Community

Love of God and love of neighbor are inextricably bound together in the Christian vision. ACE therefore espouses a vision of community centered on the active promotion of the common good in a variety of social contexts: home, school, nation, and Church.

ACE teachers live in small communities of four to seven members and together share the many challenges and rewards of beginning teaching. The 29 ACE communities are spread across the southern United States in such diverse settings as inner-city Atlanta, south Texas, rural Louisiana, and South Central Los Angeles.

Each local ACE community, which is provided affordable housing by the local diocese, becomes a naturally supportive environment, forming part of the local parish and school community. ACE participants are called to grow together, to support one another, and to challenge each other as they develop personally, professionally, and spiritually.

The program offers an ongoing evening seminar during the summer session, as well as periodic retreats throughout the year to provide participants with skills for successful community living. In addition to the support ACE teachers receive from one another, local diocesan officials and Notre Dame Club members support the teachers in establishing an effective presence in their local communities.