How a Prayer Group became Koinonia!

The process of affiliation and membership of Koinonia Giovanni Battista was a process of intensive formation and pastoral care led by the General Pastor and his council in Italy. David O’Connor was our first community leader, guiding the community in those early years along with a dedicated Pastoral Council, with the  support of the Pastor General’s team. With the arrival of the first consecrated members in 2014, this leadership was collaborative, In 2020, the community at the Braid was established as an Oasis (the name of our ‘monasteries’) and Christine was nominated as Pastor of Koinonia John the Baptist Ireland. 

The original Siloam Community was energetic and committed but somewhat isolated. The opportunity to come under the “ecclesial umbrella” of Koinonia John the Baptist was a great relief to the leadership in 2001. It provided solid structures of formation and pastoral care, which are at the heart of our community rhythm and pastoral plan.

Over the years, Koinonia Ireland has been able to welcome various pastors and consecrated members from Koinonia internationally for formation and training.

Koinonia Ireland has a strong relationship with the Kerygmatic School of Evangelisation, experiencing the wealth of the many kerygmatic and ministerial courses which the school offers. Since 2021, our local school of evangelisation has been led by Esteban, a consecrated brother from Mexico living at the Braid. 

The courses and formation programmes are delivered both for our own community and also as an offering to parishes in the diocese. Our Philip course (our most basic programme with the pure announcement of the Good News) has been delivered as the framework for parish missions (and even as a youth outdoor pursuit weekend!). We’ve also led basic biblical formation (our Isaiah Course) and our Personal Prayer course as Advent and Lenten programmes for members and parishes. Our aim is to form our own members with the confidence to deliver these programmes and multiply their reach and impact. 

IRELAND AND INDIA

Koinonia locally have been blessed to participate in 5 evangelisation missions in India, at the invitation of the Pastor General. The first mission (2006) was the first time married people and the consecrated community had worked together to train local leaders in evangelisation there. The next two major programmes (2008 and 2010) were planned by the Indian Bishops’ Conference as part of their national plan to train leaders in the Indian Church. The final two visits to India (2012, 2013) were to assist in the formation of two Catholic communities that had shown a desire to affiliate and become full members of Koinonia (as we had done in 2001). This training was in evangelisation and community life. It is a privilege and honour to say that we were able to pass on our experience to these communities, and we are proud that there are now two Koinonia communities in India.

For many years we have promoted Jesus Heals meetings, with the desire that ordinary people might encounter Jesus in a fresh way and experience a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit in their lives.  

As well as personal healing these meetings bring people closer to a relationship with Jesus the Healer. As a continuation of this experience, we invite participants to local Houses of prayer. 

This is a step in encouraging them to participate ever more fully in the life of the Church. 

Although Koinonia encourage evangelisation both on the street and through door-to-door visitation, our primary method of evangelisation is the House of Prayer. We currently have more than 20 Houses of Prayer weekly across the island of Ireland. Members of Koinonia are encouraged to invite friends, family and people who they meet in their daily lives to participate in a time of prayer and fellowship where they can experience or renew their relationship with Jesus. 

The HOPE is that members of a House of Prayer will hear the call to evangelise others, and that they would become members of Koinonia. 

CONSECRATED LIFE

Five members of the Irish community have responded to the Lord’s call to consecrate themselves with the vows of virginity for the Kingdom of Heaven, docility and evangelical poverty. These private vows are lived out in communities of celibate life (similar to any congregation in the Church). Not having a celibate community until now, all five entered communities in Italy. Since then they have been sent to different parts of the world. 

Of these five, two consecrated sisters and one consecrated brother are originally from the Diocese of Down and Connor. Christine is originally from the Parish of Newcastle and is currently living and ministering in the Braid. Maire is originally from Carnlough and is serving in our parish in Brooklyn, New York. Darren is originally from Glenravel and until now has been working in the community’s Head Office in the Czech Republic. We have a brother, Fr. Eamon, from the Diocese of Clogher who is currently serving in Brooklyn. Sinead is from the Diocese of Kilmore and is working for the Custos of the Holy Land in Jerusalem. 

With the erection of the Oasis of the Braid, we are so excited to see what the Lord is going to do through the community across Ireland over the next 25 years! Our history reminds us of the Lord’s faithfulness. Our hands, hearts and eyes are lifted to the heavens to see the hand of the Lord guide us in this new season.

Please keep us in prayer. Or better still, come along to a House of Prayer. And if the Lord is calling you - either as a consecrated person or lay person - have the courage to say yes and come join us on this adventure of a life time!