SMALL CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY
kolkatabcc@gmail.com
Basic Ecclesial Communities [BEC] / Small Christian Communities [SCC] in Calcutta Archdiocese
HISTORY
The Origin of Basic Christian Community-BCC/SCCs (Small Christian Community) leads us back to JESUS himself who invited his disciples into community, where they were formed HIS way of discipleship, initiated and established the first Small Faith Community with the Twelve with whom he lived, shared and imparted to them the essence of a true Church and the Mission. At the Pentecost the disciples with their strong desire to live and share deep fellowship and communion, set forth under the influence and guidance of the HOLY SPIRIT to assemble in the Houses daily. They experienced the LORD’s presence through their listening to the Word of GOD, the Apostles breaking the bread in the community with common Prayers, fellowship and Sharing. (Acts2:42-47,4:32-37. These daily gatherings at homes became powerful little Domestic Churches capable of evangelizing the Neighbourhood Families and the World around them.
PAPAL RECOGNITION and APPRECIATION to SCCs
Pope Paul VI was the first pope to recognize the presence of SCCs in the Church and to speak in appreciation of their contribution to the betterment of the Church. In his Apostolic Exhortation “EvangeliiNuntiandi” refers SCCs sprouting the need to live the Church’s Life more intensely, the desire and quest for a more humane dimensionas such larger ecclesial communities can offer especially in the big modern cities which lends themselves both to life in the mass and to anonymity(58). According to him such communities can quite simply be in their own way an extension on the Spiritual and religious level-Worship, deepening of Faith, Fraternal Charity, Prayer, contact with Priest-Pastors of the small sociology community such as the Neighbourhood etc.(EN58). He also highlights the importance of mediating and sharing the Word of GOD, celebrating the Sacraments and the bond of the agape that is built in the process among the members. And finally calling the SCCs as the “nurseries of Evangelization” he declares that they provide Hope for the Universal Church (cf EN58)
John Paul II has also spoken encouragingly of the SCCs especially in his Encyclical "RedemptorisMissio". According to him, these "Ecclesial Basic Communities" are "good centres for Christian formation and missionary outreach" (RM 51). He held that "these communities are a sign of vitality within the Church, an instrument of formation and evangelization and a solid starting for a new society based on a “civilization of love" (RM 51). He appreciated the specific focus of SCCs among the less privileged: "They take root in less privileged and rural areas, and become a leaven of Christian life, of care of the poor and neglected, and of commitment to the transformation of society" (RM 51).
Introduction:- The establishment of vibrant BEC in every parish as the New Way of Being. To create in the Archdiocese of Calcutta a Communion of Communities wherein the Laity, Religious and Priests, live as sisters and brothers in and out of the church sustaining deeper faith in GOD among all people to proclaim the love of Christ.
Every individual’s mission/journey as a baptized person, originates from the family whether associated with Youth formation, Education, Health, Social Justice etc, it is for the whole common good of the people.
The Small Christian Community is a Communion of Communities of neighbourhood families, based on the very vision of the Apostolic Basic Christian Communities set forth to establish the Kingdom of God under the Lord’s supervision while he walked on this earth for 40 days after HIS Resurrection.
Small Christian Communities based on the Word of God follows the mission of Basic Christian Communities transforming itself to Basic Ecclesial Communities where the Ecclesial (Priest Religious and Lay) walking together conforming to the teachings of the Mother Church walking together (Synodal Church) in Communion, Participation and Mission with the guidance and discernment of the Holy Spirit through the Gospel Sharing. Starting with the Families following the Commandment of the Lord:
You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbour as yourself.” Luke 10:27 of the neighbourhood conforming to the Word of God and Four Marks of the Church. ONE HOLY CATHOLIC AND APOSTOLIC CHURCH is possible by invigorating suitable Animators at the Parish level to proclaim and make the Word of God the center of the lives in every family. Be the salt and light so that being doers of the good works Glorifying GOD.
At the national celebration of "Yesu Krist Jayanti 2000" where the Bishops, the Priests, the Religious and lay Representatives gathered in Bangalore to mark the occasion of the 2000th birth anniversary of Our Lord Jesus, made a historic vision statement for the Church in India. Community cares for Community.
By Fr. Dominic Gomes VG.= The Basic Ecclesial Communities (BEC, earlier known as SCC), following the synodal pathways enables the Church to be united in the midst of diversities, by forming and empowering the laity. The BEC is central in the pastoral structure and ministry of the Church. This is being proved in history going back to 1950s in Latin America, 1966 Tanzania in Africa, 1970s Philippines in Asia and late 1980s in India. BECs, as grass-roots units, are groups of believers who share common interests, values, objectives, and view themselves as ecclesial entities. Through the BEC, the Church renews, re-establishes and strengthens the Neighbourhood Church (unit of Family of Believers) by empowering the Domestic Church (every Family of Believers as BEC members).
Today our families, rich and poor, are just about holding up or breaking down under stresses and strains of a variety of concerns. The importance and relevance of BEC today can be understood in this context. In the context of stressful environment of sustenance that the Archdiocese of Calcutta had formed 12 Pastoral Commissions to address specific spiritual and temporal concerns – BEC being one of them. Every one of these Commissions has a worthy vision, mission and lines of action plans on which they are working. However, it is the BEC that is somewhat unique by the virtue of its mandate to engage with families in and where they live and work – in the community.
