Dear friends of TAC,
Blessings of the Resurrection! "Bright Week" is the name the Orthodox church gives to this special time in the liturgical calendar, and it perfectly expresses the feeling of light and new beginnings that we associate with the Easter feast. We have lots to share with you this month, including updates to our small Christian community (SCC) initiative, new events, and news from our friends and partner organizations. |
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Mikroi: Our SCC Initiative |
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Mikroi (μικρός) is a key term in Matthew’s gospel that means “little ones” or “the least of these.” As we thought about the intentions of small Christian communities and our SCC initiative, the word seemed to embody our vision of the church of the future—one that, as Pope Francis has stated, “will become smaller, lose many privileges, be humbler and more authentic and find energy for what is essential.”
We're pleased to debut the web page for "Mikroi," our SCC initiative. Here you'll find background information, news and articles, and additional resources, as well as information on how to join or form a small Christian community through TAC's online platform or in your own parish or location. We hope you'll be inspired to participate—small Christian communities serve as “training grounds” to inaugurate the next era of the of the church that will be, in Francis’s words, “more spiritual, poorer and less political; a Church of the little ones.” |
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Event: Reimagining Evangelization |
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The concept of “evangelization” can be a fraught one for many Catholics. It conjures images of forced conversions, doctrinal supremacy, and relationships forged for the sake of “gaining disciples” instead of for their own inherent value. If done coercively, it can embolden a fear-based model of the faith that leads to triumphalism and exclusion.
What might a more holistic, integrated, and authentic approach to evangelization look like at the dawn of the third millennium? How might we reimagine the theology and practice of evangelization in a shrinking US Catholic Church and an increasingly secular or religiously nonaffiliated culture? Join us on Tuesday, April 25, at 6:00 p.m. (ET) to discuss these and other questions with Michael J. Sanem, author of Becoming the Good News: A New Approach to Parish Evangelization, recently published by Liturgical Press. * This event is open to everyone. Registration is required and available by clicking below. * |
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News from Friends and Partners |
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One of the special gifts of TAC's 30-year journey has been the many friends, partner organizations, and committed folks we've met along the way. In the age of the internet, our collaborators now span the country and the globe. We encourage our readers to connect with these inspiring groups. Here is some of their latest news:- Solidarity Workshop, a new "community of practice" engaged in building an economy of "mutualism, cooperativism, and human scale," is inspired by Pope Francis's Fratelli Tutti and other wisdom traditions. They're hosing a launch celebration and "spiritual check-in" on Thursday, April 20, at 12:00 p.m. ET. Register to attend here!
- Catholic Church Reform International (CCRI) is hosting its next Global Ecclesial Synod Council Meeting on Saturday, April 22, at 7:00 a.m. ET. (The early time is to accommodate CCRI's many friends from all over the world.) The speaker will be Birgit Weller, a German Medical Missionary Sister living in Peru and a theological advisor on issues of environmental justice. To join this gathering, click here and enter the password spirit.
- Spirit Unbounded, a reform organization working to realize the "Beatitudinal church," is seeking individual stories about the complexity of being Catholic today to feature on its website. Read current stories—and submit your own—here.
- The Pentecost Vigil Project (PVP) is committed to advancing the spirituality and practice of synodality. PVP models the original Pentecost Vigil, the nine-day Upper Room Novena that took place between Jesus's Ascension and Pentecost, where all international disciples gathered to share, listen, pray, and act! Find out more here.
- Our friends at the Small Christian Communities Global Collaborative Website keep us informed on the latest developments with small Christian communities throughout the world. We're thankful to them for sharing some of their resources for our SCC initiative.
- Don't forget that our partnership with the National Center for the Laity is still ongoing—sign up today for a free one-year subscription to their excellent newsletter INITIATIVES here.
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Thank you as always to our friends, readers, and subscribers. If you are not yet a subscriber, please consider a monthly or annual subscription today. We also graciously accept donations to help fund our work. Blessings of the Easter season, and we hope to see you soon!
Peace,
The editors & board of TAC |
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