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See below for the comments of:
Patti Bitter
Sally Cherre
Charlotte Gibson
Marge Goetz
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Mary Griesemer
Penny Hartley
Marsha Jungels
Jane Narup
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Kerry Perrier
Gerri Schroeder
Jill Schwendemann
Kathy Troll
Terianne Turner
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While I was making the many arrangements a mom has to make in order
to leave for a whole weekend, I couldn't help but wonder why in
the world I was doing this instead of doing something "fun".
It is a lot of work to leave for three days even with a supportive
husband. But curiosity got the best of me. Too many people I knew
and trusted encouraged me to go and said I wouldn't regret it. But
Thursday, as I was packing, I was already regretting it. I had never
been on a retreat before so I really didn't know what to expect.
And no one would tell me what would happen either. That was a little
concerning as I began to envision the many "weird" things
that might go on. Well, the joke was on me! Knowing in advance the
many adventures I was to experience that weekend would have been
like knowing what your Christmas presents were before you opened
them. No fun! Also, I'm not a touchy-feely kind of person, I didn't
want to hug and hold hands and I certainly didn't want to be forced
to "share" my feelings. Well, that didn't happen. Ok,
there were hugs and hand holding, but somehow it was ok. Bottom
line, the ACTS weekend doesn't try to change your personality, it
just redirects your attention outside of your self, your home and
your life towards something bigger. So instead of a weekend with
the girls, I spent a weekend with the Lord. And I am a better person
because of it. Now, give me a hug!
- Jane Narup
Spring 2005
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When I went on my first retreat (October 2004), I had no expectations,
in fact, I had not heard much about it except that it was a "wonderful"
experience. "Wonderful" does not even begin to describe
it. I converted to Catholicism when I got married, but even though
I went to church and was involved at St. Joe's, my relationship
with God was rather stagnant. However, on my retreat I found myself
closer to the people and closer to God than I had ever been in my
life. My life was changed that weekend. I have found a peace that
I have never known and my journey towards a deeper relationship
with God continues to this day. I loved my experience in October
so much that I jumped at the chance to be a "team member"
on the Spring 2005 retreat. I didn't think that anything could surpass
my October experience, but I was wrong. Being at LaSalle as part
of the team in April was even better and more fulfilling than the
first time. I would truly recommend the ACTS Retreats to anyone
who is thinking about attending.
If you are considering coming on the ACTS Retreat, please don't
hesitate to join us. Don't let your fear of the "unknown"
keep you from attending. I think that you will find that as this
very special weekend of surprises unfolds, you will come to understand
that although each person's path to God is different, the journey
itself is special and worth the trip. We look forward to sharing
this very beautiful experience with you.
- Terianne Turner
Fall 2004
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I have been a Catholic since Easter 2005. I love the Catholic faith
and traditions (much better than the other churches I attended)
and St. Joe's is my first parish my husband and I have belonged
to. He is a Catholic since birth, so he brought me to the faith.
I feared not being able to meet new people at this church because
of its size and because so many of the parishioners come to church
and 1 hour later they are gone. That bothered me a bit as I began
RCIA classes to become a Catholic. I wanted more. I wanted to understand
my purpose in life. I wanted to get to know others and not be lonely.
You cannot and must not miss attending an ACTS retreat - it is
just plain awesome!!! It takes your belief in God and Mary to the
next level. It makes you feel very special and very loved. The retreat
has strengthened my faith and my love for my husband, family and
friends. And because I attended the retreat in April 2005, I now
have 69 girlfriends who keep in touch and make our church seem so
small and so very friendly. Yes, you will see sincere love and friendliness
then when you come to church. You will gain an understanding of
what God's purpose is for you.
If you seek something more, or you seek more out of life, or you
want to change stresses in your life, be sure to sign up for the
ACTS retreat. It is Beauty and Joy, and will bring to you the many
gifts in life that you seek. And that goes on, even after the retreat
is over.......Love with Christ,
- Jill Schwendemann
Spring 2005
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My name is Kathy Troll. My family moved into the St. Joseph parish
in 1985. I was raised a Baptist and became Catholic in 1978. I have
3 children that all attended St. Joseph's School.
