The Church in the 21st Century Center at Boston College has announced a new program for Catholics interested in connecting with one another for a powerful faith conversation over a shared meal or just a cup of coffee.
C21’s Faith Feeds is a newly launched initiative that brings together small groups of Catholics in parishes to enjoy fellowship through a shared reading and discussion. The Faith Feeds Guide provides step-by-step instructions for the host on how to put together the gathering, which typically has eight to 10 people and includes a potluck meal or simply coffee. The guide, which can be downloaded from the C21 website, provides a collection of essays for participants to read that form the touchstone for conversation.
Church in the 21st Century Center Director Karen Kiefer (Gary Wayne Gilbert)
The guide also includes questions the host can use to facilitate discussion. The essays are selected articles from the center’s magazine, C21 Resources. The current Faith Feeds Guide feature essays on the themes of friendship, the Eucharist, and family. Future guides will include essays with themes such as sacraments, handing on the faith, intimacy, and the Catholic Intellectual Tradition.
While each Faith Feeds session meets only for an hour or two, participants can opt to participate in other Faith Feeds conversations or host one of their own.
“We crave opportunities to meet fellow Catholics and share our faith in community and through conversation,” said C21 Director Karen Kiefer. “This model offers that and more, especially for those who can’t make a longer commitment, and it is parishioner led.
“It is a simple format that provides a powerful return. People find strength and solidarity in gathering together. We are hoping that, in the future, Catholics across the country will host Faith Feeds in parishes, classrooms, dormitories, retreat centers, homes, and in other places where having a faith conversation is as easy as setting a table.”
—Kathleen Sullivan | University Communications | May 2019