Who are we?

Word and Life is an adult faith community founded in Santa Barbara by a group of Catholic lay persons. Respecting the diversity of contemporary spiritual experience and dedicated to educating its members principally by reading and discussing books pertinent to scripture, theology and spirituality, the community welcomes all who hunger and thirst for a deeper relationship with God and others. Study, dialogue, prayer, celebration, song and community enable us to experience God's Spirit alive in one another.

In the spirit of the Gospels, we support:

• Ongoing transformation of the Church in dialogue with an ever-changing world
• Exploration of God’s immanent Presence in creation
• Dialogue with other disciplines, cultures, and faith traditions in a spirit of appreciation and cooperation
• Living in harmony with the earth and all life as gifts from God

We are committed to these core principles:

• The teaching of Jesus is central to our lives.
• Healthy spirituality assumes an ongoing dialogue between my story, our story, and God’s story.
• Hospitality is a Gospel value of our community.
• The collective wisdom of the community depends on the contributions of every member.
• Justice is essential in cultivating peace.
• All of creation participates in and manifests the divine.
• Prayer animates and sustains our spiritual lives.
• Worship and Ritual are important expressions of our collective identity.

Would you like to see and hear more?

If you are an adult with an inquisitive mind, open to the deeper values of spirituality found in the Christian/Catholic tradition (regardless of your current church affiliation or possible degree of alienation), and willing to consider and discuss some of the most challenging questions that humans face, please consider coming as an observer to a Word and Life meeting. Kindly check the CALENDAR Link at the left to see when and where our next meeting will be. Below it is a link with directions to our usual meeting venues. You are welcome to come and see for yourself how the Spirit is working in our lives. If you would like a member of Word and Life to contact you in advance to answer any questions you may have, please e-mail anyone on our Steering Committee, listed on the Contact Us page.