Blog & Reflections
Keep the fire of faith alive in your heart. The following articles and reflections are written by fellow ACTS brothers and sisters to help you nourish that flame that you received on your retreat. If you would like to contribute to our blog, please submit your article for approval.
How to Keep from Getting Burned Out
Written by Ricky Jones
In our efforts to answer the Christian call to love our neighbor, we can often become consumed in our works of charity. It’s great to say yes to God. It’s wonderful to do good in our family, community, church, etc. But it’s also important that we don’t burn ourselves out.
In Pursuing Our Mission, Don’t Lose Sight of God
Written by Jay Vela
It’s important to remember that we are part of a large community, not just our St. Ferdinand, but the world. Our Church expands throughout the world and ACTS Missions is doing a lot of work to continue this New Evangelization. For this reason I wanted to share this message from Jay Vela, the Executive Director of ACTS Missions.
Living the “A” in ACTS
Written by Ricky Jones
As we enter into Advent, a season of preparation, let us reflect on the meaning of ACTS. Do you remember your first ACTS retreat? Do you remember the way you saw the Gospel being lived out right in front of your eyes? That is what we are called to do. This message is just the beginning of a series of Advent reflections to help rekindle that fire that we all feel on retreat.
Rekindling God’s Love in Your Life
Written by Ricky Jones
Love is profound and the love we experience and receive throughout the ACTS retreat weekend is something that sticks with us forever. However, when we have returned to the “real world” we can find it difficult to maintain.
Pastoral Letter: Witness to the New World of Faith
Written by Most Rev. José H. Gómez, Archbishop of Los Angeles
My dear brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ, The world needs a new evangelization! The people of our city, our nation and our continent are waiting for the encounter with Jesus Christ who makes all things new. In every age, Jesus draws near to offer his salvation to all people. He calls: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock!”
The Fortnight for Freedom Begins
Written by Fr. Frank Wagner, OMI
We begin today our Fortnight for Freedom. I say “our” because I think what the Bishops are alerting us to be aware of is of vital importance to the well-being of our country. I share with you my homily for this coming Sunday.
Movie Review: For Greater Glory
Written by Ricky Jones
Finally, a well-made Catholic film with an all-star cast of talented actors who bring this untold story to life on the big screen. For Greater Glory tells the tale of the Cristero War which took place during the 1920′s in Mexico when the government put laws in to place to do away with the Catholic Church in their country.
Good Evangelization Begins with Joy
Written by Ricky Jones
ACTS is about evangelization—bringing people to Christ and bringing Christ to people—and for that reason it is important that we remember that it is our joy—the smile on our faces and the happiness that radiates from within us—that attracts others to us as children of God.
Being Missionary in Light of the Stages of Conversion
Written by Rev. Ronald Wayne Young, OMI
Often, reflections on conversion begin by considering the state of the convert in isolation as a psychological matter. However, conversion is primarily an ecclesial concern since the Universal Church is essentially a communion of the converting, of saints in process. So, it is perhaps more appropriate to reflect on what evangelization is at the various stages of the conversion process. In other words, what is the Church’s mission to converts at all stages of spiritual development? The short answer is that the Church has the responsibility of serving to move people to the next stage of spiritual development. This is evangelization too. But, the question remains how can evangelization stimulate and propel spiritual progress?