My husband and I are on different levels in our faith and he has
been very involved with the church, more so than I. When it was
time to sign up for the women's ACTS retreat February, 2004, I was
very reluctant. I procrastinated until the retreat was full. Oh
darn! My husband was disappointed I wasn't able to go because he
loved his retreat and wanted
me to experience what he had. So...he signed me up for the waiting
list! I got accepted! I tried to act excited but I was really not
looking forward to it at all. I kept thinking those 3 days and nights
were going to last 2 weeks! I didn't know what to expect. I don't
like talking in front of a group, I don't like sharing family stories,
and I am pretty quiet if I don't know you. I know some people find
that hard to believe!
To my surprise, I loved the weekend. The time flew by, come Sunday
I didn't want to go home! I could have stayed for 2 weeks easily!
I felt so close to God and loved by God that I felt reborn. Do yourself
a favor and go on a ACTS retreat as soon as you can. There is NOTHING
to fear but fear itself! I promise.
- Kathy Troll
Spring 2004
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A member of St. Joseph Parish for 23 years and rather involved
in parish service, I signed up for ACTS out of curiosity ("What
was all the buzz about?")
ACTS surprised me. I found a whole new relationship with faith-filled
women (and men) who are willing, even eager, to share their experience
of Christ in their daily lives. They have a God-centered outlook,
care for each other, and are drawn to worship together.
- Mary Griesemer
Fall 2003
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ACTS has been a life changing, faith building and love giving experience
for me. My family came to Saint Joseph's parish a few years ago.
We only knew one family and really were not attending Mass on a
weekly basis. My husband went on the ACTS retreat first and when
he returned he told me I must go. I really didn't want to but I
did and I thank God to this day for that decision. The experience
was wonderful and filled with so many terrific surprises.
ACTS has brought into my life many loving friends and a fantastic
parish family that is always there willing to help and pray for
one another. It has brought to my children a better, stronger more
loving mother. It has brought to my husband a kinder, gentler more
patient wife. It has allowed me to heal some old wounds and embarked
on some wonderful life changes. It has given me a stronger, deeper
relationship with our Father and Blessed Mother. It has brought
me peace and an abundance of blessings.
Due to ACTS I have become more involved in my Parish Community
by becoming a Stephen minister, Eucharistic minister, Lector and
an active member of Saint Joseph's Parish and School communities.
My children are now getting a great Catholic education and we are
praying and worshiping together everyday as a family. I could never
have imagined living the life I am living now and I thank the Lord
daily that he brought ACTS into my family's life!
- Kerry Perrier
Spring 2004
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I made my ACTS retreat in Sept. of 2003. This retreat made me realize
my relationship with God needed a lot of work. I came home wanting
to get busy on my relationship with God. ACTS retreats opened my
eyes to the St. Joseph's Parish Community. And in serving this community,
my relationship with God is evolving beyond my belief! I feel like
a kid trying to absorb everything I can to get to know God even
more. I guess you can say ACTS made me so thirsty for God; I can't
get enough water to drink so I have to sponge up what I can, when
I can. Because of this one retreat, my life has evolved into a prayer-I
surround myself with praying groups of people; I picked up the rosary
for the first time in 30 years; I treasure the gift of the Sacrament
of Reconciliation for the first time in my life. I understand all
of the Sacraments, especially Eucharist, and realize what a gift
we Catholics have in all of the Sacraments. I have never experienced
Adoration and have come to truly enjoy visiting with Jesus in this
way. To sum up: ACTS was the beginning tool God gave me to get closer
to HIM. Continuing to serve HIS people is what continues my journey
to Eternity with HIM, which I have found my goal to be in this earthly
life of mine. God Bless!
- Charlotte Gibson
Fall 2003
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My husband and I have been parishioners of St. Joseph's for 32 years
and we have made several types of retreats - Search, Cursillo, Marriage
Encounter, White House, to name a few. All of them were good experiences
that helped us on our spiritual journeys. But when we heard about
the ACTS retreat coming to St. Joe's and how one of its purposes
was to build a community within the parish, we couldn't wait to
go! I made the first women's retreat in February of 2003. What an
awesome experience! I was blown away with the depth of faith that
is alive and flourishing in our parish! What a gift it has been
to spend that special time with other women from our parish. It
is truly a powerful experience to grow in one's faith with women
that are part of your parish family. Our parish really does feel
like family to me now, more so than ever before. Please consider
giving yourself this gift!
