"Ecclesial
Basic Communities"
As a Force for Evangelization
51. A
rapidly growing phenomenon in the young churches - one sometimes fostered by
the bishops and their Conferences as a pastoral priority - is that of
"ecclesial basic communities" (also known by other names) which are
proving to be good centers for Christian formation and missionary outreach.
These are groups of Christians who, at the level of the family or in a
similarly restricted setting, come together for prayer, Scripture reading,
catechesis, and discussion on human and ecclesial problems with a view to a common
commitment. These communities are a sign of vitality within the Church, an
instrument of formation and evangelization, and a solid starting point for a
new society based on a "civilization of love."
These communities
decentralize and organize the parish community, to which they always remain
united. They take root in less privileged and rural areas, and become a leaven
of Christian life, of care for the poor and neglected, and of commitment to the
transformation of society. Within them, the individual Christian experiences
community and therefore senses that he or she is playing an active role and is
encouraged to share in the common task. Thus, these communities become a means
of evangelization and of the initial proclamation of the Gospel, and a source of
new ministries. At the same time, by being imbued with Christ's love, they also
show how divisions, tribalism and racism can be overcome.
Every community, if it is
to be Christian, must be founded on Christ and live in him, as it listens to
the word of God, focuses its prayer on the Eucharist, lives in a communion
marked by oneness of heart and soul, and shares according to the needs of its
members (cf. Acts 2:42-47). As Pope Paul
VI recalled, every community must live in union with the particular and the
universal Church, in heartfelt communion with the Church's pastors and the
Magisterium, with a commitment to missionary outreach and without yielding to
isolationism or ideological exploitation.83 And the Synod of Bishops
stated: "Because the Church is communion, the new 'basic communities,' if
they truly live in unity with the Church, are a true expression of communion
and a means for the construction of a more profound communion. They are thus
cause for great hope for the life of the Church."84
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