Inspired to deepen her faith, Kate Giaimo dedicated several hours
a week to individual study, listening to lectures and group discussion as part
of a community Bible study in the early 1980s. The group was non-denominational,
and for years, that wasn’t a problem. But when they reached John 6, everything
changed.
In that chapter, Jesus tells the gathered crowd, “He who eats my
flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.” The Lord knew it was a
hard teaching. The non-Catholics in the group did not take it literally, and moved
on. But for Giaimo, it was important — a central tenet of Catholic teaching. The
passage highlighted a key difference between Protestants and Catholics — Catholics
believe that the consecrated host is truly the Body of Christ, and the wine His
Blood. Because the community Bible study had a rule against discussing
denominational differences, she felt as if she was failing to defend Christ’s
Real Presence in the Eucharist.
For Giaimo, it was a turning point. In keeping with St. Peter’s
admonition to, “Always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who calls you to
account for the hope that is in you…” (1 Pt 3:15), she launched a new Bible
study group in 1996. Half came from the community Bible study, and others were
like-minded women committed to deepening their faith. They were all mothers who
ranged in age from the late 30s to 50s. Most are daily communicants, or close
to it. Giaimo had specific ideas for the new group. To reinforce learning, they
would incorporate the same methods of individual study, listening to lectures and
engaging in group discussion. But her primary goal was to make the study
authentically Catholic and to embrace the truth, beauty and goodness of the
church. A big part of that would be to nurture a devotion to Our Lady.
Why the focus on Our Lady? Mary leads people to Jesus. When she
appeared to the shepherd children at Fatima, Mary asked them — and us — to pray
the rosary.
Inspired by the work of Italian priest Father Stefano Gobbi, the
group became a cenacle — a prayer group in the tradition of the apostles that
prays to Jesus through Mary. Their official name is the Daughters of Mary of
the Marian Movement of Priests. In further mirroring the apostles, the group
has stayed mostly at 12 members, with exceptions made for a couple of members
who have left the area and attend sessions through skype. Most members are
consecrated to Jesus through Mary, either through the tradition of St. Louis de
Montfort in his True Devotion to Mary or in the
contemporary work of Father Michael Gaitley in 33 Days
to Morning Glory.
Striking the right balance for the group was important: not so
loose that they would spend the entire time socializing and not so strict that
if someone hadn’t finished their homework they would be afraid to attend. Meetings
last for several hours. Beneath an icon of Our Lady and Jesus, each session
kicks off with the group on their knees,
sharing their prayer intentions, an activity Giaimo calls the “lightning
round.” When members bring an intention to the group, they commit to sharing
the progress and outcome so that the group members can grow and learn from
their prayers. That is followed by a rosary. Then they break for coffee, and
finish with the DVD lecture and group discussion.
The Daughters of Mary cenacle has prayed the rosary and studied the Bible together for 20 years. They start most meetings before this icon of Our Lady and Jesus. COURTESY
Over the years, the studies have evolved. When the group first
started, there was a lack of Catholic Bible studies so some members devoted the
summer preparing for the group’s next session. It was a labor of love. Within
10 years or so, more commercial studies became available with video lectures and
study guides.
Past studies have included a two-year course on the Catechism of
the Catholic Church, works by Father John Hardon, Scott Hahn and Bishop Robert
Barron. Their current study is Edward Sri’s Who am I to
Judge?
The group has grown into a tight-knit community — praying with and for each other and sharing
each other’s sorrows and joys. To accommodate the needs of family life, the
group does not meet over holidays or summer break.
They make an annual retreat together, often to the San Damiano
Retreat Center in White Post, that is led by a priest. As described in the Book
of Sirach, Giaimo is humbled and grateful to have discovered that “A faithful
friend is a strong defense; he that has found one has found a treasure.”
In describing her biggest takeaway from belonging to the group, Giaimo
didn’t hesitate —“encouragement.” She said she has found encouragement in
knowing that even if we are surrounded by a culture of death, we are not alone.
Christ is teaching the truth, and hearts are not only believing the truth but
evangelizing and sharing it. Every week, the group is recharged by each other
and they return to their friends and family and give witness to the truth, she
said.
Giaimo offered some sound advice to others starting a group. All
you need is a rosary and a Bible, and perhaps a coffee maker and a DVD player.
