Although they do not always consider it, individuals are all members of different groups and communities. At the University of Oklahoma, there is a wide ranging variety of discourse communities that anyone could get involved in. In such groups, there are practices, concerns, traditions, history, beliefs and ultimately something held in common that binds them all together. One such discourse community is St. Thomas More University Parish. As a Catholic Church, St. Thomas More is a community that provides services to the Catholic students attending the University of Oklahoma. The discourse community of St. Thomas More University Parish is a growing parish that is encouraging involvement and spiritual development.
Before delving into the discourse community, it is essential to provide clarity for the term that is used throughout: Discourse community. In his analysis on Discourse communities, James Paul Gee defined Discourse by saying, “I use the term ‘Discourse,’ with a capital ‘D,’ for ways of combining and integrating language, actions, interactions, ways of thinking, believing, valuing, and using various symbols,
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Thomas More, as a Discourse community, provides the students of the University of Oklahoma with a place to practice their faith and get involved to develop their spiritual lives. Deeply rooted in the details and traditions of Catholicism, St. Thomas More follows these traditions with their priest setting the example and leading the people. The Discourse community of St. Thomas More, along with other Catholic churches, uses specific terminology and practices traditions. However, St. Thomas More is set apart by its directing focus in growing and developing spirituality within younger generations. Evidently, St. Thomas More’s members contain the ability to grow as a result of part of St. Thomas More. Furthermore, as a university parish, St. Thomas More is consistently encouraging involvement in their activities to promote spiritual