“Parish Powerhouse.”
That’s how Dominican Sister Eileen Ivory describes the 14 small Christian communities she coordinates in St. Aloysius Parish, Jackson.
Comprised largely of senior citizens, the members – 100 strong – meet, as is the case in small Christian communities nationwide, at least once a month in each other’s homes to share spiritual nourishment, soup and fellowship.
The camaraderie doesn’t stop there though, she notes.
Many share morning Mass Monday through Saturday in the huge, new church that’s become a landmark on the Jackson landscape. Then they meet up for breakfast at the Mug Rack, a popular restaurant where they are widely known as the AMBC – the After Mass Breakfast Club.
There, the conversation will focus on what’s doing at the parish and how they can put their formidable energies to whatever project is coming up next.
Look for them everywhere at the parish, at weekend liturgies and during the week.
From readers to greeters, to extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, to the choir, to ushers, they are on hand for Masses and other celebrations. They are also among the folks people turn to in times of bereavement by way of the consolation ministry. As members of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, they are at the ready to help in times of need.
“They are involved in so many facets of parish life,” said Sister Eileen, who facilitates two of the faith sharing groups and visits with the others as often as possible. “To the life of the parish,” she said, “they are a powerhouse.”
They exemplify the growing sense in parishes around the nation that there’s a real correlation between participation in faith sharing communities and other forms of outreach, Sister Eileen said.
“Faith sharing acts as a springboard for parish life,” she said.
Though they enjoy each other’s company regularly throughout the week, the last Friday of the month is special for the members of The Chosen, the name selected by members of one of the oldest faith sharing groups a decade or so back.
Sister Eileen says they take some ribbing for the name but from the sound of things at Don and Eileen Malter’s house on a recent Friday night, such ribbing only added to the sense of genial merriment.
“The Chosen” rotate among each other’s houses sharing meals of homemade soup, salad and bread. This night, the conversation was down right jovial even before grace as Jack and Doris Bennett, Dan and Pat Brennan, Dave and Gloria Dimech, Joan Dwyer, Marguerite Gilbertson and Theresa Sherman settled themselves in the Malter’s spacious dining room.
The congeniality may stem from the fact that they have all known each other for decades. Most are founding members of the parish and all are active in numerous activities and ministries at the parish of approximately 5,500 families.
“Our kids grew up together,” says Eileen Malter. “We’re all part of the after Mass breakfast club. We meet every morning, we say grace and share the peace.”
Like many who belong to small Christian communities at St. Aloysius, the Chosen have formed fast friendships and act as a support network for each other when times are tough. They share holidays – Fourth of July at the Bennett’s is an annual main event – and day trips.
Though extremely active in the daily life of the parish, they all regard the faith sharing group as a lynchpin.
“Faith sharing groups make you more aware of who you are supposed to be as Christians,” said Gloria Dimech.
They take great inspiration from the books they read and reflect on in the discussion sessions that follow the simple suppers.
Very popular right now among the faith sharing groups of St. Aloysius, Sister Eileen said, is Sister Melanie Svoboda’s “Traits of a Healthy Spirituality,” which defines and describes 20 specific indicators of a healthy spirituality including selfesteem, wonder, joy, friendship, courage and tolerance. The members of “The Chosen” say they enjoy the trust that has evolved over the years in the faith sharing communities which enables them to be, as Don Malter put it, “very open” in the discussion periods. “We accept one another’s opinions,” seconded Theresa Sherman with a wide smile.
Jack Bennett said that the framework of the group has contributed greatly to the overall quality of his life. He and his wife, Doris, enjoy the fact that it is part and parcel of who they are as Catholics.
“It’s a matter of trusting, not judging,” he said.
Sister Eileen calls Marilyn O’Boyle the cornerstone of the faith sharing communities and describes her as “the one who draws people together.” It is O’Boyle who organizes the big, annual spring communion breakfast attended by members of all 14 faith sharing groups who, in addition to The Chosen, go by such names as “Agape,” “Holy Family,” “St. Ann’s,” “Amazing Graces” and “Our Lady of Fatima.”
This year, the communion breakfast is set for June 12 at the parish, O’Boyle said over eggs and coffee at an AMBC gathering on a recent Friday morning.
She noted the ongoing sense of communion that unites the body of faith sharing group members. “The breakfast group is the base,” she said. “We spread out from there. Each group does whatever they want as far as reading goes but we bring our ministries to the table and that’s the best part of it.”
