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ACTIVITIES | PICTURES |
Ecclesial Movements and New Communities:
The Response of the Holy Spirit to Today's Challenge of
Evangelization
by Cardinal
Stanislaw Rylko,
President of the
Pontifical Council for de Laity
Association of Ecclesial Movements and New
Communities
in the Archdiocese of Washington - AEMNC
Members of the Association
BLD Washington Bukas Loob Sa Diyos
(Open in Spirit to God) Covenant Community,
(www.bldwashington.com),
or simply referred to as "BLD Washington",
is a community of disciples inspired by the Holy Spirit to
be living witnesses for transformation in Christ to bring
about a world of justice, human development and true peace.
In response to the challenges of our particular place, time,
and culture, we will evangelize families and build
communities of faith through Encounters, Life in the Spirit
Seminars and Discipleship Formation; we will give formation
on personal and family prayer, pro-life values, Catholic
social teachings, and stewardship; we will actively
participate in the life and mission of the Church in accord
with our God-given gifts; and we will work on poverty
alleviation through scholarships, housing for the poor, and
advocacies for life, environment, and good governance.
It originated in Manila, Philippines in 1985. Today, BLD
districts are found in Asia, North America and other parts
of the world. BLD Washington holds annual or bi-annual
weekend retreats for Marriage Encounter, Life in the Spirit
Seminar, Family Encounter, Youth Encounter, Youth Life in
the Spirit Seminar, Singles Encounter, Solo Parents
Encounter, and John 6 Crossings. BLD Washington meets
regularly every Friday for Praise and Worship at the Our
Lady of Victory Catholic Church, 4835 McArthur Blvd. N.W.,
Washington, DC. Fr. Francis Alves is
their Spiritual Director.
The
Community of Sant’Egidio
(www.santegidiousa.org)
began in
Couples for Christ
(CFC –
national:
www.couplesforchristglobal.org - Metro
DC:
www.cfcmd.com)
Couples for Christ Foundation for
Family and Life (CFC-FFL –
www.cfcffl.org)
is a movement intended for the renewal and strengthening of
Christian family life. It is an association of Christian
couples who have committed themselves to the Lord and to one
another, so that they may grow into maturity as men and
women of God and fulfill their primary vocation of raising
up their families under the lordship of Jesus Christ and for
the service of the Kingdom of God. Couples for Christ is a
work of Christ which raises up Christian couples and
establishes Christian families committed to the work of
evangelization and winning the world for Christ through the
power of the Holy Spirit. It grows mainly through the
establishment of localized units in different parishes. CFC
began in 1981 in
The Focolare Movement
(www.focolare.us),
founded in
Handicapped Encounter Christ (HEC)
(www.metrohec.com)
is a small, all volunteer organization that brings
physically disabled and able-bodied individuals together in
Christian community. HEC sponsors religious and social
events to help both disabled and able-bodied individuals
experience their dignity as children of God. HEC works to
establish a positive image and respect for people with
disabilities within the larger Christian community. The Fall
and Spring retreats provide an environment where disabled
and able-bodied individuals share the Good News of Christ;
minister to each other’s needs and learn from each other.
Retreats include motivational talks, small group
discussions, liturgy and quiet reflection time. Catholic in
origin, HEC is ecumenical in nature. Everyone is encouraged
to participate regardless of their religion, background or
disability.
The
Houses of Adoration (www.lesmaisonsdadoration.com)
was founded in
1989 in France by Marie-Benoite Angot. This spirituality
offers a way for lay people to consecrate themselves through
Mary to the Living Person of Christ in the Eucharist,
consecrating the world in preparation for His return in
Glory.
Houses of Adoration received final recognition
by the Pontifical Council for the Laity in Rome on April 5,
2012, Holy Thursday, as a private international association
of the faithful. Their
vocation is to be the leaven in daily life like the yeast in
the dough, in every country and in every situation. The
spirituality is to spread throughout the world bringing the
Living Love of Jesus-Eucharist to the world, through a true
ministry of visitation carried out in the simple action of
everyday life: the spirituality if that of Our Daily Bread.
In imitation of the Virgin Mary, in her house of Nazareth,
the souls of adoration never let a day pass without gazing
on the Living Jesus with love in adoration. Responding to
the call of Vatican II, they offer themselves as churches
based in the home, to become "true domestic sanctuaries of
the church." Priests known as "Missionaries of the
Eucharist" adopt the same spirituality as the lay members,
sharing their aims and helping them to live out their
vocation and mission. The direction of the association is
carried out by lay country delegates and diocesan delegates.
The association is under the guidance of the Pontifical
Council for the Laity in Rome. For additional information,
please contact Ms. Angot, 31 rue du Sommerard, 75005 Paris,
France or Ms. Connie Wells in the U.S. at
cgwells31@gmail.com.
