ACTS MISSIONS
CONNECTION
Volume 3, Issue 2
February 2017
Kathryn Cervera — Annual Giving Manager
Catholic Life Insurance has been a long time supporter of ACTS Missions. They began the new
year by adding an electronic sign outside their
building which displays a rotating ad supporting
ACTS Missions.
ACTS Missions received a $25,000 donation
from Catholic Life Insurance on February 23,
2017. Michael Belz, CEO and Barbara Cheaney,
VP of Marketing Communications, stopped by the
office to meet with Victor Azíos, Executive Director, Larry Bock, Chair of the Board, and the staff.
Thank you, Catholic Life, for all of your generosity, and for your continued support and help with
spreading the ACTS Retreat worldwide.
Pictured L-R:
Ken McClure,
Joe Hayes,
Victor & Diana
Quintanilla
Pictured L-R:
Isabella Lopez,
Ken McClure, Joe
Hayes, Victor
Quintanilla
Inside this Issue:
Outreach
2
English Outreach
2
Teen ACTS
Executive Director’s Corner
3
3
ACTS participates in
the funeral services for
former Archbishop of
San Antonio,
Patrick Flores
ACTS Missions was honored to lead the 2 p.m. slot for the
rosary that was held, Monday, January16 for Archbishop
Emeritus Patrick Flores. Representing ACTS Missions
were Ken McClure, former Interim Executive Director, ; Victor Azios, Executive Director; Joe Hayes, one of the founders
of the ACTS Retreat; Victor and Diana Quintanilla, ACTS Missions, Spanish Outreach Directors; lsabella Lopez, representing Teen ACTS & Debbie Lopez, ACTS Missions Board
REMINDER: Chapter & Core Members
REGISTRATION for
CHAPTER GATHERING IS STILL OPEN!
Register Today at: http://www.actsmissions.org/Events
Page 2
ACTS Missions
Board of Directors
Patrick Zurek, DD
Bishop of Amarillo
Rev. Lawrence Christian
Vicar General,
Archdiocese of San Antonio
Fr. Ron Rolheiser, OMI
Oblate School of Theology, President
Deacon Mark Arnold
Lawrence Bock
Chair
James Epp
Deborah Estrada
Francisco Gonzalez
Dr. Gloria E. Gutierrez
William A. Hancock
Robert Holzman
Brooke Irey
Secretary
Richard J. Kaminski
Debbie Lopez
Patrick McMullen
Dr. Hector L. Nevarez
Bradley Stach
Treasurer
Cesar Valenzuela
Russ Weil
SEND US
YOUR STORIES!
Josemanuel Bañales, Director of Outreach
Outreach is busy making final preparations for the Chapter Gathering, aka CG 2017, where we will
celebrate 30 years of ACTS! You’ll probably see this (#CG2017) on social media as we post pictures
and videos from the event. We are expecting a great crowd representing ACTS from our Chapter
areas in the United States and in Mexico. We will also have the creators of ACTS from Our Lady of
Perpetual Help in Selma, TX attending, as well as the founders of ACTS Missions. This will be a time
to truly marvel at what God has done through this humble vehicle of ACTS and give thanks for the
opportunity to experience Love and share Love.
2017 Goals:
- Outreach has been asked to share ACTS with 75 additional parishes this year! This is 50% increase
from last year. We believe that this is an achievable goal. If every Chapter can share ACTS with 2 parishes in their dioceses/areas, their contribution will be 30. This will leave 45 parishes to the Outreach
team.
- Outreach has been asked to revise three training platforms (Spanish, Core and Teens), and make
these available online. This would provide additional and needed support to all current and future
parishes with ACTS. Based on our experience with the online version of the ACTS Retreat Training,
this may require additional support to maintain.
- Outreach is tasked with establishing 8 new Chapters. The areas already marked for Chapter readiness are Oklahoma, Alexandria, Baton Rouge and Santa Fe. Additionally, Outreach looks to see more
Chapters in Mexico, and use this international effort as a model for Canada and South Africa.
Missioning:
- Recent developments on international policies may affect our ability to mission in Latin American
countries. Victor and Diana Quintanilla, our Spanish division leads, are actively working to keep positive momentum and support to our brothers and sisters evangelizing in these areas. Even so, Victor
and Diana believe that they can share ACTS with a minimum of 20 parishes. Please keep them in prayer.
- Esther Gomez-Wilkson, our English division lead, is ensuring that parishes requesting ACTS receive
excellent service and support through the missioning process. She is currently cultivating support for
missioning from San Antonio ACTS Cores, and is pursuing international leads. She has also committed
to sharing ACTS with 20 parishes.
- Eric Martinez, our Teen division lead, is developing support from Chapters to spread Teen ACTS in
parishes with the adult program. In last month’s Connection, he shared plans to visit Chapters and locations where Teen ACTS is flourishing. We look to cultivate these “seeds” and help the program
spread to empower our youth through an encounter with Jesus Christ. Also, Eric has already secured
five parishes to share ACTS, and is working on securing more by the end of the year.
