» Groups Home

Groups

St Andrew Catholic Church

St Lawrence Catholic Church

Guidelines

Small Groups are the life of the Church.

Small groups help make healthy parishes

Small groups are part of everyday life

Small groups are found in Holy Scriptures

Small groups are found in Church’s Teachings

Pope John Paul II, Redemptoris Missio
We are called to create small communities of faith which will become a means of evangelization of the gospel and a source of new ministries.

Important Principles

Remain attached to the local/universal church;

Maintain a sincere communion with the church’s pastors;

Profess and teach the Catholic faith in obedience to the church’s magisterium;

Conform to the church’s apostolic goals of evangelizing and sanctifying humanity;

Avoid the spirit of elitism, of making others feel inferior.

Manifest the fruits of holiness, revealing in their behaviour the unity of faith and love of neighbour

Manifest solidarity with and service to society.

General Guidelines

Your group is a small family or church which originates and is connected to the greater family of
your local parish.

Your group or family receives the support and graces of your local church.

Your group or family is a Eucharistic family that allows members to grow closer to Christ in the
comfort and trust of each other’s presence and support.

Format:

It’s a social and spiritual gathering consisting of Bible study, food, and a large degree of interaction.

Bible studies follow a sharing and discussion format rather than classroom style lectures.

Each individual would find a place to share their blessings and struggles becoming personally acquainted with and involved in each other’s lives

The group meets weekly or bi-weekly and does not meet in summer time.

During the active periods, small groups would come together once a month to interact,share their experiences and a meal and receive teaching on a relevant theological topic.

Group study methodology would follow striving to live and deepen on the message of Divine Mercy by Word, Deeds, and Prayer

A New Congregation

A new Congregation that would live and deepen on the Message of Mercy which is Jesus Christ was, as a matter of fact, mentioned in St. Faustina’s diary of conversations with Jesus.

Saint Faustina prayed to recognize God’s plan of beginning a new congregation. For this intention she offered to God many prayers and suffering. In June 1935, in Vilnius Saint Faustina wrote:

God demands that there be a Congregation which will proclaim the mercy of God
to the world and, by its prayers, obtain it for the world” (Diary, 436).

“I desire that there be such a Congregation” (Diary, 437).

“I saw the convent of the new Congregation. It was a large and spacious building. I went from room to room, observing everything. I saw that God’s Providence had provided for all that was necessary (…). During Mass, I received a clear and profound understanding concerning this whole work, and not a shadow of a doubt remained in my soul. The Lord gave me knowledge of His will under three aspects, so to speak, but it all comes down to one.
The first is that souls separated from the world will burn as an offering before God’s throne and beg for mercy for the whole world… and through their efforts they will obtain blessings for priests, and through their prayers prepare the world for the final coming of Jesus.
The second is prayer together with the act of mercy. In particular, they will defend the souls of children against the spirit of evil. Prayer and merciful deeds are all that will be required of these souls (…). And in this egoistic world they will try to rouse up love – the mercy of Jesus.
The third is prayer and deeds of mercy, without any obligation of taking vows. But by doing this, these persons will have a share in all the merits and privileges of the whole [congregation]. Everyone in the world can belong to this group. A member of this group ought to perform at least one act of mercy a day; at least one, but there can be many more, for such deeds can easily be carried out by anyone, even the very poorest. For there are three ways of performing an act of mercy: firstly, the merciful word, by forgiving and by comforting; secondly, if you can offer no word, then pray – that too is mercy; and thirdly, deeds of mercy. And when the Last Day comes, we shall be judged from this, and on this basis we shall receive the eternal verdict” (Diary, 1154-1158).

Home

Groups

Leave a Reply Cancel reply