Transforming Parishes Through Communities of Practice

portrait of Jane E. Regan

Overview of the Presentation

In her  presentation “When Two or Three Are Gathered,” Jane E. Regan introduces us to the concepts of situated learning and communities of practice so that each person engaged in parish life can deepen one’s own faith while sharing it with others. Regan asks three questions:

1. How do we learn the really important things in life? As one response to that question, she introduces the notion of situated learning.

2. Where and when do adults gather in our parishes and faith communities?  She examines this question by helping us understand communities of practice in our lives.  Then she will point out that our faith communities can be viewed as a clusters of inter-related communities of practice.

3. How do we as persons and as parishes become ever more effective to the work of evangelization, which is our fundamental call as believers?  We do that by exploring the potential of communities of practice within our parishes.

Jane E. Regan is associate professor of theology and religious education

Using this Resourse

This resource is a guide to using an STM Online: Encore presentation as a conversation starter with members of a faith community.  Each part of the presentation may be used separately, in combinations with each other, or in a sequence over a period of time.  For example, a catechetical leader might use each part of the presentation over the course of a year at meetings with catechists.  A pastor may choose to use only one segment to encourage discussion on a related agenda item.  "Transforming the Parish" has broad application to community life.  Consider using one or more segments with a parish pastoral council, or with a hospitality or outreach committee.