Eye Has Not Seen: A Vision and Model for Discipleship and Catholic Community

Imagine being in a group that connects hundreds of Catholic singles and families in a dynamic, life-giving culture of discipleship and evangelization, where a new normal of how Catholics live and experience the faith is established. Written for lay leaders, deacons, priests, and active Catholics that want to see the Church more effective in her mission to evangelize and to transform the world in Christ, Eye Has Not Seen lays out a hopeful vision and framework for renewal in the Church. Drawing on scripture, the teachings of Pope St. John Paul II, decades of experience in men's formation, and 45 years in intentional community, Tim Keller lays out a framework for forming and building intentional community. Not a quick-fix approach, building intentional Catholic community takes years, but the payoff can be enormous. Keller cites examples of how intentional community has led to an explosion of family life, discipleship, vocations to the priesthood, and consecrated life. It isn't enough for the church to form individual disciples; they need to be connected in a community (culture, environment) with other Catholic disciples working together with a common vision and mission. Keller lays out a vision for what can achieve through an intentional community and provides a framework for how this can be replicated in groups and parishes throughout the world. Praise for Eye Has Not Seen : One of our most passionate leaders in the Catholic community here in Albuquerque, Tim Keller, has written a guideline in his work Eye Has Not Seen that I believe can effectively help Catholics build up the Kingdom of God. Keller has worked for years to build community and unity among Catholics by calling them to true discipleship in Christ. In John 17:20-21, Jesus says to the Father in prayer for his apostles: I pray not only for them, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me. With his fidelity to the gospel, Tim is highly qualified to write this work with his experience as a husband and father and his experience in being part of an intentional Catholic community for years. Since moving to New Mexico two decades ago, he has been leading the formation of a new intentional Catholic community. Tim draws not only on his extensive experience in intentional communities but also on the Sacred Scriptures, the Catechism of the Catholic Church , Pope St. John Paul, and Archbishop Fulton Sheen. I urge parents of families desiring to form Catholic community with other families, as well as leaders of small groups, ministry leaders, directors of religious education, the clergy and those seeking to build community, to read and implement the timely wisdom expounded in Eye Has Not Seen. Monsignor Bennett J. Voorhies Pastor, Our Lady of Annunciation Parish, Albuquerque, NM Jesus said, "My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it." Eye Has Not Seen provides guidance for building disciples and communities that hear the Word of God and act on it, and examples of devoted communities. I recommend that Catholic leaders prayerfully study and consider implementing the wisdom that Tim Keller has collected in this guide. Sursum Corda! Deacon Patrick A. Sena Our Lady of Annunciation Parish, Albuquerque, NM