The Catholic Experience of Small Christian Communities
Lee (Loyola Univ., New Orleans), a Marianist priest and theologian, joins sociologist D'Antonio (Catholic Univ. of America) to detail a 1995-1997 study of the post-Vatican II phenomenon of small lay communities developing within the U.S. Catholic Church. More traditional groups, such as secular institutes and third orders, were not included in the project, which was conducted by researchers and theologians. This large census of small Christian communities (SCCs) found at least 37,000 groups with a strong parish connection. Types sampled were categorized as general SCCs, Hispanic/Latino, Charismatic, Call to Action, and Eucharist centered. The results show that the deep need for belonging and faith sharing are not met on the parish level alone and hark back to the household communities of the early church. This careful study may serve as a model for future ones monitoring the changing ways of faith living. It should be carefully considered by religious decision-makers. Recommended for religion and sociology collections.-Anna M. Donnelly, St. Johns Univ. Lib., New YorkCopyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.