Hundreds attend SS. Francis and Clare
Bible study

By Sean Gallagher

On Jan. 11, SS. Francis and Clare Parish in Greenwood began a Bible study program.

Father Vincent Lampert, the parish’s pastor, set it up in response to the many questions about the Bible he received from parishioners.

Yet, on the evening of the program’s first session, he thought that 50 attendees would be a success.

Approximately 200 people showed up. More came the second week.

“When I looked out the narthex windows onto Olive Branch Road on the first Wednesday that we did it and saw a traffic jam—cars backed up waiting to turn into the parking lot—that was a pleasant surprise,” Father Lampert said.

The Bible study follows a program developed by nationally known Catholic author and speaker Jeff Cavins titled “The Great Adventure: A Journey through the Bible.”

It’s a 24-week program in which participants follow what Cavins calls the “narrative thread” of the Bible through 14 of its books, starting with Genesis and going through the Acts of the Apostles.

Julie Barton, a member of SS. Francis and Clare Parish, has been participating in the program from its start.

For the last two years, she served as a sponsor in the parish’s Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. She thought that the program would help her answer more effectively the questions often put to her by the candidates that she leads through the initiation process.

“Even though I’ve been able to answer their questions, I was thinking that I needed to learn more about my faith to be able to better explain it to my candidates and to actually understand what this is all about,” Barton said.

Barton, who has participated in other adult faith formation programs at the parish that have drawn smaller crowds, was amazed at the large number of people attracted to the Bible study.

“To me, it’s just amazing, and it’s a gift that God is giving people to be able to come and learn more about their faith,” she said.

Debbie Bacon, the parish’s pastoral associate who oversees its faith formation programs, said the new Bible study was in part inspired by many nearby Protestant congregations that have a longstanding tradition of sponsoring Wednesday evening Bible studies.

She said many of the parishioners work with members of the congregations or meet them in social settings and are frequently asked questions about the Catholic faith.

The parish’s new Bible study program was one way to help parishioners to be able to answer such inquiries.

At the same time, Bacon said she thinks the Bible study will help its participants better “live the faith in everyday life.”

After only a few sessions, Barton already knows that is the case for her.

“I don’t think about these verses as like, ‘Oh, these are nice stories that happened 2,000 years ago,’ ” she said. Instead, the program has helped her “take out what I can and apply it to my everyday life.”

Father Lampert wants as many of his parishioners to benefit from the program as possible. To do this, he made sure that all other parish organizations and ministries that ordinarily meet on Wednesday evening moved their activities to another night.

The program is also structured to appeal to a large number of people.

Registration is not required. There are no materials to buy. And if participants have to miss a session or two, they can keep up with the study by following its Bible readings, which are posted in the parish bulletin. The program’s presentations are also recorded for people to listen to later.

“The only thing you really need to do is bring yourself, bring your Bible, and bring your willingness to learn more about Scripture and how that ties into our Catholic faith and identity,” Father Lampert said.

There are no small-group discussions so those who are not drawn to that kind of format need not stay away. Instead, a presenter speaks about the scriptural passages assigned to each session.

At the same time, there is a large amount of time during the 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday sessions allocated for questions and comments, Father Lampert said.

Barton said she liked that aspect of the program.

“It’s a group discussion,” she said. “We’re encouraged to ask questions. One question will stimulate somebody else. It’s going to get people talking.”

Childcare is also provided in a co-op format by parents and youth in the parish. Bacon said there are enough parents in the program that an individual mom or dad would only have to miss a session to work in childcare once every six to eight weeks.

The large response to the program has convinced Father Lampert to offer more Bible studies and adult faith formation programs after this one is finished.

“We will be doing something every Wednesday night from now on,” he said.

(Members of other parishes are welcome to attend SS. Francis and Clare’s Bible study. To learn more about it, call the parish office at 317-859-4673.) †