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ACTS Missions CONFIDENTIALITY POLICY

®

MEMORANDUM

TO: ACTS Missions Chapters and ACTS Cores

FROM: ACTS Missions

SUBJECT: Confidentiality Policy

DATE: February 11, 2015

In the context of ACTS, confidentiality (a.k.a. “the River Rule”) speaks specifically to keeping in

confidence the Team and Retreatants’ testimonies and personal sharing (and their identities)

offered during the ACTS Retreat and Team Formation. This confidence is to be kept in

perpetuity. This understanding of confidentiality dates back to the first ACTS Retreat in 1987.

As a result, ACTS Missions, the steward of ACTS, institutes the following policy regarding

confidentiality in the context of ACTS. This policy is to be made known to all who are

participating in ACTS.

Purpose The purpose of this Confidentiality Policy is to build and maintain TRUST. This is the first

critical component fostered during the ACTS Retreat. Trust is needed for Retreatants and Team

to begin the journey to spiritual intentional discipleship. Because the foundations of the ACTS

Retreat and Team formation are personal sharing and testimonies (not the events or services),

keeping what is shared during retreat and Team formation confidential is imperative. The

consequences for breaking confidence can be the ruin of the ACTS apostolate at a parish and

damage to the parish community; not to mention the legal liability consequences.

Application With respect to Team formation, confidentiality is to be invoked, discussed, explained, kept and

enforced at every Team Meeting (including the mini-retreat and Team activity at the Retreat

Center prior to the Retreatants arrival) from the time it is brought to order by the Director to the

time he/she adjourns the Meeting.

With respect to the ACTS Retreat, confidentiality is invoked from the time the Retreatants

arrive at the retreat center (or location) to the retreat’s conclusion when Team and Retreatants

arrive at the return Mass on Sunday (and also to the reception following Mass if the parish elects

to have one). Confidentiality also applies to the Pentecost Event (the reunion).

Confidentiality is to be discussed, explained, kept and enforced at every opportunity by

Retreat Leadership and Team Members; specifically before and after every witness Talk.

Opportunities for addressing confidentiality are illustrated in the “ACTS – What is Essential”

document, and the Director’s Manual (see pgs. 4.8-4.12). To be clear, discussing confidentiality

is not limited to these examples.

Please note that confidentiality does not apply to the unintentional or intentional deviations

from the copyrighted ACTS Retreat format, or the directives, policies, processes and procedures

prescribed by ACTS Missions. Any deviations should be addressed following the resolution

process set forth by ACTS Missions.

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Caution The caution for parish leadership regarding the Confidentiality Policy is not to restrain

participants from expressing facets of their retreat experience. To be clear, we do not encourage

discussing the specifics of the ACTS Retreat because it is meant to be experienced; however,

sharing aspects of the retreat which are common to our Catholic faith, such as celebrating Mass,

Reconciliation, and praying together, is not breaking confidence. This is mentioned because

many (with the best of intentions) go to the extreme in their understanding of what the

Confidentiality Policy encompasses.

Violations The Confidentiality Policy is violated when the trust of all is broken by exposing or repeating the

personal stories and/or testimonies shared by others at the ACTS Retreat. It cannot be overstated

how this is dangerous to all participants, the parish community and the apostolate. Remember,

many at the ACTS Retreat are vulnerable, and are exposing their hearts and souls. It is the

violation of this vital trust that is the concern to ACTS Missions, and requires action by the

ACTS Core at the parish. (The only exception to breaking confidence is the exposing of illegal

activity, particularly abuse against a child. See the Director’s Manual revised 2012, pg. 2.19,

which gives a full explanation.)

Due to the wide variances of circumstances and situations regarding possible infractions, as

well as the dynamics within a parish’s community, ACTS Missions does not offer courses of

action that should be levied against those that violate the Confidentiality Policy. ACTS Missions

advises that the parish ACTS Core, in consultation with the pastor, should handle each incident

on a case-by-case basis. The ACTS Core should discern a just but compassionate solution (much

like a parent whose child has done something grievously wrong).

Again, remember the possible consequences mentioned above (i.e. damage to parish

community, ruin of ACTS). The severity and damage caused by a breach of confidence should

dictate the course of action deemed appropriate. Examples of possible courses of action could

include (but are not limited to) a reprimand from the Core, the priest or both; or may require

these individuals to have a number of consultation sessions with the priest. It could also mean

being disallowed from serving on future ACTS Teams. For those that violate confidentiality,

there is a real possibility of legal action taken by the injured party. Again, all this depends on the

degree of severity and grievousness of the trust and confidence broken.

For any questions regarding confidentiality, parishioners should seek guidance from their ACTS

Cores; and Cores should seek guidance and support from the local ACTS Missions Chapter (if

present). If no Chapter is present, Cores should contact ACTS Missions directly. Chapters should

contact ACTS Missions as needed.

______________________________

A. Jay Vela. Jr.

ACTS Missions

Executive Director