Sion Catholic Community for Evangelism is a community of disciples on mission, laity and clergy working together to make the Good News of Jesus Christ known. For more than 30 years we have been running parish missions and school missions across the UK. Our work of mission is carried out by our long-term Core Community Members (married couples, single laypersons, and priests) and by young and not so young people who are engaging in formation and discernment alongside us. We also have numerous Associate Members who have a heart for evangelisation and live our charism in their everyday lives.
Since 1990 we have been building community and running courses at our residential centre (S.E.N.T.) in Brentwood, Essex. We have a long tradition of welcoming Hospitality Helpers, who spend a year working to make our house a place of welcome. In the year 2000, we birthed a sister community, Céilí, in Ireland, and are now actively building links with Spain and Lithuania.
We work under the authority of the Catholic Bishops of England and Wales and have three bishops as patrons – Archbishop Longley, Archbishop McDonald and Bishop Peter Doyle. Our founder priest, Mgr Pat Lynch, now leads the Céilí Community in Ireland. Founding members Peter and Michelle Moran continue to serve as Core Members of Sion, and in November 2020, Michelle was elected by the community to serve as our Community Leader for a two year term.
St Paul VI proposed anew the work of evangelisation in his seminal document, Evangelii Nuntiandi. St John Paul II identified that the time had come for a “new evangelisation” in those parts of the world where the Gospel had once been accepted but is now rejected. Pope Francis began his pontificate with a call to rediscover the Joy of the Gospel and our Catholic calling to be missionary disciples, sharing the message that “Jesus Christ loves you; He gave His life to save you; and now He is living at your side every day to enlighten, strengthen and free you.”
Members of Sion Community continue this work in schools, in parishes and in S.E.N.T. our Brentwood residential centre. Do you have a heart for evangelism, with a hunger for an experience of community? Are you looking for missionaries who can share this good news in a fresh way for your school or parish? Are you a young person looking for a chance to get away from home and re-connect or go deeper with God? On our website you will find the different ways in which Sion Community can be of service to you. We look forward to hearing from you soon.