BEC is about working together, within and outside the family – both young and old – as the Body of Christ. It is about living in the Joy of the Gospel. It is not about individual efforts and achievements but about communion of communities with the WORD OF GOD at the centre of the lives of every family. It is about sharing and breaking of the Word in our own homes in an atmosphere of spiritual fellowship and mutual support. It is about service to neighbours not just merely as a social action but inspired by the shared LIVING WORD OF GOD and rooted in the LOVE OF GOD that is the true meaning of Charity.
Inspired and energized by the BEC National Hindi Convention in Kolkata in November 2019 the BEC Commission re-pledged and re-formed its strengthening and growth activities by a series of planned workshops to multiply the numbers and the quality of trained animators. Forming and strengthening of Diocesan Resource & Service Teams, Zone and Parish Coordinators Teams has been more active since then. Even the Covid Pandemic did not hamper the progress as BEC took to online Gospel Sharing and Coordination meetings as well as venturing out to help others in need of medical, food and other emergency support.
It is about livings our lives in a Synodal Way – laity, priests and religious journeying together in solidarity with other parish action groups addressing various concerns to serve the Common Good and establish the Kingdom of God here on this planet, our only home. As our Saint Mother Teresa taught us, “I can do things you cannot and you can do things I cannot, but together (as the Body of Christ) we can do great things”. In other words – in your joys and your sorrows BEC will be there for you because you are there for others.
Every individual’s mission/journey as a baptized person, originates from the family whether associated with Youth formation, Education, Health, Social Justice etc, it is for the whole common good of the people.
The Small Christian Community is a Communion of Communities of neighbourhood families, based on the very vision of the Apostolic Basic Christian Communities set forth to establish the Kingdom of God under the Lord’s supervision while he walked on this earth for 40 days after HIS Resurrection.
Small Christian Communities based on the Word of God follows the mission of Basic Christian Communities transforming itself to Basic Ecclesial Communities where the Ecclesial (Priest Religious and Lay) walking together conforming to the teachings of the Mother Church walking together (Synodal Church) in Communion, Participation and Mission with the guidance and discernment of the Holy Spirit through the Gospel Sharing. Starting with the Families following the Commandment of the Lord:
You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbour as yourself.” Luke 10:27 of the neighbourhood conforming to the Word of God and Four Marks of the Church. ONE HOLY CATHOLIC AND APOSTOLIC CHURCH is possible by invigorating suitable Animators at the Parish level to proclaim and make the Word of God the center of the lives in every family. Be the salt and light so that being doers of the good works Glorifying GOD.
At the national celebration of "Yesu Krist Jayanti 2000" where the Bishops, the Priests, the Religious and lay Representatives gathered in Bangalore to mark the occasion of the 2000th birth anniversary of Our Lord Jesus, made a historic vision statement for the Church in India. Community cares for Community.
By Fr. Dominic Gomes VG.= The Basic Ecclesial Communities (BEC, earlier known as SCC), following the synodal pathways enables the Church to be united in the midst of diversities, by forming and empowering the laity. The BEC is central in the pastoral structure and ministry of the Church. This is being proved in history going back to 1950s in Latin America, 1966 Tanzania in Africa, 1970s Philippines in Asia and late 1980s in India. BECs, as grass-roots units, are groups of believers who share common interests, values, objectives, and view themselves as ecclesial entities. Through the BEC, the Church renews, re-establishes and strengthens the Neighbourhood Church (unit of Family of Believers) by empowering the Domestic Church (every Family of Believers as BEC members).
Today our families, rich and poor, are just about holding up or breaking down under stresses and strains of a variety of concerns. The importance and relevance of BEC today can be understood in this context. In the context of stressful environment of sustenance that the Archdiocese of Calcutta had formed 12 Pastoral Commissions to address specific spiritual and temporal concerns – BEC being one of them. Every one of these Commissions has a worthy vision, mission and lines of action plans on which they are working. However, it is the BEC that is somewhat unique by the virtue of its mandate to engage with families in and where they live and work – in the community.
BEC is about working together, within and outside the family – both young and old – as the Body of Christ. It is about living in the Joy of the Gospel. It is not about individual efforts and achievements but about communion of communities with the WORD OF GOD at the centre of the lives of every family. It is about sharing and breaking of the Word in our own homes in an atmosphere of spiritual fellowship and mutual support. It is about service to neighbours not just merely as a social action but inspired by the shared LIVING WORD OF GOD and rooted in the LOVE OF GOD that is the true meaning of Charity.
Inspired and energized by the BEC National Hindi Convention in Kolkata in November 2019 the BEC Commission re-pledged and re-formed its strengthening and growth activities by a series of planned workshops to multiply the numbers and the quality of trained animators. Forming and strengthening of Diocesan Resource & Service Teams, Zone and Parish Coordinators Teams has been more active since then. Even the Covid Pandemic did not hamper the progress as BEC took to online Gospel Sharing and Coordination meetings as well as venturing out to help others in need of medical, food and other emergency support.
It is about livings our lives in a Synodal Way – laity, priests and religious journeying together in solidarity with other parish action groups addressing various concerns to serve the Common Good and establish the Kingdom of God here on this planet, our only home. As our Saint Mother Teresa taught us, “I can do things you cannot and you can do things I cannot, but together (as the Body of Christ) we can do great things”. In other words – in your joys and your sorrows BEC will be there for you because you are there for others.