“Where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am in the midst of them.”
OUR VISION
Our vision is to facilitate the development of intentional Catholic Communities of 2-4 young adults in the city of Portland.
We want to respond to our society’s present pervasive sense of loneliness and disconnection through an experience of fraternal communal living by creating a community of ‘friends in the Friend’ that shares life together – a spirit of home where people communicate, share, and encourage one another.
HOW DOES THE PROGRAM WORK?
Step 1 Form a household
Ideally, each household should form itself organically but we can help you connect with other young adults who are looking for roommates.
If you are looking for a roommate, complete the form below. Also, if you have a room available at your house you can also post that information.
Step 2 Draft a covenant agreement
Once the household is formed, members will draft a ‘covenant’ where they will define the expectations for community life.
Some of the things you should consider as you draft the covenant are:
Common meal: Try at least once a week to sit down together for a meal. During this meal you can share highs and lows of the week and incorporate audios and readings made available to the households (see c. below).
The household can also practice hospitality by inviting other young adults to join them for dinner.
Common prayer: The household seeks to be a communal setting that facilitates your growth in holiness. Households are encouraged to choose one spiritual practice to do in a communal manner. The most recommended ones are lectio divinawith the Sunday reading, praying the rosary together, or doing night prayer.
Community Tools: Members of the household will have online access to audios and readings connected to community life. They can be utilized according to the plan set forth in the covenant.
You can also set expectations about the order and cleanliness of the house. The invisible is reflected in the visible: the household should express that this is a home where Christ lives. This means that each member should keep your room clean, do dishes, and collaborate in the cleaning of the house.
Step 3 Name the household
Each household will name their household after a patron saint.
Step 4 Register the household
Once you write the covenant, you should register your household with the Littlemore coordinator.
Download and fill out THIS FORM and email it to ark@stmichaelportland.org.
Step 5 Receive a blessing
At the beginning of the year, we will give a blessing to all the household members. You can also invite a priest or deacon to do a blessing of your home.
In addition to the communal expectations, each member of the household should:
Live an ethically consistent Christian life.
Foster an atmosphere of friendship, respect, and trust within the house.
Each member is invited to strive to grow in their spiritual life: daily offerings and daily Gospel, night prayer, Daily Mass, cor ad cor adoration, etc.
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What is the meaning of Littlemore?
The program is named after the place where St. John Henry Newman came together with a group of friends from Oxford for a number of years to pray, grow in community, and solidify his future Catholic identity.What happens if not everyone is Catholic in the house?
That’s fine. At least two of the members of the house should be Catholic.Is this a St Michael program?
This program is organized by ARK, a ministry of St Michael, but it’s open to all Catholics in the Portland area. You can participate in Littlemore without worshiping at St Michael.Can the household be formed any time of the year?
Yes, you can start whenever the household is formed.
HOW TO JOIN?
If you know someone in the program currently and would like to join their household, reach out to them directly to discuss options and once an arrangement is finalized, join the whatsapp group “Littlemore - Intentional Catholic Living”.
You may also join the group if you do not know anyone in the area yet and would like to be connected to the community to express your interest in joining a household.
For general inquiries or specific questions about the program or household options, fill out the interest form below or email the ARK young adult group at St. Michael’s at ark@stmichaelportland.org
Interest Form
Once you enter your inquiry, we will reach out to you within a week.