The "Basic Ecclesial Community" is a way of doing Church. With the call coming from Vatican II and PCP II, it is patterned after the early Christian communities as described by St. Luke: "They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved" (Acts 2: 42 – 47).
BECs are defined by PCP II as: “Small communities of Christians, usually of families who gather around the Word of God and the Eucharist. These communities are united to their pastors and are ministered to regularly by lay leaders. The members know each other by name and share not only the Word of God and the Eucharist but also their concerns both material and spiritual. They have a strong sense of belongingness and of responsibility to one another” (PCP II, 138).
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