Key Themes
The participant materials, available in English and Spanish, help people explore key issues over the six weekly sessions.
1. The Church in Times of Crisis
As we express our feelings about the Church’s crisis and its impact on our lives and listen to others’ experience, we search for the deepest roots of our faith. Discernment helps us clarify the basis of our faith and hope in the resurrected Christ who is our way, our truth and our life (cf. John 14:6).
2. A Church of Saints and Sinners
From the beginning of his public life, Jesus invited sinners to walk in his company. Whenever in the history of the Church human weakness or selfishness caused scandal, the Holy Spirit inspired great women and men to respond, challenge and remind us to live a life worthy of Christ’s calling. A call to holiness and a flourishing of spiritual renewal ensued.
3. Healing, Repentance and Forgiveness
We look for ways to aid victims of abuse and their loved ones. With God’s grace, we can participate in healing the wounded Body of Christ. Healing requires reconciliation and forgiveness as highlighted in the life and teaching of Jesus. As the historical sign of the risen Christ, the Church is called to be a community of forgiveness.
4. Relationships: Within the Church, To the World
To be a prophetic voice, we need to be counter-cultural and relate to the world as Christ did. To be a healthy part of the Body of Christ, we need to understand and respect the roles of lay persons, deacons, priests and bishops, and seek ways to work in close harmony.
5. Prayer and Spiritual Maturity
The Father’s desire for us is to grow into the image of his beloved Son Jesus. How we respond to that desire is our unique expression of spirituality. Prayer, participation in the celebration of the sacraments, and gratitude for the gift of our Catholic faith contribute to the vitality and dynamism of the entire Body of Christ.
6. God’s Gift of the Eucharist and Other Sacraments
Christ’s real presence in the Eucharist is sacrament and sign of ongoing healing and reconciliation. Eucharist and the other sacraments are everlasting symbols of his love. How can we be more open to his presence, come to a deeper appreciation of the value of the Mass, and more worthily and beneficially receive the Eucharist and other sacraments?
View or download a sample session in PDF format. |