat did for me was twofold: 1.) I was able to take off the rose colored glasses that I have been wearing most of my life and really see myself (with all my faults and blessings) and really assess where I was as a man of God. Was I truly making progress to being the father, husband and Christian God called me to be? 2.) I was able to come face to face with men -- men just like me in so many ways that struggle with life as I do. Men, who want to grow as Christian brothers. Men who were facing their own reality as well. I will always be a part of the ACTS mission at Mary Queen Church. I continue to reap the blessings of my retreat, and I pray for the other men in our parish to do as Jesus told us to do in Luke 9 .... "Follow Me".


Tim Westhoven
I went on my first ACTS retreat within 4 months of moving to Friendswood almost 5 years ago. After attending that retreat, I knew more men at Mary Queen than I had at my previous parish where we had been for years. Not only did it connect me with some great people within the parish, the retreat itself allowed me some quiet time away from the world to think about my life, my family and my job. I came away from that retreat refreshed and with an energy and clarity that I had never experienc
ed. It reconnected me to my faith and to a group of like-minded Christian men who are a great support and inspiration to me. It was a welcome renewal.



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