Please continue to pray for all at ACTS Missions! Peace and blessings…
ENGLISH OUTREACH
Esther Gomez-Wilkson, Director — English
English & Spanish Outreach were blessed to have Installed the ACTS Core for Mary Queen of the
Holy Rosary in Lexington, KY in late January. During our visit we were able to meet with Bishop John
Stowe, Bishop of the Lexington Diocese. We wish MQHR blessings as they continue the ACTS Retreat in their vibrant and growing parish.
ACTS Missions “Connection”
is published monthly by
ACTS Missions Headquarters
San Antonio, Texas
Chapters are encouraged to
send
story ideas or articles to:
ACTS Missions Connection
Editor
Esther Gomez-Wilkson
Front row L-R: Fr. Dan Noll, Pastor MQHR; Fr.
Vitner Martinez, Pastoral Vicar, MQHR; Esther
Gomez-Wilkson, English Outreach, Director; Bishop
John Stowe, OFM Conv. & Victor Quintanilla, Spanish Outreach, Director
Front row L-R: Betsy Tibe, Rocio Ortiz, Steve Hernandez, Phil
Heink, Kathy Meikel; Second row L-R: Ginger Sammon, Linda
Frazer, Mike Deluca, Fabian Garcia, Erik Quezada; not pictured: Maribel Alvarado
Page 3
ACTS MISSIONS CONNECTION
Eric Martinez, Director — Teens
The Archdiocese of San Antonio held the Youth Spectacular on Saturday
February 4th at St. Mary’s University. With more than three thousand youth
and chaperones in attendance, the event created an atmosphere of joy and
anticipation. The youth in attendance heard from high profile speakers and
musicians who delivered messages consistent with the themes of the event:
Sent by the Spirit and what it means to be a missionary disciple.
Many of the 2017 Youth Leadership Team of the Archdiocesan Youth Ministry Committee fulfill their role as missionary disciples by serving their parishes through Teen ACTS. The teens in this group belong to St. James in
Seguin, St. Peter the Apostle in Boerne, and St. Brigid, St. Francis of Assisi,
and Blessed Sacrament in San Antonio. This group served as animators at
this event and they certainly delivered. The continued enthusiasm to share
the gift of their Catholic faith with their peers continues to inspire me but
more importantly continues to lead others to Christ. Seeing the faces of the
youth, the youth ministers, and the many hard workers from several offices
at the Archdiocese of San Antonio contributing to an event to facilitate and
grow the relationship of our youth with Christ was a blessing to witness.
San Antonio Youth
Spectacular 2017
SENT BY
THE SPIRIT
Executive Director’s Corner
On January 9th of this year, I began my tenure as Executive Director of ACTS Missions. In accepting
this position, I am accepting a call to action. A call from the Holy Spirit to make available the tools of
the ACTS Retreat to help lay people utilize Adoration and open their hearts to prayer and a personal
relationship with God. To step forward and help build Community in their parish and within the greater
Catholic Community. To actively seek the knowledge of Theology and come to a personal awareness of
how God works and teaches. To become a servant and willingly accept the call to Service to others and
distance themselves from self.
As you read the ACTS Missions Connection, you will see and get a small glimpse of the daily activiVictor Azios
ties of the many dioceses, parishes, and people that give daily of themselves to help others experience
the love of God through the brotherhood and sisterhood of ACTS.
If you are a member of a parish that is receiving the fruits of ACTS retreats, support the evangelization tithe that helps bring
resources to ACTS Missions to grow and go to where we are called.
If you are a person who feels that you want to connect with other ACTS retreatants outside your parish and support the work
of ACTS Missions, become an ACTS Missioner.
In closing, let us remember what our brother in Christ, Father Ron Rolheiser has written in the book, The Holy Longing, The
search for a Christian Spirituality, “The Church is the people…Apostolic Community.”
Let us take the word of God, the Spirit of God, and the Eucharist and make disciples of all nations. Have a wonderful Lent
and prepare for a beautiful Easter.
Your Brother in Christ, Victor
Page 4
Father Victor Nuñez from Sacred Family parish
in Acapulco Guerrero Mexico made a special trip
to San Antonio to visit and celebrate the commissioning Mass for the Spanish ACTS Missioning
team going to Acapulco next August.
Pictured: (left to right) Victor Azios, ACTS Missions Executive Director and his wife, Jo; Father
Victor Nuñez; Hector & Lorena Navarrete ; Angel
& Letty Salinas (Retreat Director), and Diana &
Victor Quintanilla, ACTS Missions Directors of
Spanish Outreach.
Right—Participants in our first 2017 Spanish
ACTS Retreat workshop, held February at
Immaculate Conception Parish in down
town San Antonio.
ACTS MISSIONS
Connection
ACTS Missions
7711 Madonna Drive
San Antonio, TX 78216