Hundreds of people gathered at Our Lady of Grace church in Edina Feb. 7 — and close to 2,000 people in satellite sites set up specifically for Synod Evangelization Teams — as Archbishop Bernard Hebda’s pastoral letter “You Will be My Witnesses” began to take life with faith formation.
Parish-based evangelization teams of about 12 people are experiencing the School of Discipleship as a first step in their ministry. In addition, everyone in the archdiocese was invited to participate in the sessions at the hub of activity, Our Lady of Grace.
The goal is to form missionary disciples, who through daily prayer and action form their lives to follow Jesus and spread Christ’s love to others, often by simply accompanying people in their joy and celebration, pain and heartache.
Jeff Cavins, director emeritus of The St. Paul Seminary’s Archbishop Flynn Catechetical Institute in St. Paul, led the first of seven, weekly sessions in the School of Discipleship, an experience that is followed by a 40-Day Discipleship Challenge and a special day of inspiration and celebration with all participants that is set for May 20. Keynote speaker for the Activated Disciple retreat will be Mary Healy, professor of Sacred Scripture at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit.
In the months that follow the School of Discipleship, actions inspired by the pastoral letter will take still more shape with parishes forming small groups to demonstrate God’s work in the world through service, understanding the Mass and the Lord’s presence in the Eucharist, and welcoming others through invitation and evangelization.
