Small Faith Communities
In the spirit of the Marianists
When Fr. Chaminade, Marie Térèse, and Mother Adele were called to "re-Christianize" France, their "new method" was to form small groups of lay people who would pray together and share what was going on in their lives with each other. These small Christian communities called "Sodalities" are at the center of the Marianist Mission. We welcome you to get involved in one. It will change your life!
Small faith communities at the University of Dayton aim to provide an environment for students to develop and engage their faith through relationships with their peers. Each community takes on a unique, relational, and faith-based identity that is attentive to the present needs and desires of each group. These communities use elements of mutual support, dialogue, prayer, scripture, faith sharing, and discernment to create a space for students to examine the blessings and challenges of engaging their faith amidst college life and build relationships that extend beyond just these groups. Group topics, discussion, and methods of prayer emerge from the interests of the group members with the guidance of the group’s leaders and Campus Ministers.
Small Faith Communities
These groups explore different topics through a lens of faith. Journey Groups meet for around 6 weeks and will be offered in two blocks. The first block starts on September 14, and the second block will start in October. See below for a link for more information, including a full list of Journey Groups that will begin meeting in September and registration details.
Show me the different Journey Groups
Ongoing Groups are a great way to dive deeper into relationships and build community with others. These groups meet for an extended period of time, usually an entire semester, and serve the purpose of exploring prayer and faith sharing in a community context. Many of these groups’ welcome new members throughout the entire semester.
Show me the Ongoing Groups
Are you interested in hosting your own small group, but don’t know where to start? These digital resources will help guide you through different conversations about faith.
Take me to the downloadable resources
Use the links below to see a full list of established Student Religious Organizations and Service and Student Action Orgs:
UDI 143: Chapel Choir Liturgical music and community during a time of pandemic
Date/Time: Monday evening- 7p (via Zoom), 8/31, 9/7, 9/14, 9/21, 9/28, 10/5, 10/12, 10/19, 10/26, 11/2, 11/9, 11/16, 11/23
Description: The Chapel Choir course will introduce students to the principles of hymn singing and sight singing through a digital manner appropriate for the current pandemic atmosphere. Furthermore, students will be introduced to basic principles of music theory, particularly those pertaining to choral singing and expressions. Finally, students will contribute to the liturgical music making life of the campus’ faith community by submitting recordings of themselves singing a part from a pre-identified hymn each week that will then be compiled with other singers and used each Sunday at the 10am Mass.
Contact: Scott Paeplow
UDI 247: Introduction to Principles of Liturgy for Christian Musicians Music ministry as vocation and role within the context of Mass
Dates/Time: Thursdays 7-8:30p, 8/27, 9/3, 9/10, 9/17, 9/24, 10/1, 10/15, 10/22, 10/29, 11/5, 11/12, 11/19 9/3/2020
Location: Liberty Hall
Description: This course is introductory in nature and will address the fundamental principles of Christian and especially Catholic worship for people who participate in liturgy as Church musicians. Connections between liturgy, discipleship and social justice will be explored as an introduction to the subject. The roles and requirements for music ministers will be introduced. Principles of liturgy as articulated in the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy (Lumen Gentium- Vatican Council II) will anchor the course material. Evidence of continuity between the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (2002) and Sing to the Lord: Music in Divine Worship (2007) will be emphasized. Liturgical inculturation will be introduced as an important concept for those who prepare liturgy in North America. An introduction to the Church’s liturgical calendar will be given. Material on selection of liturgical music will help students formulate a method of discerning appropriate music for Roman Catholic liturgy. Finally, the course will include a final project wherein students will work as a team to select music for a hypothetical or real liturgy while applying course material by annotating their selections.
Contact: Scott Paeplow
Small faith communities that form out of a shared experience like a Retreat or BreakOut. Please check back for information on current Madeline groups.
Have questions about small faith communities, or want to get connected to a Campus Minister? Contact Meaghan Crowley at crowleym1@udayton.edu
Have an idea for a new small faith community? Fill out this form