- Penny Hartley
Spring 2003
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As soon as I learned of the ACTS weekend, I wanted to go. I had
to postpone my first attempt as my first granddaughter, Lucy Rose,
decided to enter the world that weekend! What a joy! She's now 15
months old and truly a gift from God.
I signed up immediately for the next women's Acts retreat. I was
ready. I couldn't wait for the time away with God and the opportunity
to get to know more of my sisters at St. Joe's. My children grew
up in this parish. Although I had been involved in another parish
for a number of years, St. Joe's continued to be home to me and
I was very glad to be back.
The weekend was very affirming for me. The best part about an ACTS
retreat, I think, is the overwhelming feeling of being connected
to the early church! I have since been on team and this experience
of living the church has continued. We are blessed at St. Joe's
to have so many who have embraced the ACTS experience. If you have
yet to go on an ACTS retreat, I encourage you to do so. You have
no idea what you are missing!!!
- Patti Bitter
Fall 2004
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I went on my first ACTS retreat in February of 2003. John had gone
the previous Fall, so I was curious and I thought it would be nice
to get away for a weekend. And it was, but for different reasons
than I expected. I found a peace and a stirring in me at the same
time. The peace came from God who let me know in no uncertain terms
how much love He has for me, and the stirring came when I found
myself asking questions that I had never asked before. Spending
time with God and these wonderful faith-filled women led me to be
open to what God's plans are for me. Now the journey I am on is
being led by God, and my questions are being answered with God's
grace. It did not all happen on the retreat weekend, for it is a
long road that leads to God and it takes time. ACTS was what got
me back on track and with prayer, the community and support is what
keeps me going.
My prayer for you is this: Let your curiosity lead you. What does
God have in store for you? Can you give Him a weekend of your life
to see where He is leading you? You might find a way to Him that
is totally unexpected. All it takes is a simple "Yes."
- Gerri Schroeder
Spring 2003
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Me, before my ACTS retreat:
" If you want to guarantee I not do something, tell me I have
to do it.
" I say my prayers at the beginning of each day, before meals,
at the end of each day, and I go to church on Sundays … I think
I'm pretty "tight" with my Lord just the way I am, thanks.
" I've got friends and family if I feel inclined to spill my
guts, and I'm REALLY not comfortable with unsolicited hugs.
" I am not a joiner … I'm friendly and I like people,
but I don't like to attach myself to a group.
" What is the deal with all this super secret stuff? It all
seems a bit cult-like to me.
I'm still not 100% certain WHY I went on the ACTS retreat, but
I am very glad I did. I had considered the idea from the time the
very first retreat was offered at St. Joe, but too many things got
in the way, and I always came up with a good excuse. The weird thing
about this retreat, though, was that by the time I'd decided it
was too late. I put myself on the wait list and managed to clear
it the very next day. It felt somewhat "meant to be" to
me, and I cleared my schedule to make this happen.
There is so much I'd like to tell you about an ACTS retreat, but
the experience is so different for each individual I can't possibly
do it justice. If you answer this call to join an ACTS retreat:
you will feel the Holy Spirit's presence; you will feel God's unconditional
love for you; and you will have experience your own Catholicism
in a very special way (you may feel better about your faith than
you have felt in years!).
Me, after my ACTS retreat:
" I'm sure glad I didn't let my stubborn resistance stand in
the way of this wonderful opportunity.
" Every person, regardless of whether or not she considers
herself to be prayerful, will come home with a special feeling of
closeness to God.
" Our parish is filled with wonderful people, and this is a
real opportunity to befriend some of them, become a more integral
part of the parish community, and - trust me - the hugs become more
comfortable with every passing hour.
" Okay, I'm still not a joiner. I do, however, feel invited
welcome as a part of this community … and I'm grateful to have
gotten to know the women in this group.
" What's with all the secret stuff? This one is the one burden
I would like to lift from all potential ACTS retreatants, because
it is so "off" from the ACTS reality. Each of the secrets
that past retreatants won't tell you about are special gifts waiting
just for you. The weekend is full of wonderful experiences, and
if you know what to expect, it just simply won't be as special.
