The Cornerstone Catholic Scripture Study to begin at parishes in September
Mike Jarvis developed a greater understanding of his faith when he joined The Cornerstone Catholic Scripture Study more than 10 years ago. But that didn’t happen just by reading Scripture. It’s also come through the personal connections he’s made with nearly a dozen other men, one of several small groups that participate in the Bible study at Mary Mother of the Church in south St. Louis County.
Barrett Thiele, a parishioner at Mary Mother of the Church, folded his hands during a small group gathering on March 13 at the parish. Photo by Jacob Wiegand | jacobwiegand@archstl.org
“I’ve been involved in The Cornerstone for a while, and while we focus on the Scripture, we need to understand that so we could have that connection” with each other, he said. Through their studies, participants also have discovered examples in which God is working in their lives.
“God is always here no matter what kind of difficulties are going on,” Jarvis told several dozen people who gathered at the parish in March. “It allows everything else to happen, and especially when I get with you guys. The Cornerstone is so cool, and I thank everybody for sharing their stories, because it helps us to connect.”
Since the program started in St. Louis 40 years ago, the founders of The Cornerstone Catholic Scripture Study have sought to deepen the personal relationship between God and His people through prayer and studying His Word from a Catholic perspective. The Scripture study today includes more than 1,000 men and women in 21 groups (known as branches) across eight states, including a branch at U.S. Disciplinary Barracks, a military prison at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
A new study on the Gospel of Matthew will begin in September at six branches in the Archdiocese of St. Louis and one in O’Fallon, Illinois. The program typically runs through April or early May. Participants are encouraged to commit to the entire study.
How it works
The Cornerstone is a fully integrated study of Scripture, offering participants four exposures to each of the books of the Bible that are studied. Those include a daily individual study guide, weekly small group sessions, commentaries written by a Catholic theologian and spiritual reflections given by a branch facilitator, focusing on the personal application of Scripture. Materials receive an imprimatur from the Archbishop of St. Louis. (An imprimatur, Latin for “let it be published,” is the authorization given by a local ordinary, typically a bishop, to publish a work.)
The structure encourages a movement from the private dimension of answering questions alone to a public dimension of sharing answers and listening to the input of others within a group setting. The goal is to uncover the richness of Scripture and how God touches individual minds and hearts.
The program’s name was inspired by Scriptural references to Jesus as “The Cornerstone.” Psalm 118:22, for example, says, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.”
Men’s group
After the larger group at Mary Mother of the Church gathered for an opening session, the small groups branched off to dive deeper into the Scriptures. As the men’s group sat around several tables in a school classroom, they opened their discussion by sharing their prayer intentions: for a family member who was experiencing health problems; for someone recovering from a recent surgery; and for a friend who was nearing death.
In their study on the prophets of the Old Testament, the men dove into a passage from Isaiah, chapter 56: “Thus says the Lord, observe what is right, do what is just for my salvation is about to come. My Justice is about to be revealed.” Later, they looked at how those prophetic words related to Christ in the New Testament.
The men discussed how living a just life involves worshiping God. Jarvis asked the men: “In what ways do you see keeping the Sabbath as related to your living justly?”
Attending Mass on Sundays is keeping focus on what’s important, David Mendias said. He jokingly added that sometimes that’s hard when a good football game is happening at the same time. “Having that Sunday Mass just puts it back to we know today is the day — God’s day,” he said. “But I need to do a better job of not watching football all the time.”
Through spending time with Scripture, it’s easy to see where God is working in our lives, said Vince Licavoli, a first-year member of the study group. “In my personal life, He has been so good to me to where everything I’ve asked for, He has given me,” he said. Even in difficult moments, which he described as crossroads, Licavoli tells himself there’s a reason for it and to let it be.
“It’s because His guidance has gotten me through everything that I have gone through — even this group,” he said.
>> The Cornerstone Catholic Scripture Study
The Cornerstone Catholic Scripture Study will explore the Gospel of Matthew beginning in September. No prior knowledge of Scripture is needed.
•Annunziata in Ladue (meeting at Webster Hills Methodist Conference Center): Thursdays from 9:30-11 a.m. beginning Sept. 5
•Mary Mother of the Church in south St. Louis County: Wednesdays from 9:30-11:30 a.m. beginning Sept. 25
•Mary Queen of Peace in Webster Groves: Thursdays from 7- 8:45 p.m. beginning Sept. 12
•St. Clare of Assisi in O’Fallon, Illinois: Wednesdays from 9:30-11:30 a.m. beginning Sept. 25
•St. Clement of Rome in Des Peres (St. Joseph Branch): Wednesdays from 9:30-11:15 a.m. beginning Sept. 11
•St. Cletus in St. Charles: Mondays from 11:00 a.m.-12:45 p.m. beginning Sept. 23
•St. Monica in Creve Coeur: Tuesdays from 9:30-11:30 a.m. beginning Sept. 17
The Cornerstone also offers several virtual groups. For more information, see thecornerstonescripturestudy.org.
