MISSION statement: Revised 2026

We are a group of Catholics, some of whom are ordained, brought together by our love of Christ’s Church and a desire to be part of the synodal renewal it needs.
 
Inspired by the legacy of the Second Vatican Council, and the call to Synodality for the Church of the third millennium, we want to contribute fully to the life of our Church so that it may be a more effective and inclusive sign of the Kingdom of God.
 
To enable this, we wish to promote listening, dialogue and receptivity within the Church, and with all people of good will, open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.
 
Accordingly, we aim to facilitate opportunities to share experiences, practices and insights to discern our hopes and aims for the Church in the world today.

THEOLOGY statement:

ACTA is a movement built from below by clergy and laity alike in every diocese in England and Wales. It exists to give those people an effective voice. It is an instrument to establish and promote space for a trusting dialogue within a hierarchically structured people’s Church.
 
ACTA believes that the reforms of the Second Vatican Council are the only way forward for mission to modern society. It is not a small chapel of selected followers; it believes in the Church as a “big tent”, with open doors. As a free and representative association of believers, it seeks to liberate the expertise in the ranks, so as to bring added energy and witness to the Church in the world.

Research on Parish Pastoral Councils

Written by: Brian Pointer
Below is the covering report and the individual reports from coordinators. This has been a long time coming and has been a slow process. The fact that not many groups have reported on the situation in their diocesan areas has affected the final outcome. However, as I have commented on in the report, despite this there is information which underlines the experiences of many Catholics throughout England & Wales.
Also, it does raise certain questions, outlined in the report, which need to be addressed. I welcome any questions/queries about the process and the reports. Brian Pointer
 

Holy Year..A Challenge For Us All

Written by: PETER FARRELL

Pope Francis’s document which announced the current Holy Year, is a fascinating read. Particularly striking for me are the phrases in paragraph 10:
“Mercy is the very foundation of the Church’s life. All of her pastoral activity should be caught up in the tenderness she makes present to believers; nothing in her preaching and in her witness to the world can be lacking in mercy. The Church’s very credibility is seen in how she shows merciful and compassionate love.”

Read more: Holy Year..A Challenge For Us All

Notes from Annual ACTA Conference

Written by: Andrew Hornsby-Smith

These are my notes from the annual ACTA Conference. As notes they are subjective and they do not necessarily represent the views or actual statements of the speakers or of ACTA. Please find the presentation here. Annual Conference Notes

Visiting both ends of the Spectrum

Written by: martin bennett

            A Call to Holiness

As the initial reports filter out of the Synod people on the different parts of the spectrum of Catholic belief begin to assess what, if anything, has happened. As expected, there has been no narrowing of the gap between the widely divergent and deeply held views, and whatever Pope Francis does in the end, he will cause strong reactions – something which he is not afraid of, thank goodness, as he seems to recognise that change is messy.

Read more: Visiting both ends of the Spectrum

Conference 2015

Written by: Alex Walker

{gallery}Conference 2015{/gallery}

  1. Conference Programme Saturday 31st October
  2. Francis: Synod is unfinished business of Vatican II
  3. We asked for openness, and we’re getting it !
  4. Behold I stand at the door and knock !

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