Agape Mission: Christian Community and Lifestyle
We find ourselves living in the urgencies of the 21st century North America; therefore, we seek to create and to preserve a morally coherent life in fidelity to our faith and calling as Christians. While grounded in the practice of our Catholic Christianity, we are all embracing Catholics in that we experience an affinity and connectedness with sisters and brothers from other faith traditions, and those who follow no particular faith tradition, learning from them and seeking to live in harmony with them.
Our mission is four-fold:
- A commitment to community.
- A dedication to gospel nonviolence.
- An effort to live in simply and in voluntary poverty.
- A daily discipline to a solitary and communal prayer life and Sabbath observance.
Because the Christian life and community are filled with ambiguity and hardship, our daily prayer strengthens us, fills us with courage and perseverance for the long haul.
Communal Prayer: Common life under the spirit of God's word begins with common worship. For centuries, back to the ancients, seekers have risen at dawn to pray together. At Agape, the deep stillness of the morning dawn is broken by readings of the Hebrew Scripture and The New Testament. Our noonday prayer the "Angelus," is an historic prayer for world peace and reconciliation. In the evening, we pray the Psalter, the psalm prayers of Jesus, which have become the prayer book of the Church.
Silence: The simplest, most honest and direct prayer we pray is the prayer of silence. In our daily periods of meditation and silence, we seek to become still enough that if we are to submit to the call of Jesus, we need silence. In our silence, we become "still" enough to listen to a speaking God, a voice that is alive in our very midst. Jesus rose before dawn and went out to a lonely place (Mark 1:35). The word uttered by the Divine is a word filled with silence.
Interns and Volunteers: Interns commit to a minimum of nine months, entering and fully living the life 
at Agape. In addition, adults volunteer at the community for stays that range from one week to six months. College students often volunteer during summer months, semester breaks and some have received academic credit for independent study. Our struggle to know the truth calls us "out" to evangelize — sharing struggles, and insights, learning from and supporting those with whom we interact. The community's main house, Francis House, is the site of frequent days of reflection, prayer, and hospitality for interns, volunteers, and others in need. Agape’s hermitage located behind the main house is open for retreats and solitude, those on retreat invited to join us for community prayer and if desired, for vegetarian meals.
Living Arrangement: Volunteers and interns live at Francis House with a room for each person, with food and basic living necessities provided. A small stipend for long-term interns is sometimes available.