In recent years the Church has witnessed a renewed appreciation for the values and vitality that small Christian communities often bring to parish life. In the U.S., many of our parishes are quite large and, consequently, may exhibit anonymity more than community. In such settings, it is often difficult for effective evangelization to take place. A possible solution is to restructure the parish as a community of communities . In such a vision and structure, Catholics gather in small groups determined by neighborhood, family, needs, interests, or a common ministry in order to pray, read Scripture and share.
Authentic community is vital to effective evangelization.
It nurtures believers. If Catholics experience community on a smaller scale, they may form and experience more of a community when they gather for parish liturgies on the weekends. One way of renewing parishes, especially urgent for parishes in large cities, might be to consider the parish as a community of communities and movements. It seems timely therefore to form ecclesial communities and groups of a size that allows for true human relationships. This will make it possible to live communion more intensely, ensuring that it is fostered not only ad intra, but also with the parish communities to which such groups belong and with the entire diocesan and universal church.