This document summarizes Jonathan F. Sullivan's presentation on Christian community. It discusses how the Holy Trinity exemplifies community as three persons in one God, united in perfect love. It provides quotes on how all people form one community and how the Christian community supports catechumens. It also addresses the domestic church, with families modeling Christ's union with the Church and educating children. The document then discusses parishes as places where disciples come together to worship, grow, and serve others. It concludes by addressing affirmative orthodoxy and presenting the Christian faith in a positive light.

4. JONATHAN F. SULLIVAN
Director of
Catechetical
Services, Diocese of
Springfield in Illinois
Originally from
Kansas City
Married, 6 (+1)
children
 www.JonathanFSullivan.com

5. Who are you?

6. A FEW REMINDERS…
This series will not
just be “information
deliver y”
More personal,
reflective
Opportunities to
respond – so please
participate!

7. OVERVIEW
10/13: Jesus
10/20: Scripture & Tradition
10/27: Christian Community
11/3: Liturgy & Prayer
11/10: Vocation & Mission

9. WHAT IS A COMMUNITY?

10. HOLY TRINITY EXEMPLIFIES COMMUNITY
3 Persons
1 God
United in perfect
love

11. “All men form but one community. This is so because
all stem from the one stock which God create to
people the entire ear th, and also because all share a
common destiny, namely God. His providence, evident
goodness, and saving designs extend to all men
against the day when the elect are gathered together
in the holy city which is illumined by the glory of
God…”
Notra Aetate (Declaration on the Relation of the Church to
Non-Christian Rel igions), no. 1

12. “As they become familiar with the Christian way of life
and are helped by the example and support of
sponsors, godparents, and the entire Christian
community, the catechumens learn to turn more
readily to God in prayer, to bear witness to the faith, in
all things to keep their hopes set on Christ, to follow
supernatural inspiration in the deeds, and to practice
love for neighbor, even at the cost of self -
renunciation.”
Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), no. 75

14. Who showed you
what it means to
be a Christian by
their practice of
the faith?

15. THE DOMESTIC CHURCH

16. “The Christian family
constitutes a specific
revelation and realization
of ecclesial communion,
and for this reason too it
can and should be called
‘the domestic Church.’"
(Familiaris Consor tio, no. 21)

17. MATRIMONY MODELS CHRIST’S UNION
WITH THE CHURCH
“In the union of husband and wife
you give a sign of Christ’s loving gift of grace,
so that the Sacrament we celebrate
might draw us back more deeply
into the wondrous design of your love.”
Preface,
Mass for the Celebration of Marriage

18. EDUCATION OF CHILDREN
More than
“schooling”
Formation of the
whole person
Practice of the
Virtues
Learning
reconciliation

19. How has your
family helped you
grow in faith?
How have they
been a “domestic
Church” in your
life?

20. THE PARISH
COMMUNITY

21. “The parish is the presence of the Church in a given
territor y, an environment for hearing God’s word, for
growth in the Christian life, for dialogue, proclamation,
charitable outreach, worship and celebration. In all its
activities the parish encourages and trains its
members to be evangelizers. It is a community of
communities, a sanctuary where the thirsty come to
drink in the midst of their journey, and a centre of
constant missionary outreach.”
Pope Francis
Evangelii Gaudium, no. 28

22. PUT ANOTHER WAY…
Proclaim God’s Word
Grow Disciples
Perform the Corporal and Spiritual
Works of Mercy
Pray Together
Worship

23. Parishes are places
where disciples of
Jesus Christ come
together to do the
things disciples do.

24. Parishes are places
where disciples of
Jesus Christ come
together to do the
things disciples do.
Communion of the Apostles
Bl. Fra Angelico

26. “We must recognize that if part of our baptized people
lack a sense of belonging to the Church, this is also
due to cer tain structures and the occasionally
unwelcoming atmosphere of some of our parishes and
communities, or to a bureaucratic way of dealing with
problems. In many places an administrative approach
prevails over a pastoral approach, as does a
concentration on administering the sacraments apart
from other forms of evangelization.”
Pope Francis
Evangelii Gaudium, no. 63

27. Landscape with the Parable of the Sower
Pieter Brueghel the Elder

28. Is your parish a
place where
“disciples come
together?” If so,
how? If not, what
could be done to
make it such a
place?

29. CHRISTIANS AND THE
CULTURE

31. AFFIRMATIVE ORTHODOXY
Term coined by John
Allen in 2008
 “[A] tenacious
defense of the core
elements of classic
Catholic doctrine,
but presented in a
relentlessly positive
key.” Image by arimorre / FlickrCC

32. AFFIRMATIVE ORTHODOXY
“Christianity, Catholicism,
isn’t a collection of
prohibitions: it’s a
positive option. It’s ver y
important that we look at
it again because this idea
has almost completely
disappeared today. We’ve
heard so much about
what is not allowed that
now it’s time to say: we
have a positive idea to
of fer.”
Pope Benedict XVI , 2006

33. AFFIRMATIVE ORTHODOXY
Not about soft-peddling
“difficult
teachings”
Emphasis on the
positive, affirmation
Joy as charism of
New Evangelization

34. Who do you know
that is an
example of a
joyful Christian?
How can you live
this type of faith
publicly?

35. Q&A

36. Video and
sl ides
avai lable
tomorrow
at
bit.ly/BetterDisciple