As for being cult-like … well, there is a strong bond formed
among ACTS retreatants, but the result is community, not cult.
I pray you will accept the call to attend an ACTS retreat. I didn't
regret it, and you won't either.
- Marsha Jungels
Spring 2005
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OKAY……WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE??? As I stood in church, ready
to leave for the retreat, there were so many doubts in my mind,
I could barely think straight. One thought was much louder that
the rest. "Get me out of here!"
But, then I remembered taking my husband up to church for his first
ACTS retreat. Truly, he was in a horrible mood and was regretting
saying "yes" to the men who had time and again told him
to give ACTS a try. But, when he returned from his retreat with
such joy, so much better for his experience, it was clear the retreat
had been wonderful for him. Still doubting, I thought, "But,
he has always been so much more focused on his faith than I have
ever been. Retreats are more his type of thing. And really, I don't
need any help." But, ACTS was a great thing for my husband.
And then, I saw all those people in church greeting each other
with big smiles and hugs and still the doubts were huge. "Look
at them…I don't know many of them...where are the people I
am comfortable with??? Just who are these people???" But, they
all seemed so happy. And then I thought, "But, I am already
a happy person, I have lots of friends, so what more do I need?"
But, I am a VERY patient person. "If it isn't right for me,
I can put up with just about anything for a few days." So,
I stood in church with many doubts and told myself to "Just
go with the flow, it will be over soon. How bad could it be?"
Within minutes of arriving at La Salle, it was clear this was no
ordinary retreat. The entire retreat was unbelievably wonderful.
Everything was so different and so much better than anything I could
have ever imagined, so full of surprises. I left La Salle with a
new, more focused relationship with God. My husband and I have a
better relationship, now that we have shared ACTS. I have a new
community of faith-sharing friends. There is a new, wonderful peace
in my heart that I never knew I needed and now I never want to be
without. Most importantly, I have a desire to continue on my life's
path with God. The retreat has changed my life in so many ways,
it is difficult to list them all.
The thing is, because of ACTS my life still changing and getting
so much better. Now I know why those people were all smiling so
much! They knew what I now know…ACTS is for EVERYONE, not just
those who need something more in their lives, not just those looking
for help, and not just those comfortable with their faith. Everyone
needs ACTS, they just don't know it yet!
So, I am certain that many considering the ACTS Retreat will have
many of the same doubts that I had.
But….ACTS is for you! There is NO DOUBT in my mind, you will
NEVER regret this experience! I pray you will find out for yourself!
- Sally Cherre
Spring 2005
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Over the past years I've participated in many retreats, and so
many of them have been good retreats, but none of them can compare
to the experience I had on the first Women's ACTS Retreat in Spring
2003.
There are so many reasons for this, and I have tried to sort them
all out. The basic reason, to me, is the amount of love that was
shared on every level between the women making the retreat, between
all of us and the team leading the retreat, and between Fr. Santen,
Fr. Bob and us. This feeling of love extended to the women from
San Antonio who, with the team from St. Joseph's, were directing
this first Women's ACTS retreat.
I remember arriving at the Rectory basement around 6:30 p.m. on
a Thursday evening, and having my luggage taken care of by one of
the men from St. Joseph's, and being told that I would see my luggage
when I checked into my room at LaSalle.
The reception we received at the doors of the LaSalle Retreat Center
was overwhelming. We were greeted at the door by the San Antonio
women and our St. Joseph's team members, with smiles, hugs, handshakes
and a warm and heartfelt "welcome."
Entering my room late that evening…there was my suitcase,
in the middle of the room, as promised!
The talks, sharings and group discussions each day were personal,
touching the heart, and thus so very meaningful. One talk actually
moved me to tears. Fr. Santen took the time each day to have a meal
with us, and to give us a talk. Fr. Bob joined us one evening…our
priests were as involved in making a good retreat as we were.
So many things remain in my memory: The singing…the great
meals…the Angels and the Marthas serving us…and the best
thing of all: The bringing together of the women of my parish -
in faith, in prayer and in love.
- Marge Goetz
Spring 2003
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