Have you ever felt at a loss when someone asks you those tough questions about the Catholic faith? Do you want to know more about what we believe and why we believe it?
Initiated at St. Bernadette Parish in Orchard Park, CatholicActs was formed to help adult Catholics (ages 17 and older) get a deeper understanding of our faith, to help them explain and defend Catholic doctrines and beliefs and, to help inspire apostleship in Christ by how we live our faith.
For the past four years, Saint Bernadette parishioners as well as non-parishioners have spent many evenings together under the spiritual guidance of Father Nugent gaining a deeper understanding and love of our faith.Many of these folks have gone on to start other ministries bringing with them a new zeal for the Catholic faith.Perhaps you’re even one of those folks!
Examples of topics that we covered have included the Sacraments, Marian Doctrine, Papal authority, the Eucharist and John 6, Catholic moral teaching, Catholic social teaching, Top 10 reasons to be Catholic, Sacred Scripture and, Sacred Tradition.
Now in its fifth season, CatholicACTS has been called to take on a new, slightly different, yet exciting role in providing Apologetics support for our emerging parish faith formation program. There are wonderful changes within our faith formation (religious education) program with the growing number of options for children, teens, adults and families. Apologetics is a component of the program and CatholicACTS sort of fits right in that role to provide help. After much prayer and some discussion, it was felt that this direct support role would allow for more of our parishioners, young and "old" to have exposure to this Apologetics ministry.
So what this means is that the recurring month to month sessions we have shared over the past four years will not be offered this season. Rather, in addition to the direct suppport of the faith formation program, we will be offering selected events for all to participate in throughout the year. For example, we are anticipating hosting a guest speaker . . . perhaps Tim Staples of Catholic Answers. We will also schedule at least a couple of our enlightening Q&A sessions with Mike Denz. Passages music ministry (the "S" part of CatholicACTS) is already on the calendar for another Palm Sunday presentation. An there are other special sessions in the works as well so STAY tuned to your email and the web site www.catholicacts.com for more information throughout the year.
Pope John Paul II encouraged all Catholics to "Follow Him to become fishers of men. Make Christ's word reach those who still dont know him. Have the courage to bear witness to the Gospel on the streets and in the town squares, in the valleys and mountains..."
St. Bernadette's is located at 5930 South Abbott Road in Orchard Park