Second from left: foundress Marie Angot
Banner
Books of Marie Angot on adoration
The Legion of Mary
(www.legionofmary.org)
is the largest apostolic organization of lay people in the
Catholic Church, with well over 3 million active members in
almost every country of the world. It has been active in the
The Madonna
House Apostolate (www.madonnahouse.org)
is an international family of lay women and men; some of our
men are priests. Founded in 1947 by Catherine Doherty, we
try to "incarnate the Gospel in daily life." Known as a
"Public Association of the Faithful," our membership of more
than 200, makes promises of poverty, chastity, and
obedience. Our Training Centre in Combermere, Ontario,
Canada, welcomes visitors to live and work with us,
including a vacation camp for families and a Summer Program
for young people. Smaller field houses in North America, the
West Indies, Europe and Siberia engage in a particular work
at the request of the local Roman Catholic Bishop. We strive
to incarnate the Gospel of Jesus Christ by forming a
community of love in our Training Centre, prayer houses,
soup kitchens and pastoral centers. The Washington, DC field
house on Capitol Hill is a house of prayer, mandated by the
Archbishop of Washington, to pray for the US government, the
Archdiocese and to respond to the spiritual needs of those
who come. In addition, there are more than 125 associate
priests, bishops and permanent deacons who live the Madonna
House spirituality in their home dioceses or wherever they
are serving.
The Mother of God Community
(www.motherofgod.org)
is a Catholic and ecumenical charismatic community, founded
in 1968 as a fruit of Vatican Council II and the outpouring
of the Holy Spirit in the twentieth century. Their mission
is to glorify Jesus Christ by living the gospel and growing
in the knowledge of God through prayer, fellowship,
evangelization and service. Members include Christians from
all walks of life – families, singles, priests and
consecrated women – who are united by the call to live the
“spirituality of Pentecost” in covenant with one another.
Mother of God Community life is rooted in the grace of
baptism in the Spirit, an encounter with the living Christ
which brings alive our participation in the Church through
the Word of God and the Eucharist. From this grace flows an
interior revelation of the lordship of Jesus, a thirst to
read the Scriptures, the prayer of praise, an expectant
faith that God speaks to His children, and the experience of
new life in the Spirit through the power of the cross of
Christ. The name Mother of God was chosen as a reminder that
we are called to receive and treasure the Word of God like
Mary. By yielding ourselves to God that Christ may be formed
in us, we become vessels through which Christ is brought
forth into the world. The Community is canonically
recognized within the Archdiocese of Washington as a Private
Association of the Faithful
and is a member of the Vatican's Catholic
Fraternity of Charismatic Covenant Communities and
Fellowships (www.catholicfraternity.net/wordpress/about-us/).
Prayer and Life Workshops. A New Evangelization (PLW)
Talleres de Oración y Vida. Una Nueva Evangelización (TOV)
(www.tovpil.org).
Holy See approved ecclesial service initiated in 1984 by
Father Ignacio Larrañaga, a Franciscan Capuchin priest.
These workshops assist the faithful to enter a more personal
relationship with The Lord by teaching different methods of
prayer, from prayerful reading of scripture to
contemplation. Is an effective program of Christ- centered
christifying santification. Lives are transformed as people
allow God to direct their attitudes and actions. These
workshops are offered twice a year in more than 40
countries.
Schoenstatt Movement
(international:
www.schoenstatt.org/en/ - Washington, DC: www.SchoenstattDC.org).
Schoenstatt, in the town of Vallendar near Koblenz, Germany,
is the place of origin and the world center of the
International Schoenstatt Movement. Every day pilgrims from
all over the world travel to the Original Shrine, the center
of Schoenstatt, both as a Marian place of pilgrimage and as
an international ecclesial movement with twenty independent
communities. In Schoenstatt, people are looking for
orientation, a home, renewed strength, and spirit to live
their faith in everyday life as a way for bringing the love
of Christ to the world. Schoenstatt originates in the
Covenant of Love with Mary, the Mother of Jesus. Father
Joseph Kentenich (1885 - 1968) along with a group of young
men from the Pallotine Seminary, founded Schoenstatt when
their young sodality sealed their Covenant of Love with the
Blessed Mother on 18 October 1914. Father Kentenich spent
several years in the concentration camp in Dachau. His love
for the Church proved to be steadfast in times of rejection
and anxiety. He died on 15 September 1968, in Schoenstatt,
where he is entombed. All over the world, around 200
Schoenstatt centers have been erected; the focal point of
each of them is an exact replica of the Original Shrine in
Schoenstatt. Through the Schoenstatt Rosary Campaign,
several million people in over 130 countries on all
continents are in contact with the stream of life and grace
from the Schoenstatt Shrine. Other links:
www.SchoenstattLinks.org and the
international web site:
www.Schoenstatt.org/en.
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Schoenstatt couples in Washington, DC
Original Schoenstatt Shrine in Germany Fr.
