Overview
New Leaven Scope
The Scope of New Leaven
The observations articulated in the New Leaven Vision section underpin a strategy for parish renewal, by the following logic:
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Individuals need a personal outpouring of the Holy Spirit before they will deeply desire and courageously submit to the rigors of serious formation in Christ. Thus a parish must work to enable candidates for New Leaven by offering "ministries of outpouring" such as Life in the Spirit Seminars, The Alpha Course, ChristLife, etc.
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For individuals who have become awakened in the power of the Holy Spirit, New Leaven undertakes formation based upon an empowered reliance on the Holy Spirit. Using John Paul's goal of "totally-integrated formation", the intent is to nurture the living reality of a mature, Catholic Christianity within a small, dynamic community. The primary work taking place in small groups is transformation of the life that each person and married couple is living at home.
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Spiritual renewal in the parish becomes stimulated organically, as if by leaven, through the everyday interaction of the parish population with members of what John Paul called a "Vital Communion"-those who openly love Jesus, wrestle with their own transformation, and testify to a joyfully-shared life in Christ. It is believed that many Catholics yearn to share a way of living deep inside the Gospel, like this. Such desire will express itself, once they see this happening in the gritty, flesh-and-blood witness of several others. The influence of the leavening effect, over time, will be a parish more awed by what God is actually doing-a parish whose whole purpose lies in Christ and in our identity as his laborers. Here, the long-term goal is to raise up intentional disciples of Christ.
