An Acts 2:42 small group belonging to St. Paul Parish in Princeton meets in April 2026 in the home of parishioner Kathy McEnaney. COURTESY OF KATHY MCENANEY
Acts 2:42 – The very first Catholic small groups
BY DR. JEFF ANDRINI, EVANGELIZATION & DISCIPLESHIP
We read in the Acts of the Apostles how the followers of Jesus in the First Century gathered to live their newfound faith. Acts 2:42 expresses this well: “The devoted themselves to the teachings of the apostles, the communal life, the breaking of the bread and prayer.” Fast forward 2,000 years and adult Catholics are encouraged to participate in ongoing faith formation and the communal life of their parish.
The documents of Vatican II exhort all the baptized to realize their mission as part of the Body of Christ. Each baptized member of the Church is “priest, prophet, and king,” meaning as children of God, we are each to live lives that reflect Jesus to the world.
Catholic culture in the past couple centuries has focused on orthodoxy: right believing. Additionally, orthopraxy (right practice), has also been important. Recently, the word orthokarida (right heart), has been presented as important concept for adult Catholics. It describes having the correct motives, affections, and proper spiritual or emotional alignment toward God, complimenting right belief and right action.
Adults learn best when the information has immediate, practical relevance to their personal or professional lives, solves real-world problems, and respects autonomy. Effective adult learning relies heavily on active participation rather than passive listening. Additionally, adult learning connects new concepts to a lifetime of accumulated knowledge and past mistakes.
In combining the critical need for adult faith formation today, the way adults learn best, and the addition of orthokardia (spiritual and emotional alignment with God), adult faith formation should be rooted in community, discussed from the personal perspectives of group members, and rooted in prayer and openness to the Holy Spirit.
While true that we are all so busy, it is also essential that we keep growing and maturing in our Catholic faith. How are you making time for this in your life? How can the diocese and/or your parish help?
Our Acts 2:42 Small Groups begin this month in parishes across our diocese. We encourage you to seek out a group or invite your neighbors and friends to come to your home once a month to participate in a small group. Participant booklets are available to be mailed to you and are accessible on our website, along with Bishop Medley’s monthly video reflection, agenda, and a song for each session. Check it out here: https://owensborodiocese.org/in-the-word/.
These small groups meet once a month September through May and cover the readings for the Fourth Sunday of the Month. Additionally, they will also cover the important topic of understanding the genre of Gospel writing from the four evangelists. As we will learn, each evangelist was writing to a different audience, and they tailored their message to that group. We too can learn to do the same as we share the Good News with all the various people we meet in our lives.
If you have any questions on how to get started, email me at [email protected].
Peace in Christ,
Jeff
Dr. Jeff Andrini is the director of the Office of Evangelization and Discipleship.
Originally printed in the September 2026 issue of The Western Kentucky Catholic.
