Renew connects prayer to action

Advice from Renew 2000 leaders to members of small faith-sharing groups might be: "Take it on the road."

When the groups begin meeting for Renew's first season this fall, they will share not just prayer and Scripture, but also ideas from diocesan Catholic Charities, and the Peace and Justice Commission on how they can put their faith into action.

"The whole idea of small faith communities is that it changes us. It's a conversion," explained Kathy Menard, diocesan Renew 2000 coordinator. "We carry away a deeper commitment to the Christian path."

That path should include such activities as writing one's legislators, joining the diocesan Public Policy Network, and praying for pregnant teens and their children.

All of the action ideas proposed for the first six-week semester of Renew focus on the needs of children, Dr. Menard said. Since the season's topic is "God: A Community of Love," she said, children seemed a natural choice to highlight.

The action ideas are intentionally diverse, ranging from praying the Rosary to instigating boycotts against sweatshops. Dr. Menard and the diocesan offices that authored the one-page list believe that a variety of choices gives everyone who participates in Renew 2000 the chance to live their faith, regardless of their abilities.

Each parish participating in Renew will receive a copy of the ideas to distribute to its faith-sharing groups. Dr. Menard said that future semesters of Renew may see action ideas from other sources and even more diversity in the suggestions.

The bottom line, she said, is that members of Renew groups should "have the prayer you do make you become more of a disciple."

(For information on Renew 2000, call your parish or the diocesan Renew office at 453-6646.)

(08-27-98) [[In-content Ad]]