Lay household communities grow across Philadelphia area
Catholics living in intentional household communities say communal life and shared prayer help deepen faith and encourage evangelization.
A growing number of lay Catholics in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, area are choosing to live in intentional household communities centered on shared prayer, faith, and daily life, according to a July 14 article from Catholic Philly.
The article highlighted communities across the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, including the Margaret Healy House and the Catholic Center for Young Adults (CCYA) at St. Stanislaus Parish.
Residents said the communities help foster spiritual growth through communal living rooted in the Catholic faith.
Patrick Hohenshilt, a CCYA resident, said the community exists to help young adults deepen their relationship with the Lord.
"The purpose of the CCYA is to bring young adult Catholics closer to Jesus Christ," he said, adding that it seeks to be "a witness of faith-filled Catholic community."
According to Catholic Philly, residents regularly gather for prayer, Bible studies, and Eucharistic adoration while supporting one another in both their spiritual lives and daily responsibilities.
“Faith witness is contagious,” Hohenshilt said, “which means being intentional about the space you are cultivating and communicating to others allows for others to be in the presence of faith-filled conversations which breed Catholic joy.”
Ashley Bennett, who has lived at the Margaret Healy House for five years, said living in the community has strengthened both her faith and her relationships with others.
"When we all come home from work every night," she said, "we have people that we can rely on."
