An invitation from Monsignor...
There is an urgent need in our society to claim with confidence a clear identity. It is the sign of a settled spirit. It is a witness which inspires others.

Discipleship is rooted in relationship — a living, breathing relationship with Jesus Christ.

Consider a day in your life — the ebb and flow — the successes and failures. ..the frustrations and fulfillments...opportunities to speak the good word...patience and forgiveness...moments to extend healing and encouragement...called by name, you have gifts to give.

By your words, your actions, your understanding of events, are you aware of God's presence? Did anyone ever tell you that you are a disciple of Jesus Christ? How easy is it to notice?

For disciples, everything is a prayer, lifting our awareness of God's presence.

Let us walk in prayer.

Msgr. Clement J. Connolly

Disciples in Mission
Disciples in Mission is a faith-sharing experience that encourages us to live our Catholic faith more fully in everyday life, as Jesus called us to do. The program centers around the formation of small groups that meet weekly for about an hour and a half during Lent to reflect on the readings from Sunday Mass. There are adult groups and teen groups. Families can also participate as a group in their own home. Each group decides when and where it will meet, depending on what suits the participants. There is definitely something for everyone.

Living with Christ Retreat
Living with Christ: A Disciple's Journey is a three-day retreat. We gather Thursday and Friday, 6:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. and Saturday, 8:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Dinners on Thursday and Friday, and breakfast on Saturday are all a part of this enriching retreat program. Some of the topics covered include:

• Our journey of faith with Christ
• Dying in Christ
• Healing and reconciliation
• Living with Christ
• A plan for living as a disciple of Christ

The retreat is limited to 40 people and offered five times a year. There is a $30 fee to help cover the cost of the reteat. If finances are an issue, please contact us and we can make special arrangements.

Contact
Dawn Ponnet
Director of Faith Formation
(626) 403-6128
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Ongoing Events
Discipleship Sunday, the third Sunday of every month, is devoted to promoting the awareness of discipleship at each Mass. The discipleship prayer is prayed and the concept is woven through the liturgies.

What is Discipleship?
Discipleship is "A Way of Life," a lifetime commitment to Jesus Christ, begun at baptism. Discipleship continues throughout life whenever one embraces the teachings, values and lifestyle of Jesus.

Weekly Discipleship Prayers and Reflections
Our weekly Gospel reflections are a great way to gather with your family, or your family of friends and discuss the Gospel. The Disciple's Reflection Question of the Week is an insert in the Sunday Bulletin and can be found on the website. How does a learner of any age meet Christ? First and foremost, by sharing faith with others. Nothing can replace faith-sharing as a means to help others meet Christ. Using this tool, people can gather and pray over the Gospel, talk about the themes found in the Gospel and share faith with others. By reflecting once again on the Gospel we heard at Mass, we allow it to enter more deeply into our inner life and soul.

History
At a retreat in 2005, the Pastoral Council was inspired by Monsignor Connolly's talk on discipleship. The Council thoughtfully considered the concept of discipleship and looked at ways to make it integral to the parish.

In 2006 a discipleship lay leadership team was formed. The team identified Disciples in Mission, a three-year discipleship program from the Paulist National Catholic Evangelization Association, as the appropriate vehicle. The program is based on Go and Make Disciples: A National Plan and Strategy for Catholic Evangelization in the United States, a historic statement on discipleship by the National Conference of Catholic Bishops which is grounded in the Gospel teachings (Matt 28:19-20;Luke 12:49) and the writings of Pope Paul VI and Pope John Paul II.

In fall 2006, the third Sunday of the month was designated as Discipleship Sunday with the use of a Disciple's Prayer, a Discipleship Bookmark, bulletin inserts and homiletic reflections.

Pre-Lenten Disciples in Mission activities included a speaker series, pulpit testimonials, Discipleship 101 and Sign-Up Sunday for the Lenten Small Faith-Sharing Groups. Approximately 300+ individuals met in 30 groups six times during Lent to share their faith. Sixty-five families also participated at home using a family activity booklet. The culmination was Parish Reflection Day on April 21, 2007, with approximately 80 participants.

The document, Parish Evangelizing Profile, 2007-2008, captures dialogue directly from the notes of the Parish Reflection Day. Compiled by the Disciples in Mission Leadership Team, the Profile is intended to stimulate thinking and action as we seek to walk in the footsteps of Jesus as Disciples of Christ.

For more in-depth information and the goals of Disciples in Mission, see Parish Evangelizing Profile, 2007-2008.