In response to Pope Leo XIII’s prophetic call for the Church to rekindle its missionary spirit, the Association of Ecclesial Movements and New Communities (AEMNC) 
in the Archdiocese of Washington serves as a living sign of the Holy Spirit’s renewal in our time. Pope Leo XIII, known for entrusting the 20th century to the Holy Spirit and urging Catholics to go forth and evangelize, envisioned a Church alive with zeal, deeply rooted in Christ, and dynamically engaged with the world. The AEMNC is a concrete answer to that vision.
Founded in 2005 at the request of the Archbishop of Washington, AEMNC brings together representatives from a variety of Catholic ecclesial movements and new communities. These groups, including the Emmanuel Community, are composed primarily of lay people, with some priests and religious, who have had life-transforming encounters with Christ. United in their love for the Church, they strive to live the Gospel radically and joyfully, energized by unique charisms and spiritualities.
The Emmanuel Community, in particular, is a global Catholic community known for its focus on adoration, compassion, and evangelization. As a member of AEMNC, it contributes to the collective witness of the association through its commitment to prayer, missionary outreach, and the formation of disciples in everyday life.
Some of the new communities within AEMNC follow structured spiritual disciplines similar to religious orders, including communal living and vows of poverty or simplicity. Yet they remain immersed in secular society, acting as leaven and light in the world—living testimonies to the Gospel in action.
AEMNC’s mission is to pray, reflect, and discern how each movement can respond more fully to the call of evangelization. It seeks to:
- Foster communion among diverse communities through mutual love and encouragement.
- Bear collective witness to the charismatic richness of the Church.
- Increase awareness of these movements among Church leaders and collaborate more deeply with parishes and the wider archdiocesan Church.
By nurturing the spiritual gifts of its members and creating avenues for collaboration and outreach, AEMNC brings Pope Leo XIII’s call to life in today’s world. In the spirit of Pentecost, these communities, including the Emmanuel Community, continue to set hearts on fire with the love of Christ—proclaiming, through word and action, that the Church is forever young, missionary, and Spirit-led.
