By Rachael Tvrdy
Director of Family Life and Discipleship
Recently, I have been reflecting on the model of evangelization I observed during my years in Europe, where the lifestyle dramatically contrasts with our own American way of life.
While studying at the JPII Institute in Rome, I was captivated by the slow, simple way of life the Italians seemed to embrace: the joy of passing the evening in a piazza, where families socialized amongst each other in the surrounding cafes and fountains, while children played soccer in the center. Back in America, we were always rushing from one thing to the next, but in Europe, there was a peacefulness and a slowness to the daily rhythms of life.
Italians don’t rush, they stroll. They even have a word for it, “passeggiata,” which encompasses Italian culture. “Passeggiata,” or directly translated, “a walk,” does not mean simply to walk to and from somewhere. Instead, it is to stroll with leisure, while conversing with one another. This activity is not limited to two or more persons, but is a community activity where one can see whole families or a large group of elderly walking together. But how does this way of strolling with another translate to the Christian life? Quite perfectly, actually.
This “slow living/passeggiata” translates not only into the daily rhythm of a European, but is also part of the broader ethos of their faith communities. To be a Christian means to follow the Way, which is to follow Christ in an ever-growing way. We follow in the footsteps of the Master, and we do not do it alone.
Disciples always go in pairs (like marriage), and walking with one another signifies a deeper meaning to a Christian. It is the exact way Christ calls us to make disciples – “to walk with another.” It is slow. It is gradual. And it takes a lot of time. These are not exactly things Americans are known for! So, no wonder it is difficult for American Christians to embrace this concept of making disciples, as it is as simple as walking together. For Europeans, this mentality is built into their souls.
The Camino de Santiago, the famous path millions of pilgrims have walked since the early Church, is an analogy for the Christian life. We are all pilgrims here on Earth, walking toward our heavenly homeland. For Europeans, the perspective of the life of the Church is much broader than just the parish. It seeps into the daily life of the Christian, who knows he or she is walking in common with a neighbor and who wishes to share the richness of the communal life outside the parish boundaries. Europeans, Asians, and Latin Americans, all collectivist cultures, embrace “ecclesial movements,” which are about a communal Church in motion, on the move, and walking together.
My personal experience with one ecclesial movement, il Movimento Ecclesiale Carmelitano (the Ecclesial Carmelite Movement, or the MEC), was particularly impactful. I recently re-connected with this community when Padre Claudio Grassi came to Lincoln to visit the MEC chapter here. Founded in Italy by Father Antonio Sicari, the MEC was born by groups of families and consecrated persons who shared a common desire to share the same Carmelite spirituality. Through this desire, families and monasteries became intertwined. They called themselves the “Schools of Christianity” and would gather in their homes, monasteries, and parishes to fellowship and grow together in faith.
I was fortunate enough to stay with a host family who was part of this movement in Italy. Sitting around the dinner table, I watched in amazement as Carmelite priests casually dropped by for a meal, or for coffee. The door was always open, so to speak, for the two vocations to come together. It was a beautiful display of the communal life depicted in the Acts of Apostles. To be Catholic is to be part of a family of families.
I aim to bring the sense of community and shared mission I experienced in Europe to our diocese. We have already started this vision with our young adult community, “Salt and Light,” which is open to people of all vocations, ages 21-39. However, I also want to encourage the entirety of our lay faithful to “come and see” the ecclesial movements already established in Lincoln.
You may find information on our diocesan website under “Lay Organizations,” including the Ecclesial Carmelite Movement, Communion and Liberation, and, hopefully, many more. The first Christians embraced living in common with all vocations. They walked with each other slowly, and with hearts burning. As I sit in my office, sipping on a cappuccino, I can’t help but smile as I realize that the communal, integrated fellowship I had envied in Europe can now become a reality in my own community.
