Dear Friends,
You will soon be receiving a letter from me inviting you to be a part of our new effort to form what we are calling “Cabrini Communities” which are the relational small groups that form the backbone for the formation of disciples in our parish church. Key to understanding these groups is knowing that their primary purpose is the formation of disciples. They are not primarily social groups or counseling groups or outreach groups.
What are some of the specific components of the groups? The first component is relational; where members care for each other and help each person become more like Jesus. They support each other when one stumbles or falls. They celebrate when a member has a success. They walk with each other through sorrow and through joy. In a sense, each member shepherds the other members of the Community, leading them closer to Jesus.
The second component is teaching. People probably think of a small group as a bible study, but that is not what this is. It is true that scripture is one of the important parts and the teaching is grounded in scripture. However, in our Cabrini Communities we are not primarily seeking intellectual growth. We are seeking ways where each member can grow in their understanding of Jesus, his teaching, and learn how the community has responded to that teaching over the years. By talking it through together, each member of the Community can make personal application of what Jesus teaches to their own life. It is only when each member shares their thoughts and asks questions that personal growth can take place.
Third, the Cabrini Community is a place for authenticity and accountability. I have been in a priest group that has been meeting monthly for more than 30 years. They are the ones who challenge me when I have wandered away from Jesus and they are the ones who know the deepest truths about me. They help me to be real or transparent in my relationship with God. By hearing their stories of struggle, I come to realize that I am not alone in my struggles in my journey toward Jesus. I also know that this community will hold the things I tell them with the greatest confidence. I do not have to worry that my deepest challenges, my transparency, will be shared with others. The Cabrini Community is the same. It is a place where you can trust the others and can share with them your true self. That honesty will improve the member’s relationship with God.
The fourth component of the Community is story-telling. No matter what the particular dimension of discipleship may be up for discussion that particular month, they all involve a dimension of story-telling. People in the Communities all come from different backgrounds with unique histories. It is in the sharing of their own story of attempting to follow Jesus that every member of the Community discovers a greater depth of faith. By having to articulate your own faith story, you take ownership for your story and begin to discover that it is not difficult to witness to the powerful presence of Jesus in your life with others.
Briefly, in our Cabrini Communities, we are transformed by sharing a common vision given to us by Jesus and lived within the Catholic tradition, we articulate a common language where disciples share with each other their joys and successes, and we grow into mature disciples of Jesus who look and act like Jesus did.
Peace,
Fr. Damian