The term “disciple” means “student.” Christ is our Teacher, and if we live as His students we will come to know Him better and love Him more. As our Teacher, Christ offers us the fullness of truth, shows us the way to follow, and leads us to everlasting life. He wants us to have a close, enduring relationship with Him. The only way to achieve this, however, is to really know Him. As committed disciples, we work to strengthen our relationship with Christ through study, prayer and a sacramental life.
 
The gift of discipleship also includes the responsibility to share with others what we have received.  In light of this call, we work to spread His message to others by our words and faithful witness. This starts in our homes, but does not end there. As disciples, we bear witness to Christ to our neighbors, our co-workers, our friends, and to anyone else whose path we cross. Sometimes our witness consists in actually sharing the Good News. At other times, our witness consists in a kind gesture, a smile, a word of encouragement, or some other act of charity. Those who want a formalized study program are encouraged to join The Disciples of Jesus and Mary, a group that meets twice a month.
 
Because we cannot proclaim to others what we do not know, we take seriously the obligation to study the teachings of Christ in Sacred Scripture. To grow in our understanding of His Word, we also turn to the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the writings of the saints and other spiritual writers. Father David regularly suggests appropriate reading materials: