Who We Are
The Cenacolo Community is a ‘covenant community’ which was established in 1992. It is an intergenerational community made up of about 500 people from different walks of life: families with children, teenagers, young adults, singles and young married couples.
Our Story
It was March 1987, when a group of young people who were experiencing a renewed zeal and depth in their faith, decided to commit to meet together every Saturday. Using a name appropriate for those times, Youth Fellowship came to be a place where they not only regularly prayed and shared the Word of God together and built friendships, but gave them an opportunity to regularly invite others to join them in their journey of faith. In December 1992, about 150 people chose to become part of the newly founded Cenacolo Covenant community. Without neglecting its mission to youth evangelisation, the Community discerned its mission to be broader. The formation of missionary disciples through teachings, catechesis, prayer ministry, leadership training is what has kept us going through over 38 years of community life. Through all its ups and downs, joys and disappointments, strength and weakness, our testimony is also a scriptural doxology (a declaration of praise) Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen (Eph 3;20-21)
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What began as a small group, slowly but surely expanded so that the Team members huddled together to figure out what God wanted from them. Overwhelmed by the dynamic changes the group was going through, both spiritually and organically, they decided in prayer to consolidate the reality God had led them into.
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Why the name "Cenacolo Community"?
Our name is inspired by the Cenacolo—the Upper Room—where the disciples gathered with Jesus for the Last Supper and later received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.
For us, the Cenacolo is a model of how we live our faith today: through prayer, worship, formation, and fellowship. These come alive both in our large community gatherings and in our smaller Cenacolo groups.
In this way, every member has the chance to experience true Christian friendship, mutual encouragement, and a deeper encounter with God’s Word. Together, we seek to grow as missionary disciples, sent out to share the love of Christ.
What our purpose is
“Sharing God’s Love and Truth” expresses the heart of who we are and what we seek to live.
As a lay Catholic covenant community, we are committed to a shared life shaped by ten core values. Rooted in prayer, both personal and communal. We place Scripture at the center, embrace the call to discipleship, and honour the vital role of family and children in our community life.
We remain open to the charismatic gifts of the Holy Spirit, striving to witness faithfully to the Gospel and to live with consistency and purpose in our mission. In a special way, we are called to serve in the work of youth evangelisation and discipleship, raising up missionary disciples for the Church and the world.
Our 10 Core Values
Catholic Identity
We value our Catholic identity and seek to faithfully live and teach in harmony with the Magisterium of the Roman Catholic Church.
Charismatic Gifts
We value the charismatic gifts, ordinary and extraordinary, and seek to be open to the manifestation of the Holy Spirit in our ministry.
Lay Identity
We value the lay identity of the community whilst attaching great importance to collaborative ministry with the ordained ministers who serve within the ministry.
Outreach To Youth
We value our founding charism of outreach to youth and young adults, which remains a distinctive characteristic of our community.
Family & Children
We value the central place of family and children in our community, ensuring that the young grow up surrounded by the blessings of our faith and fellowship.
Personal & Communal Prayer
We value personal and communal prayer above everything else, expressed in times of praise and worship, the Eucharist, the Adoration and a committed prayer life in each of our members
Centrality of Scripture
We value the centrality of Scripture, indispensable for every Christian, and ground all our teaching and catechesis in the inexhaustible richness of God’s Word.
Covenanted Relationships
We value our covenanted relationships which are fostered in our commitment to mutual support and accountability and lived in our prayer gatherings, liturgy, teams and times of fellowship.
Prophetic Witness
We value our mission to be prophetic witnesses in daily life and to ongoing evangelisation, expressed through many forms of outreach.
Ongoing Discipleship
We value the importance of ongoing discipleship, following our evangelistic efforts, and commit ourselves to helping people grow in faith through formation, catechesis, pastoral care, and spiritual companionship.
