September 2000 Call to Action News

Small Faith Community Snapshot

Name: Project Search

Location: In members' homes in Chicago and south suburbs.

When started: In 1989, after the Ford City Catholic Center was shut down. The center was originally created in 1969 as a team ministry parish located in rented space within a busy Chicago southside shopping center. Incorporating Vatican II ideals and approach, it attracted several hundred active members at one time but was closed by the archdiocese after 20 years, allegedly due to the priest shortage. Most parishioners scattered, some to their former parishes. But a remnant formed this faith community.

Membership: About 20 regulars with visitors and fringe attenders — married, widowed, single, mostly middle-aged or older. Many regulars are teachers in Catholic schools.

Format: Regular meetings are usually on the first and third Sundays of the month. At one meeting Mass is offered with a volunteer priest presiding; at the other, there is a prayer service organized alternately by the members (e.g., a memorial for Oscar Romero, a Mary Magdalene para-liturgy, a reading and pondering of the Sunday Scriptures). Also offered are a monthly evening prayer service and a centering prayer experience, held on weeknights. The group gathers for the Holy Week Triduum and sponsors occasional retreat days with guest conductors.

Outreach: Project Search contributes to Genesis House (for recovering prostitutes) and to local food pantries. Some members are active in RCIA and other ministries at parishes.

Why they stay together: "Through the Ford City Catholic Center we got a taste of what Church could be: full participation, praying together, intellectual and spiritual stimulation, great dialogues. We didn't want to give that up, and we're glad we didn't."

Source: Jeanne Crossen, 708 424-5154