Christ in Our Neighborhood (CION), a free weekly Scripture resource written by Bishop John Dolan, the fifth Bishop of Phoenix, is impacting countless lives in the Diocese of Phoenix.
Launched in December 2022, the program has taken off exponentially with more than 30 parishes already engaged. This week the program takes another big leap with weekly reflections available in video format on all social media platforms and following the televised Mass on CW7 at 9 a.m. on Sunday. Bishop Dolan’s discussion of this week’s Gospel can be found here.
Fostering small faith communities is one of Bishop Dolan’s main initiatives as he shepherds the people of the Diocese of Phoenix. He created CION, which is available in both English and Spanish, with the intention of bringing people together in small groups to foster a space of belonging, sincere reflection and honest sharing as they break open the Word of God together.
First written and shared while he was a pastor at St. Rose of Lima in the Diocese of San Diego, CION is an approachable commentary on the upcoming Sunday Mass readings. In addition to a personal reflection, Bishop Dolan also provides questions for pondering and a recommended task related to the Scripture themes to help prepare hearts for the Sunday liturgy.
In the Diocese of Phoenix, CION groups are currently meeting regularly in family living rooms, neighborhoods, parishes, nursing homes and prisons with the hopes of starting regular gatherings in dining rooms at the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and Andre House, both which serve those in need in downtown Phoenix.
“This resource is for everyone,” shared Bishop Dolan. “Maybe your small faith community is made up of the other parents who are on the soccer sidelines, or a choir group, or your next-door neighbors. Wherever there are open hearts and a place to gather, small faith communities can flourish.
“It’s as simple as putting on a pot of coffee and inviting others into your home to gather. Then you simply pull up the reflections on your phone and break open the Word and grow in community together.”
Curious about what a Christ in Our Neighborhood small group looks like? Tune in weekly to The Bishop’s Hour radio show and get to know Bishop Dolan’s heart as he leads a CION session with show co-hosts Joyce Coronel and Jennifer Ellis. Videos of these discussions will be available each week following the televised Mass on CW7 at 9 a.m. and on all social media platforms.
Sign up to have the weekly CION reflections sent directly to your inbox by clicking here. Access reflections in English here, and in Spanish here.
Interested in learning more about CION or starting your own small group? Contact Joyce Coronel, Evangelization and Sacramental Life Manager at jcoronel@dphx.org; she would love to connect with you.
