LITTLETON. Starting Jan. 10, Pax Christi Parish in Littleton will begin offering Alpha, a place to connect with other people who are open to exploring life, faith, and meaning. Each of the 11 sessions includes a time to connect with others over a free meal, hear a short video talk on an element of the Christian faith, and then a chance for each person to share their own questions and experiences with the group.
It’s become clear over the past year and a half — enduring a pandemic, seeing rising suicide rates, domestic abuse, depression, anxiety, and political tensions — that community is more important than ever. That’s why Alpha is so relevant right now: by way of a shared meal, an engaging video, and group discussion, there is an emphasis on the relational aspect of faith (rather than dogma) in an atmosphere where any question can be asked, and every person is respected.
Alpha is run in local communities all around the world, and everyone’s welcome. It runs in cafés, churches, bars, prisons, parks, universities, schools, and homes. While an evangelical program, Alpha has dozens of endorsements from leaders within the Catholic Church all over the world.
According to Father James Mallon of St. Benedict’s Parish in Halifax, Nova Scotia, “I started using Alpha 15 years ago; I said I’ll start using it until I find something that works better, and I’m still using it. Because we see results: life transformation, people encountering Jesus, experiencing the power of the Holy Spirit, coming alive in their faith; falling in love with the Eucharist, with the sacraments, with Scripture, taking their place in the mission of the church, taking ownership of the mission of the church.”
For more information or to register, visit https://qrco.de/PaxAlpha.