 |
Forming Small Christian Communities Helping to form Small Christian Communities is one of hundreds of ways in which Medical Mission Sisters around the world try to be a healing presence to those in need today. In Pune, India, Sister Antoinette de Sa has been involved for many years in the formation of Small Christian Communities (SCCs). She explains, “In 1991, the Western Region Council of Bishops in India made a decision to form and promote SCCs in all parishes.” This decision was reaffirmed in 1995, when Sister Antoinette and several laypersons were invited by the Bishop of Pune to participate in the Council. “We believe that the new way of living and being church is the only way for the church to be relevant and to manifest our strong belief that the church is the people of God – clergy, religious and laity,” Sister Antoinette says. “Our Bishop, Valerian D’Souza, has strongly supported this movement and made it a priority in this diocese. So we, the Pune diocesan team, went on to develop plans and programs for spreading awareness and motivation, and for implementation in stages in each of the parishes of the diocese.”
St. Anne’s Parish, where Sister now serves, has 18 areas with a total of 2,128 members. The 18 areas formed SCCs of 15 to 20 families each. “The SCCs are now taking responsibility to be a participating church,” she shares. Her team conducts programs and seminars on such topics as:
“One of the big barriers in our parish is that we are Tamilians and Goans – different cultures. Both communities can be in the same SCC due to location,” Sister Antoinette explains. “We believe that culture is dynamic and changes with time. Jesus related with and mingled with Samaritans, Jews and people of other cultures without compromising basic values or offending anyone…He made everything beautiful and life-giving.”
home
|
|
|
||||||||