Joseph Kentenich Mother Thrice
Admirable of Schoenstatt
Worldwide Marriage Encounter
(www.wwme.org)
offers a weekend experience designed to give married couples
the opportunity to learn a technique of loving communication
that they can use for the rest of their lives. It's a chance
to look deeply into their relationship with each other and
with God. It's a time to share their feelings, hopes and
dreams with each other. The emphasis of the Marriage
Encounter weekend is on the communication between husbands
and wives. The weekend provides a conducive environment for
couples to spend time together, away from the distractions
and tensions of everyday life, while encouraging them to
focus on each other and their relationship. It's not a
retreat, marriage clinic, group sensitivity, or a substitute
for counseling. It's a unique approach aimed at revitalizing
marriage.
Cardinal Wuerl's letter
Will Pope Francis change the Church's position on morality?
Catholic Ecclesial Movements and New
Communities
in the
Archdiocese of Washington
“Living Witnesses to the New
Evangelization”
What is an
Ecclesial Movement or New Community?
It's an association of persons
(usually lay persons) approved by the Roman Catholic Church
that is called together by God to share a common “Charism,”
that is, a distinctive way of living the Christian faith.
Is there a Joint Body for
these Associations in the D.C. Area?
Early in 2005, Cardinal Theodore
McCarrick formed a new Committee of Catholic Lay
Associations in the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C. composed
of representatives from these ecclesial movements and new
communities. His hope was that “by thinking, praying, and
finding new ways to adore the Lord and serve his Church”
(Cardinal McCarick, July 2004) these organizations would
become better known and therefore more effective in sharing
their gifts. The Committee meets regularly with a
representative appointed by the Archbishop.
Who can belong to a
movement or community?
The majority of people who belong to a
movement or community are baptized lay people who may be
either married or single. Many movements and communities
have consecrated lay members who take promises or vows of
poverty, chastity and obedience similar to sisters and
brothers. Diocesan priests and men and women religious
can also be active participants and full-time members.
How do participants
interact with their local parish?
Most participants in
movements and communities also belong to local parishes. As
a fruit of their parish and spiritual life it is common to
find them attending daily Mass, partaking of frequent
confession and spiritual direction, and serving in various
parish ministries. Typically lay persons discern over
time that God is calling them to complement their parish
involvement and daily life with a specific ministry and/or
movement or community.
How does an ecclesial
movement or new community come into being?
The birth of an ecclesial
movement or new community is similar to that of a
traditional religious order like the Benedictines,
Franciscans and Jesuits. The Holy Spirit grants the founder
or group of founders a special grace to live the Christian
life with a unique charism, fervor and dynamism, which
eventually attracts others and over time develops into a
particular way of life. After a certain period (usually a
number of years), the bishop will evaluate the movement’s
statutes (basic laws and guidelines) and discern whether to
formally approve it as an association of the faithful.
How do they serve people
and the local Church?
They serve by helping both members and interested
participants grow in holiness through a life of prayer,
ongoing internal conversion, and personal formation.
Although each movement/community is unique, many offer a
variety of ministries including: retreat centers, schools,
universities, and homes for the sick and disabled; missions
to serve the poor, retreats and conferences, child, youth
and family formation; and outreach via personal
evangelization, newsletters, publishing, media and
communications.
How do they nurture
vocations?
Many of the movements/communities support
and complement parish and family life by creating programs
that form the spiritual, intellectual and social dimensions
of children, adolescents and adults. These programs provide
natural environments to nurture souls so they can discern
where God is calling them, including married life, single
life, priesthood, and religious or consecrated life.
The movements and new communities
in the words of the Holy Father Benedict XVI
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SPEECH
OF THE HOLY FATHER
POPE JOHN PAUL II
MEETING WITH ECCLESIAL MOVEMENTS
AND NEW COMMUNITIES
Saturday, 30 May 1998
"Some charisms given by the Spirit burst in like an
impetuous wind, which seizes people and carries them to new
ways of missionary commitment to the radical service of the
Gospel, by ceaselessly proclaiming the truths of faith,
accepting the living stream of tradition as a gift and
instilling in each person an ardent desire for holiness."
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| ACTIVITIES | PICTURES |
Other
Associations of Lay Movements and New Communities
in the United States
Association of Ecclesial Movements and New Communities
in the Archdiocese of Washington - AEMNC
Chair: Cynthia Donnelly - Madonna House
Vice-chair:
Mary Young - Focolare
Secretary:
Rick McKinney
Alternate
Secretary: Joaquin Trejo - Focolare
Liaison
with the
Webmaster: Enrique Soros Schoenstatt Movement e@schoenstatt.biz
Association of Ecclesial Movements and New Communities in the Archdiocese of Washington - Washington, DC - Catholic Movements -
Lay Movements and New Communities
www.MovementsDC.org
info@movementsDC.org