Episode 3: Communio and Community
Beth and Fr. Steve discuss “communio,” the deep, spiritual community that comes with being Catholic, and how ministers can create a culture of communio in our parishes.
Show Notes
Beth and Fr. Steve discuss “communio,” the deep, spiritual community that comes with being Catholic, and how ministers can create a culture of communio in our parishes.
Show notes:
(1:52) After some quick catching up, Fr. Steve and Beth share how their Lents went, how successful their resolutions were, and what they’re reading lately.
(6:58) Fr. Steve introduces this episode’s topic: community. Specifically, he addresses the supernatural kind of community, or “communio” that we experience in the Church that you can’t get from a book club or a travel club.
(8:28) Beth and Fr. Steve share their experiences of what quarantining during the early pandemic was like — Beth home with her family, and Fr. Steve living at the seminary. They discuss how humanity is meant to be shared and how community is crucial for our happiness.
(15:19) They talk about returning to Mass, the graces it brings, and what worked and didn’t work during the process. Beth gives an example of a young mothers group at her parish where she experienced a great formation of Christian community. Fr. Steve reflects on the community he shares with the priests with whom he was ordained, and how God moves through that community to call us to be generous with each other.
(22:15) Beth and Fr. Steve give examples of times that community through the Church has fallen short and how we can learn from them. They also discuss the importance of community-building events, like a coffee and donut hour with the right mindset, or gathering a group of men to accomplish a communal task.
(30:38) Fr. Steve suggests practical criteria he would set for creating genuine Catholic community. He talks about the importance of being committed to the same goal of holiness and willingness to be vulnerable. He also outlines three steps to building community for oneself.
(34:34) Beth shares her insight on how we can apply this as ministers, using the example of how hospitable grocery stores are and how we can improve in that area in our churches. She and Fr. Steve discuss why churches may not seem entirely welcoming at times, and what to do to fix that.
(41:48) Fr. Steve and Beth answer questions about community, like how ministers themselves can build friendships and how to adapt to a culture of community in our parishes.
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