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Components of a Small Group

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Components of a Small Group

Discerning the Need for a Small Group

All parishes have small groups, but not all people in a parish are a part of a small group. Some parishes have small groups that consist mostly of what we would call “cliques.” Some parishes are ruled by tribalism or cults of personality. They are informal small groups whose purpose is unclear, consisting of people with insider information and there is no easy way to join the small group.

In other parishes small groups are formed through Bible studies, altar guilds, the Knights of Columbus, Legion of Mary, St. Paul Street Evangelization Teams, PTO groups, parish councils, parish commissions, religious education classes, men’s groups, women’s groups, RCIA, and so forth. These groups are organized by a particular vision or charism to carry out a particular task. All of them are necessary in order to carry out those tasks. However, few of them are created to intentionally fulfill a person’s need for companionship, spiritual growth, and friendship.

Seeker Small Groups exist for the good of the participants. Small group team leaders and members are open to new friendships with anyone who joins the group. These can be non-Catholics, non-Christians, or even those who attend Mass at the parish but do not have a solid knowledge of the basics of the faith. Eventually, new small groups should split from the seeker small group into a discipleship group, or into another parish group that will help them come into a full relationship with the Church, such as RCIA.

Every parish needs shallow entry points into the Church. The path for a new disciple today is to be evangelized and catechized outside of the structures of the local parish, often through an informal friendship with a parishioner, and then to be introduced to RCIA as someone who has already been formed, into the life the parish. Seeker small groups are unique in bringing that process into the parish, starting right from the beginning of who God is and why He made us. This structure will help to complete the bridge from the local community to lifelong discipleship within the arms of the Church.

Communicating with the Local Parish

When you first approach your parish about starting a small group, the staff may not respond positively. Pastors and parish staff are busy and they are all working on implementing or maintaining a vision for the parish through a variety of departments that work together. The mission of the parish is usually centered on worship, facilities, and education. Parish budgets are prioritized accordingly. If evangelization is a stated part of the mission of the parish, getting a pastor and his staff to come on board with a small group will be easier. You may have to answer questions about how a small group is different than RCIA, a Catholic Bible study, or a weekly series of catechetical videos.

The key in communicating with your pastor is to first show him how you already support the parish and then show him that you do not want to add any more work to his already heavy load of obligations. You only want his blessing for you to start a small group with your St. Paul Street Evangelization team. You are inviting people to consider joining the parish and this group is meant to be a first step for people who want to learn more. Potential participants will know the faces of some of your team members from being evangelized on the street, so it makes sense for your team to be part of the link to the parish. You are not trying to isolate your group from the life of the parish, but rather are creating a bridge into the fuller life of the parish. Clarify that you will also be looking for help and involvement from interested parishioners. You are not trying to usurp the valuable programs that are already in place, but complement them by adding one more option to evangelize the community.

As you start your new group you can communicate that you will handle advertising, you will answer any questions that the parish council has, and you will organize all the necessary logistics. Father himself is of course always a welcome presence at meetings, but you don’t expect him to be at each one.

Asking for Funding

We have created Seeker Small Groups to be very inexpensive, but you may want to go to the parish to ask for some funding. The wisest approach is to tell Father in your initial meeting that you are tithing to the best of your ability and you are going to continue giving to the parish at large. In addition, you will be taking on this new endeavor which has some small costs associated with it. Explain that you want to be able to provide copies of materials, food, and some small Catholic items for people to take.

Explain how much this is going to cost for an entire year and how much your team is willing to personally invest (the number should be higher than zero). Then ask him how much the parish can invest. It should be an easy sell to let you make copies on the parish copier. Nearly every parish has a hospitality budget where you may be able to get some funding for food.

Along with food and copies of the small group material, we recommend building a library for your team members to draw from and lend to participants as they see a need.

Catholic Small Group Library Suggestions

To give away

  • SPSE Pamphlet Variety Pack
  • Miraculous Medals
  • St. Benedict Crucifixes
  • Copies of the SPSE Gospel of Luke or the Bible.
  • Copies of Curtis Martin’s “Made for More” for serious inquirers
  • Copies of the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church

Small Lending Library

Books

  • Several Catholic Bibles (RSV-CE, Didache Study Bibles recommended)
  • The Baltimore Catechism #2
  • Catholicism by Bishop Robert Barron
  • Bible Basics for Catholics by John Bergsma
  • What’s Wrong with the World by G.K. Chesterton
  • Man’s Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl
  • Something Other Than God by Jennifer Fulweiler
  • Hail Holy Queen by Scott Hahn
  • The Lamb’s Supper by Scott Hahn
  • Rome Sweet Home by Scott Hahn
  • Theology of Prayer by Fr. John Hardon
  • Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
  • Seven Big Myths about the Catholic Church by Christopher Kaczor
  • Handbook of Christian Apologetics by Peter Kreeft
  • Prayer for Beginners by Peter Kreeft
  • The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
  • Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
  • The Abby by James Martin
  • My Life with Saints by James Martin
  • Ten Dates Every Catholic Should Know by Diane Moczar
  • Holy Sex by Greg Popcak
  • Upon This Rock by Steve Ray
  • An Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales
  • Compact History of the Catholic Church by Alan Schreck
  • A Map of Life by Frank Sheed
  • Life of Christ by Fulton Sheen
  • The Story of a Soul by Therese of Lisieux
  • The Lord of the Rings by J.R. Tolkien
  • A Severe Mercy by Sheldon Vanauken

Movies that speak deeply of truth or faith

  • 180 Movie
  • A Man for All Seasons
  • Andrei Rublev
  • Argo (Rated R for language)
  • Au Revoir Les Enfants
  • Becket
  • Bella
  • Ben Hur
  • The Blind Side
  • The Bourne Identity
  • Chariots of Fire
  • The Chronicles of Narnia
  • Convinced
  • The Count of Monte Cristo (2002)
  • The Dark Knight
  • Faustina
  • The Flowers of St. Francis
  • Gravity
  • The Greatest Story Ever Told
  • Into Great Silence
  • Seventh Seal
  • On the Waterfront
  • Jesus of Nazareth
  • Juno
  • The Kid with a Bike
  • Les Miserables
  • Life is Beautiful
  • The Lord of the Rings
  • Miracle of St. Therese
  • The Mission
  • Molokai
  • The Night of the Hunter
  • Noah (2014)
  • Of God’s and Men
  • The Passion of Joan of Arc
  • Pride & Prejudice
  • The Princess Bride
  • Robin Hood (1922)
  • The Scarlet and the Black
  • Schindler’s List
  • Secretariat
  • Sophie Scholl (2005)
  • Soul Surfer
  • The Sound of Music
  • Star Wars (Episode IV-VI)
  • The Ten Commandments
  • True Grit (2010)
  • The Way (2011)
  • Wild Strawberries (1957)
  • The Wizard of Oz (1939)