• Home
    • Eucharistic Revival
      • Sunday
      • Obligation FAQ
  • Encounter
    • Encounter Learn More
    • Encounter Join A Small Group
    • Encounter Videos
      • Week 1: Help Me Pray
      • Week 2: What Is Prayer?
      • Week 3: The Secret is Silence
      • Week 4: How to Pray with the Bible
      • Week 5: Imagination, Fantasy, & Prayer
      • Week 6: Distractions, Dryness, & Next Steps
      • Before You Pray
    • Encounter Facilitator Support
      • Facilitator Video Overview
      • Facilitator Video Week 1
      • Facilitator Video Week 2
      • Facilitator Video Week 3
      • Facilitator Video Week 4
      • Facilitator Video Week 5
      • Facilitator Video Week 6
  • About
    • Quick Facts
    • History of the Diocese
    • Mission
    • Strategic Planning
    • Synod
      • Synod Survey
    • Pastoral Center
    • Leadership
      • Bishop Mario
      • Bishop Fabre
      • Bishop Jacobs
      • Diocesan Leadership
    • Clergy and Religious:
      • Bishops
      • Priests - Active
      • Priests - Retired
      • Deacons -Active
      • Deacons - Retired
      • Women Religious
      • Seminarians
      • Necrology
        • Recent Deaths
  • Churches
  • Schools
    • Office of Catholic Schools
      • Schools
      • Superintendent’s Message
      • News
      • Administrator Resources
      • Alumni
      • Teacher's Corner
      • 10 Great Things About Catholic Schools
      • Catholic Schools Week
  • Offices
    • Administration
      • Annual Bishop's Appeal
      • Archives & Records
      • Building & Construction
        • Rebuild The Bayous
      • Cemeteries
      • Chief Operating Officer
      • Finance
      • Human Resources
      • Lumen Christi Retreat Center
      • Office of the Bishop
      • Parish Support
      • Property Insurance
      • Technology Services
        • application-support
          • ParishSOFT Douments
          • onboard
        • ParishSOFT Registration
    • Formation
      • Adult Formation
      • Ethnic Ministries
        • Hispanic Ministry
          • Hispanic Mass Schedule
          • Bishop Fabre Messages
          • Contact Us
          • Pastoral Plan Renewal
        • African American
        • Native American Catholics
        • Vietnamese
      • Family Ministries
      • New Evangelization
      • O.C.I.A
        • Rite of Election
      • Worship
      • Vocations
      • Youth Formation
    • HUMANITARIAN
      • Catholic Charities
      • Individual and Family Assistance
    • Canonical Issues
      • Tribunal
        • Tribunal FAQ
    • Communications
      • Bayou Catholic Magazine
      • Communications Office
        • Political Responsibility of Catholics
    • Clergy
      • Permanent Diaconate
      • Priesthood
        • Policies
    • Lay & Ecclesial Movements
      • List of Organizations
      • Charismatic Renewal
      • Pontifical Mission Societies
        • The World Mission Rosary
        • Mission in Action
        • World Mission Sunday
        • Origin of Societies
        • How to Help the Missions
        • Propagation of the Faith
        • Society of St. Peter Apostle
        • Missionary Childhood Association
        • Pontifical Missionary Union of Priest and Religious
      • Pray for Priests
  • Latest News
    • Diocesan News
    • Events
    • Bayou Catholic Articles & News
    • National & International News
    • News Concerning Coronavirus
  • GIVE
    • Bishop's Appeal
    • Catholic Charities
    • Catholic Foundation
    • iGiveCatholic
|||
Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux
  • Employment
  • For Priests
  • Safe Environment
  • Email
  • Contact
Facebook Instagram Twitter YouTube Phone
Search
  • Home
      • Eucharistic Revival
  • About
      • Quick Facts
      • History of the Diocese
      • Mission
      • Strategic Planning
      • Synod
      • Pastoral Center
    • Leadership
      • Bishop Mario
      • Bishop Fabre
      • Bishop Jacobs
      • Diocesan Leadership
    • Clergy and Religious:
      • Bishops
      • Priests - Active
      • Priests - Retired
      • Deacons -Active
      • Deacons - Retired
      • Women Religious
      • Seminarians
      • Necrology
  • Churches
  • Schools
      • Office of Catholic Schools
  • Offices
    • Administration
      • Annual Bishop's Appeal
      • Archives & Records
      • Building & Construction
      • Cemeteries
      • Chief Operating Officer
      • Finance
      • Human Resources
      • Lumen Christi Retreat Center
      • Office of the Bishop
      • Parish Support
      • Property Insurance
      • Technology Services
    • Formation
      • Adult Formation
      • Ethnic Ministries
      • Family Ministries
      • New Evangelization
      • O.C.I.A
      • Worship
      • Vocations
      • Youth Formation
    • HUMANITARIAN
      • Catholic Charities
      • Individual and Family Assistance
    • Canonical Issues
      • Tribunal
    • Communications
      • Bayou Catholic Magazine
      • Communications Office
    • Clergy
      • Permanent Diaconate
      • Priesthood
    • Lay & Ecclesial Movements
      • List of Organizations
      • Charismatic Renewal
      • Pontifical Mission Societies
      • Pray for Priests
  • Latest News
      • Diocesan News
      • Events
      • Bayou Catholic Articles & News
      • National & International News
      • News Concerning Coronavirus
  • GIVE
      • Bishop's Appeal
      • Catholic Charities
      • Catholic Foundation
      • iGiveCatholic
  • Why Small Groups?

