SMALL GROUP SISTERHOOD

By Justine Reisman
June 24, 2026

People who have been part of Catholic Softball Group for at least a few years may remember the small groups that formed for Lent in 2024. People may not realize that at least one of those small groups, initially formed just for the liturgical season, has remained together and continues to meet. Taking a chance on playing CSG and taking another chance on registering for a small group has led to deep and lasting friendships for a group of women.

Lauren Bakke was new to softball when she signed up to play in 2023 with encouragement from her roommate. She was, however, already a veteran of small groups when CSG got ready to launch its own set of groups the following spring. A graduate of the Saint Paul Seminary Catechetical Institute, Bakke had already completed Parish Evangelical Cells System (PECS) training and facilitated other groups. She was a natural fit when CSG was seeking group leaders.

One of Bakke’s first CSG teammates, Abby Arrowsmith, had also been part of a small group before, but the amount of turnover in her parish group left her feeling that it was difficult to form deep connections there. Arrowsmith’s parish of Holy Cross did lead her to her current small group, though. A text from a fellow parishioner alerted her to CSG’s open volleyball taking place near her home. She showed up knowing only one person and was pleased to witness a large group of Catholics engaging in sports and prayer together.

“Everything I have continued to enjoy about CSG was there from Day 1,” Arrowsmith said.

Her positive experience with the league from the get-go, combined with wanting more out of small groups, led her to sign up for CSG’s Lenten groups in 2024. Arrowsmith, Bakke, Angela Kuehn, and Jordan Mauch are all original group members who have continued to meet, and additional members have joined or left since the initial session. Anne Christianson, Jenna Fischer, Megan Schlichting, and Ashley Perera are also current members. Marta Larson and Katie Hines have also been part of the group.

Mauch played college softball and went through occupational therapy school, both of which kept her out of the Twin Cities for an extended period of time. When she moved back, she did not know many people, and a new friend suggested signing up for CSG. Having formed some friendships through CSG, and noticing a lack of young adult small groups at her parish, she decided to try out the league’s small groups.

The women’s small group generally follows the basic PECS format. Meetings open with conversation and prayer, move into discussion of a book or other material for study, and conclude with prayer–often incorporating intentions shared by members–and closing conversation.

It was clear early on that this group had the potential to be more than a seasonal experiment. Many group members already knew or at least knew of each other, but gathering in a more intentional, spiritually-focused setting allowed them to get to know each other better.

“I was very intimidated going into the small group because I had known people mostly by name, and I was like, ‘Oh, those are the really intense people,’” Mauch said. “But then sitting down and getting to know them and seeing their personalities, who they really were, their support and their love and their friendship–they’ve become some of my best friends, despite being like, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m very intimidated by all of you.’”

“One thing that stood out to me right away is the humility in our group,” Arrowsmith said. “I just think everyone is there for the right reasons, which is to come to know God and to serve one another as friends and as spiritual leaders at times…We all know that we are human and that we are fallible and we’re constantly being vulnerable in our small group and inviting our small group members to help us grow, which I think just speaks a lot to the character and desires that the group has collectively, to walk the way.”

Some of the books the group has read and discussed include Sincerely, Stoneheart by Emily Wilson Hussem, Unshakeable by Fr. Mike Schmitz, and Encountering Emmanuel by Heather Khym. The first book the group read together was The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer. Two-plus years later, their first book is the one they continue to reference. Bakke said some of the suggestions, like driving in the right lane and picking the longest line at the store, continue to challenge her. Arrowsmith said it “pushed me to change the way that I’m living in the world.”

Mauch added, “We continue to joke back about that one about learning about driving in the right lane and just how to slow down in life and enjoy the beautiful moments, which really helped lead us to different moments of life, like being out on the lake as a group or going to get ice cream or going to New York and taking in the beauty of the world.”

Last fall’s New York trip originated when one group member was going to be out East anyway, and others decided they would like to go, too. Bakke said they walked 25,000 steps most days on the trip. They rode the Staten Island Ferry and saw “Mamma Mia!” on Broadway. 

This Catholic small group could not go on a trip together without including some religious components. The women attended Daily Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral and visited a church that had relics of Padre Pio. As they prayed and looked around the church, a maintenance worker even showed them an additional relic that had not been on display.

One part of the trip was unexpected and unfortunate, but displayed the closeness and character of the group. Arrowsmith was ill, and the rest of the group went with her to urgent care and sat with her in the waiting room.

The group has built close enough friendship bonds to do things like the New York trip and regular check-ins with each other in addition to the more structured meetings that primarily take place during Advent and Lent. Many other CSG small groups did not have enough people to continue past the officially scheduled sessions, partially because some people are involved in PECS at their own parishes. But this group shows no signs of stopping.

“The relationships that we’ve built with each other have kept us together,” Bakke said. “We’re all pretty close friends now. So it’s become more of a community, or group of friends, than a specifically just small group.”

The tight bond and shared goal of growing in faith have allowed group members to set examples for each other and challenge each other in a loving way. Mauch said she appreciates her friends helping hold her accountable and modeling a strong relationship with God. Arrowsmith enjoys the challenge of hearing different people’s perspectives on the reading material and trying new things in her spiritual life. Bakke feels that her faith is stronger after focusing on different areas during specific seasons.

Group members have also lifted each other up in prayer throughout different life events, including dating and relationships, work difficulties, and more. Arrowsmith felt strengthened by her friends’ prayer during health challenges. But she also pointed out the lighter side of being in the group.

“We go really deep and we’re really vulnerable, and there are certainly tears that have been shed in our small group sessions, but we have so much joy and so much laughter, just constant community building when we get together and meet,” Arrowsmith said.

Most of the women have continued to play softball with CSG, or remain involved even while injured. Arrowsmith’s Twin Cities Catholic Singles group, through which she met her fiance, Patrick, overlaps frequently with the CSG community. Kuehn and Christianson help run CSG volleyball, and Bakke coordinates team shirts and other league apparel.

CSG gained strong, dedicated members when these women signed up to play softball, and the women gained not only a fun opportunity to play sports, but meaningful friendships, too.

“Not just the people in the small group, but a lot of the people I’ve met in CSG are my core group of friends,” Bakke said. “The friendships and strengthening of faith has been a blessing and a beautiful thing that’s come from playing softball.”

This story is part of a series called “CSG Mustard Seeds.” This occasional series will highlight some of the fruits that have come from the small mustard seed of participation in Catholic Softball Group. If you have an idea for a future story, please contact Justine Reisman at justine.reisman@gmail.com.