lITTLEMORE HOUSEHOLDS

“Where two or three are gathered in my name, there i am in the midst of them.”
— Matthew 18: 19-20
 

OUR VISION

Our vision is to facilitate the development of intentional Catholic Christian Communities of 2-5 college students in Corvallis.

We want to respond to our society’s 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 - 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 college students 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 post that information.

Step 2 Draft a covenant agreement

Once the household is formed, members will draft a ‘covenant’ defining 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 the highs and lows of the week.

    The household can also practice hospitality by inviting other college students or households 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 communally. The most recommended ones are lectio divina with the Sunday reading, praying the rosary together, or doing night prayer. This can also include reading a book together or incorporating audio and readings made available to the households (see c. below).

  • Community time: Friendship is the foundation of the households. Try at least once a week to do an activity together for an hour or so. This could be playing soccer, going bowling, playing games, etc. The one goal is to do something without tech or screens.

  • Community Tools: Members of the household will have online access to audio 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 households@osunewman.org.

Step 5 Receive a blessing

At the beginning of the year, we will give a blessing to all the household members at the Household Mass. 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:

  1. Live an ethically consistent Christian life.

  2. Foster an atmosphere of friendship, respect, and trust within the house.

  3. Each member is invited to strive to grow in their spiritual life: daily offerings, daily Gospel, night prayer, Daily Mass, cor ad cor adoration, etc.

FAQ

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.

Can the household be formed any time of the year?
Yes, you can start whenever the household is formed.

HOW TO JOIN?

INTEREST FORM

Once you enter your inquiry, we will contact you within a week.