    The intended approach of using Encounter is within small group discussion.  While meeting in large groups to learn and discuss our faith is certainly very good, we believe that meeting with a small group of people on a regular basis can be even better.  How big is a small group?  We're suggesting that a small group be less then 10 people - ideally 6-8. 

    In large group discussion, it can often be difficult for everyone to have the opportunity to share or ask questions.  Because of the size of the group, people often don't get the opportunity to really know one another on a personal level.  The larger the group, the more chance there is of participants coming and going.   With a smaller size, there is more opportunity for deeper discussion, more opportunity for everyone to share and discuss, more opportunity for people to get to know each other personally.  Here, in small groups that meet regularly, Christian community can have a more frutiful space to develop and grow. 

    Many church parishes throughout the diocese have begun offering new small group based adult formation.  

    • Our hope is that every church parish would have small groups of parishioners coming together each week in their homes or at their church parish.  

    • Our hope is that we would all have relationships with whom we can regularly discuss our faith and share our lives - that we would all experience true Christian community throughout our lifetime. 

    • Our hope is that each of our church parishes would become a 'community of communities' - a Christian community made up of many smaller Christian communities.  We believe that these small group based communities will strengthen and renew our church parishes.
       

  • How do I Join a Small Group?

    Many church parishes have a number of small groups meeting reguarly, facilitated by trained parishioners.  If you're interested in joining a small group, contact your church parish office, and ask them about joing a small group.
     

  • Can I Facilitate my own Small Group?

    We invite anyone who wishes to be in a small group to join an existing group through their church parish.  These existing groups have facilitators that have been trained to best serve its members in small group format with this specific resource.  Once a person goes through a semester of being in a small group, that person may discern to begin and faciliate a small group on his or her own.  If they discern to begin another group, they will be provided with further training to equip them to best serve the new group.

    That said, you are certainly permitted to make use of the resource in a way that it would best serve you.  Again, we would encourage you to sincerely consider joining an existing group through your church parish, as that is the intention and hope.  If you decide to use this resource in a different manner, you will need to obtain a password to watch the videos.  You can do that by contacting your church parish.  They will have the password for the videos.
     

  • Can I Make Use of this Resource on my own?

    While this resource is intentionally designed  for small group format, you are certainly permitted to make use of this resource on your own.   While there is no formal need to sign up for this resource, you will need to obtain a password to watch the videos.  You can do that by contacting your church parish.  They will have the password for the videos.  That said, it is our real hope that people would come together regularly in small groups, discuss the material, and grow in true Christian community.  If you do end up making use of this resource on your own, we would invite you to consider joining a small group in the future.  
     



  •  

    • Encounter
      • Encounter Learn More
      • Encounter Join A Small Group
      • Encounter Videos
      • Encounter Facilitator Support

                

Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux Pastoral Center
PO Box 505 | 2779 Highway 311
Schriever, LA 70395
(985) 868-7720 | info@htdiocese.org      

 
Resources Make a Difference
Secretaries Annual Bishop's Appeal
Bookkeepers Pray for Priests
Report Fraud COVID-19
AlertMedia
Hurricane Ida
Strategic Planning
Addressing Abuse
 

 
 
Login
powered by eCatholic®