Evangelizing Parish Cell Groups

In mid-2011 Fr. Aldrich asked me to begin to research and then apply the "Parish Cell Group System" for evangelism here in Taiwan. As our foundation, we used the system for parish cell groups developed in Milan, Italy: a system that is officially approved by the Holy See.  In January 2012 we began to discuss with the pastor and lay leaders the possibility of starting evangelizing cell groups at Sacred Heart Parish in Shulin. Fortunately, the "Parish Cell Group System" has been translated into Chinese, and we gave copies to all the key members of the parish, especially those on the Evangelism Committee. The plan was officially accepted by the parish in July, with special enthusiasm by the pastor, Fr. Paskais Bako. In August, we held three meetings to explain the concept of parish cell group  to any interested members of the parish.

From among these we formed a leadership and development team. Since September we have been meeting with this development team of about 30 Catholics. Our routine for each meeting is to read and discuss a chapter from the "Parish Cell Group System", as well as a chapter from Pope Paul VI encyclical "Evangelization in the Modern World."  Several Protestant Churches have used cell groups to evangelize: some with real success. We are using the official Catholic system because in the past, the attempts of some Catholic groups to use a Protestant model of evangelizing through cell groups has resulted in conflicts with the Church or a gradual drifting away from Church teaching and practice.  The Catholic Church's cell system is enriched by a comprehensive teaching of the faith, Sacramental practice, Eucharistic adoration and being "parish centered." Other lay evangelists have also started to research and organize evangelizing cell groups in the parishes that they serve.  It will be difficult to immediately organize many cells in the relatively small parishes of Taiwan, but we hope that from modest beginnings we will see real long-term fruit.            (Lay Evangelist Hsu Jr-syung, Taipei center)