A parish cell group has been running in the parish since Jan 2014 with ongoing support and spiritual leadership from Fr Austin and with guidance from the wider Parish Cell system of evangelisation. Currently we have 15 people involved in the parish Cell group and very strong bonds of friendship and support have developed among all of us as we pray, share and talk together. People who come to the meetings speak of enjoying the calmness and sense of belonging that comes from growing together in the love of God and of each other.
Month: January 2016
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Format of a Cell Meeting
The following is the highly recommended format for each cell meeting,
while it also emphasises the importance of confidentiality
20 minutes:
Prayer, song and scripture reflection.
Each cell meeting begins with people quietly becoming aware of the presence of God.
A few hymns or a spontaneous prayer greatly helps.
There follows a reading and reflection upon scripture.
20 mins:
a review of prayer and evangelistic experiences since previous meeting.
Those who wish briefly tell how they have seen the presence of God since they last met
and of how they may have shared faith with another.
10 mins:
a teaching on audio or videotape about some aspect of faith.
15-20 mins:
a discussion on the teaching, aimed at its understanding and application.
10-15 mins:
Intercessory and also healing prayer.
A brief time of fellowship ends the meeting
The Pontifical Council for the Laity has given final approval on the Parish Cells of Evangelization.
The Decree of recognition was delivered into the hands of Don Pi.Gi. Perini by Card. Rylko yesterday April 15, at the Pontifical Council for the Laity.
On September 5th a meeting of the Parish Cells of Evangelization (CPE) from all over the world will be held in Rome, in special audience with Pope Francis.
Great is the joy of Don PiGi. Perini and the cells scattered throughout the world for the final recognition that the Pontifical Council for the Laity, at the hands of its President, Card. Stanislaw Rylko, conferred on the Body of the International Service for the CPE.
The decree delivered to Don Pigi states: “It is fundamental for the Church to reinvigorate the missionary identity of the lay faithful and solicit pastors in the consciousness of its task of turning the parish into a community of ardent faith, where members are “agents of evangelization” and the parish is a “constant center of missionary outreach”.
Cells, in fact, are composed of lay faithful who, having experienced the love of God, wanting to share it with those who do not know him, so as to rediscover their mission of proclaiming the Gospel. The pastor, who starts or continues this pastoral methodology, discovers how to transform the community from a sleeping giant into the parish on fire, “burning with faith.”
The Church, therefore, with the final recognition not only confirms the acceptance of the method and the proposal, but also the promotion of the diffusion, hoping for it’s continuation and durability.
“After the recognition experimentally delivered in 2009, has at last been finalized,” said Don Pi.Gi.,
Chairman of the International Service for the CPE. “This stage is very important in the life of the cells and of the Church, because it guarantees that this is not the initiative of a priest, but a pastoral methodology that each pastor can make their own, in order to give to his parishioners the reality of their Baptism in a more authentic and profound way “
The recognition of the Pontifical Council for the Laity expresses, in fact, the Church’s desire to continue to see this method, confirming also the catholicity and pastoral validity of a proposal capable of deeply renewing the sense of mission in parish communities.
Happiness that never ends and that accompanies all the cells in the worl. The cells are
invited to meet Saturday, September 5th to 12th, in the presence of Pope Francis, in the Vatican.
After meeting with Don Pi.Gi. December 15th last year in a private audience, the Pope, then, extended a welcome to the cells in a particular audience. “Sharing Jesus with others in your work environment, study, among friends and family, in the neighborhood, in a word in your oikos”,
so don Pi.Gi. explains the sense of operating the cell, inviting those who are far from the faith and the Church, and that, through an experience of brotherly love and welcome, find the help to integrate into the parish community.
Recall that today there are many thousands of cells present in the five continents.
The system of CPE was introduced in Italy by Don Pi.Gi. in 1987, after his meeting with Msgr. Michael J
Eivers, in the parish of St. Boniface in Pembroke Pines, in the Archdiocese of Miami and from there soon
began to spread in different countries.
Since 1990, in Sant’ Eustorgio, an International Seminar on System Cells has been held and this year, May 28 to 31, will have its 26th edition.
Finally let us recall that the word “cell” refers to a small group of lay faithful, united in intimate communion with the pastor, founded on prayer and service, in constant multiplication. They meet once a week, The cell expresses a deep sense of fraternity, which opens in the first place to the personal relationships of its participants, with special attention to those who are far from faith.
Organismo Internazionale di Servizio per le Cellule Parrocchiali di Evangelizzazione Piazza Sant’Eustorgio, 1 – Milano Cellulare 347.1946718 – organismocellule@tiscali.it – www.cellule-evangelizzazione.org
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PURPOSES OF A CELL GROUP
- to grow in intimacy with the Lord.
“I have quieted and stilled my soul like a weaned child on its mother’s lap; like a contented child is my soul. Hope in the Lord, O Israel now and forever.” (Psalm 131) - to grow in love of one another.
“I give you a new commandment: love one another;
you must love one another just as I have loved you” (Jn 13:34) - to share Jesus with others.
“In the same way your light must shine in people’s sight, so that,
seeing your good works, they may give praise to your Father in heaven”(Mt 5:14-16) - to serve within the community.
“Each one of you has received a special grace, so, like good stewards responsible for all the varied graces of God, put it at the service of others”(1Pt 4:10) - to give and receive support.
“Rejoice with others when they rejoice, and be sad with those in sorrow“(Rm 12:15) - to raise up new leaders.
“Pass on to reliable people what you have heard from me through many witnesses, so that they in turn will be able to teach others”(2Tm 2:2) - to deepen our Christian/Catholic identity.
“May you be established in love, that you may obtain all the riches of a full understanding and know the mystery of God, Christ himself. For in Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col 2:2-3)