In the midst of the Christmas season, some Catholics already are looking ahead to Lent.
Among them are Deacon Joe Michalak, director of the Office of Synod Evangelization for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, and Gizzy Miko, Synod Small Groups facilitator. The two are helping roll out the next phase of the Archdiocesan Synod, which involves forming small groups in every parish.
Deacon Michalak and Miko talked about Synod Small Groups with host Patrick Conley on the “Practicing Catholic” radio show that debuts at 9 p.m. Dec. 29 on Relevant Radio 1330 AM. They said small groups will be organized around prayer, faith formation and evangelization through a movement called the Parish Evangelization Cells System (PECS). Small groups are set to launch on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 14.
“It goes all the way back to the archbishop’s pastoral letter: ‘You will be my Witnesses,’ which he issued — it’s hard to believe — over a year ago on the feast of Christ the King,” Deacon Michalak said of the Synod progressing from the letter to forming parish-based small groups.
First, parishes selected 12 people to be Synod disciples, added more in later months and everyone engaged with a seven-week formation program in the PECS system led by Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Williams.
Continuing the momentum, parishes will soon hold an invitation weekend that includes a video featuring Archbishop Bernard Hebda, who will invite people to join Synod Small Groups in their parish. Already, Miko said, she is fielding questions from people who want to know more about the groups and how they fit into parish life overall.
“People are asking, ‘What happens to the groups that are already existing in my parish?’” she said. “Are these PECS small groups replacing what we already have at the parish?’”
The answer is no. Rather, the small groups are meant to enhance existing groups and potentially allow people already in small groups to “glean something useful” from the PECS groups that they can use in their groups, Miko said.
The hope for the PECS small groups, Miko said, is that one day every parishioner will belong to one, and that they will grow to the point of drawing in people from outside the parish, whether it be family members, friends, neighbors or people at sporting events or other activities.
“That’s one of the beauties of this particular model of small group — (it can serve) as a tool for … relational evangelization,” Deacon Michalak said. “It’s inviting others simply to come and meet our Lord Jesus through relationships.”
To hear more about forming small groups in parishes, listen to the full episode of “Practicing Catholic,” which also repeats at 1 p.m. Dec. 30 and 2 p.m. Dec. 31.
Produced by Relevant Radio and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, the latest “Practicing Catholic” show also includes Archbishop Bernard Hebda, who talks about the feast of the Holy Family; and Father Michael Van Sloun, who talks about the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God.
Listen to interviews after they have aired at PracticingCatholicShow.com or choose a streaming platform at Spotify for Podcasters.
