The New Evangelization - Malvern Men's Convocation
2. Genesis of the term
Background and context
Goals
Challenges
2006 Thoughts from Bishop Edward Clark
Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles
3. 1975 - Pope Paul VI in EvangeliiNuntiandi
("Announcing the Evangelization").
1983 - John Paul II to Latin American bishops
in Haiti.
1990 – John Paul IIRedemptorisMissio
("The Mission of the Redeemer")
Pope Benedict - announcement of the “Year
of Faith.”
5. Directed at believers
Not non-Catholics, non-Christians, non-believers.
Not about ...passing on doctrine.
Catechesis but from a different perspective and
for a different purpose.
Not about ...proselytizing, baptizing new
converts, increasing numbers of new church
members.
6. IS about:
Completing the mission of Christ
Revitalizing the members.
Leading them to personal/intimate relationship
with Christ.
7. Focus on the laity.
Know Christ and be his follower.
Deeper individual conversion.
Deepening religious experiences and
commitment.
8. Call to:
Marginal members.
Those barely evangelized.
Search for:
Those who have left the church.
Those who have ceased practice.
Goal - welcome them back!
9. Engage cultures previously identified as
Christian (North America, Western Europe)
New methods of communicating the Gospel.
10. Context and Challenges:
• Evangelization is the
core mission.
• Need to REEVALUATE
and RECAST the
mission:
– Of the church
– Of each parish
– Of each individual.
11. Relationship,
Leads to Baptism,
Leads to deeper catechesis (Matthew 28:19-20)
Leads to mission.
“Go make disciples; baptize them in the name…..;
teach them to observe all that I have commanded you.”
This is not understood by the majority of American
Catholics.
12. Essential responsibility of the church, yet...
Most adult Catholics:
Don’t know enough about their faith to pass it on
to the next generation.
Don’t participate fully enough to understand
what life in a faith community "feels like."
13. Teaching ourselves FIRST.
New approaches& tools to further adult faith formation.
Fostering religious experiences.
1980s young adult Charismatics, Kairos
“Whole family catechesis.”
Prayer.
Retreats and prayer experiences
17. Outline
• Genesis of the term
• Background and context
• Goals
• Challenges
• 2006 Thoughts from Bishop Edward Clark
– Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles
18. • 1975 - Pope Paul VI in EvangeliiNuntiandi
– ("Announcing the Evangelization").
• 1983 - John Paul II to Latin American bishops in Haiti.
• 1990 – John Paul IIRedemptorisMissio
– ("The Mission of the Redeemer")
• Pope Benedict - announcement of the “Year of Faith.”
20. CONTEXT
• Directed at believers
– Not non-Catholics, non-Christians, non-believers.
• Not about passing on doctrine.
– Catechesis but from a different perspective and
for a different purpose.
• Not about proselytizing, baptizing new
converts, increasing numbers of new church
members.
21. Context
• IS about:
– Completing the mission of Christ
– Revitalizing the members.
– Leading them to personal/intimate relationship
with Christ.
22. Goals
• Focus on the laity
– Friends, family, work colleagues, fellow Christians
– Not as many priests and sisters any more
• Know Christ and be his follower
– Foster individual, mysterious, mystical encounter with risen Jesus.
– Small groups (finding, forming, engaging, formation within- and interaction
among them)
– And only THEN sharing faith with others.
• Deeper individual conversion. Deepening religious experiences and
commitment.
– Explore dark corners of my soul where the Gospel has not penetrated.
– Examples: Where we bristle at people, events, teachings that challenge our
personal opinions and preferred beliefs
– Contemporary Fault Line – Church teachings buttressing against contemporary
culture and political initiatives.
23. Goals
• Call to marginal members and those barely
evangelized.
– Goal is to introduce them to Christ, community and
teachings (Focus is intellectual – catechetical)
• Search for those who have left the church or
ceased practice (Focus is liturgical)
– Goal is to welcome them back
24. Goals
• Engage cultures previously identified as
Christian (North America, Western Europe)
– Cultural and human values ARE Christian values!
– Justice, peace, human dignity, mercy, charity, aka
the “Civilization of Love.”
• Methods of communicating the Gospel.
– Technology
– Social Media
25. Context and Challenges
• Evangelization is the core mission.
– The church exists for NO OTHER REASON than to
proclaim the Kingdom.
– Quote, “The church does not have a mission from
Christ; rather the mission of Christ has a church.”
26. context and Challenges
• Need to REEVALUATE and RECAST the mission:
– Of the church
– Of each parish
– Of each individual.
– Bishop Clark: “There are many tasks and priorities
that we as a church should undertake; but unless what
we are doing is not specifically advancing Jesus’’
mission of evangelization, then we ought to be asking
ourselves whether we should be doing that specific
task or project at all.”
27. The Order of Evangelization
• Relationship:
• Leads to Baptism
• Leads to deeper catechesis (Matthew 28:19-20
• “Go make disciples; baptize them in the name…..;
teach them to observe all that I have commanded
you.”
– This is not understood by the majority of American
Catholics.
28. Catechesis
• Essential responsibility of the church;
• Most adult Catholics don’t know enough
about their faith to pass it on to the next
generation.
• Most adult Catholics don’t participate fully
enough to understand what life in a faith
community "feels like."
29. Catechesis
• N.E. challenges THE WAY we will need to do catechesis
in the future:
– Begins with teaching ourselves FIRST, before teaching
others.
– Need new approaches and tools to further adult faith
formation.
– “Whole family catechesis”
– How to foster religious experiences (1980s young adult
Charismatics, Kairos)
– Teaching adults and young people how to pray.
– Integrate Retreats and prayer experiences
– R.C.I.A. adapted as the model and method for all
catechesis?