Written by: Frank Callus

Published: 19 September 2025

The Trustees met with some of the membership in July at our Annual General Meeting. We discussed where ACTA goes into the future.
A short paper is attached along with details of a meeting - via Zoom - on  7.00pm Sunday 19th October.  Zoom Link Details below:

We are keen to hear the thoughts of all our membership and ask you to join us as we make that decision

God bless
The Board of Trustees


Discussion Paper
Fifteen months ago, I wrote a paper positing the idea that ACTA might have run its course. An organisation that came into existence just before the papacy of Francis to introduce a level of debate into the Catholic Church, was addressed by a call to synodality. Fifteen months on, we have witnessed the death of Pope Francis and the commitment of Pope Leo to the synodal process which seems to be  addressing the concerns that gave rise to the organisation in the first place.

There are two possible avenues open to us and Trustees and others spoke to the issues in the AGM in July:

1] We recognise that the synodal process is ongoing and needs the active participation of people at diocesan level. There is a role for ACTA which is different from its initial purpose but equally relevant. We need to identify how we respond to the call to synodality, how we engage with other groups in the UK [ Root and Branch /Scottish Laity Network/ We Are Church etc]. The focus might be more clearly aligned with synodality in terms of good practice, in supporting  formation / developing lay leadership.

2] We recognise that ACTA has played its part and that it is now time to close the organisation down and to make arrangements for the archiving of key documents and making arrangements for the allocation of the funds that are held by ACTA as a CIO.

One of the Trustees has identified the fact that the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales [CBCEW] maintain links with Catholic Lay Associations. The Pontifical Council for the Laity identify the need to support lay Catholics in their contribution to a missional Church

"the phenomenon of lay people associating among themselves has taken on a character of particular variety and vitality [heralding in] a new era of group endeavours [in which] alongside the traditional forming of associations, and at times coming from their very roots, movements and new sodalities have sprouted, with a specific feature and purpose [...] so great is the capacity of initiative and the generosity of our lay people"


The questions we have to address are:

Is there a future for ACTA or do we wind down the organisation?
If there is a future for ACTA what should it look like?
If we continue but in a new way, what contribution am I prepared to make?

Joining details
A meeting for all interested members will be held via Zoom on

Sunday 19th October 2025

7.00pm

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4081577308?pwd=cPV9xOxR8IXYLZyZWyb9ff1OxalnmK.1&omn=87242854270

Meeting ID: 408 157 7308
Passcode: ACTA2025

Download:  Discussion Paper September 2025 (98.85 KB)