Who We Are

Des Moines Intentional Eucharistic Community is rooted in Catholic tradition, but open to change. Our Church is a journey in faith — religion led and practiced in the active not passive, tense. We freely gather to share and celebrate our faith journeys in spirited and creative liturgies. We minister to one another and to our world as we strive to make the Gospel of Jesus Christ a reality.

What does “Intentional Eucharistic Community” mean?

Intentional means that we strive to make our spiritual practice meaningful and that our words and actions reflect each other.

Eucharistic by definition means gratitude — to be in communion with God. To celebrate that, we share bread and wine and bless it together.
All are welcome at the table.

Our spiritual journey is community-led. We pray and celebrate together. Everyone is welcome to share in the experience.

Our Commitment

As a community, we are committed to:

  • Prayer
    Personal prayer and community worship deepen our relationship with God.

  • Inclusivity
    All are welcome to share our table.

  • Generosity and tolerance
    We recognize that wisdom comes from many sources.

  • Social justice
    We are dedicated to serving others, especially the marginalized and often ignored.

  • The Spirit-inspired principles of Vatican II
    We approach the world with open arms and joyful hearts.

Social Justice

Pope Paul VI stated, “If you want peace, work for justice.” At DMIEC advocacy, outreach, and peace and justice education are central elements of our faith community.

In this spirit, our active Social Justice Committee helps to guide our community and supports positive actions we, as a community, undertake.

And while many of our members participate individually in peace and justice issues and offer volunteer support for a variety of causes, as a group we are actively involved in:

  • A “First Sunday collection” each month. All funds collected via that Sunday’s offering are donated to a charity or non-profit that does service or justice work. The Social Justice Committee coordinates giving to the worthy causes our members bring forth.

  • Sharing education on contemporary social justice issues and events.

  • Co-sponsoring several annual peace and justice events in Des Moines, including the Palm Sunday Procession for Peace and Prayer Service, the Hiroshima-Nagasaki Commemoration, and the World Day of Peace Gathering.

  • Congregation membership of the Des Moines Area Religious Council (DMARC). We also support a monthly collection for DMARC’s Emergency Food Pantries.

  • Member of Our Sister Parish, supporting the Presbytery of Des Moines’ mission in Berlin, El Salvador.

  • Volunteering with Habitat for Humanity and serving meals at the Central Iowa Shelter.

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