What Is This “New Evangelization?”
In Pope John Paul II's encyclicals, speeches and other writings he uses the term new evangelization. Catholics as well as other Christians have been intrigued and interested in his frequent use of this term. What is he referring to and what are characteristics of this new evangelization'?
According to the pope, "The expression New Evangelization was popularized in the encyclical of Pope Paul VI Evangelization in the Modern World, as a response to the new challenges which the contemporary world creates for the mission of the Church."1 Pope John Paul II sees the need for a "great re-launching" of evangelization in the present life of the Church in a variety of ways. In Mission of The Redeemer (Redemptoris Missio ), John Paul II presents a new synthesis of the Church's teaching about evangelization in modern times.
Not Business As Usual
Perhaps the largest obstacle to this “new evangelization” is the perception most Catholics have that this is the work of a special group within
the Church, e.g., those with a special vocation, missionaries or priests. In the new evangelization, however, it is clear that the call is to the entire people of God. Each of us is “on the hook”, as Father Mallon said.
Task
Read the entire Lineamenta for the 2012 Synod and reflect on the questions below. Your group will be asked to compose a pastoral plan for our parish based on these questions.
Questions
|
The new evangelization is proposed as an exercise in evaluating every
area and activity in the Church so that the Gospel might be proclaimed to the
world. |
1.
Are our Christian communities well-aware of
the practice of “initial proclamation”? Is it generally taking place in our
Christian communities? |
2.
Do Christian communities plan pastoral
activity with the specific aim of preaching conformity to the Gospel and
conversion to Christianity? |
3.
Generally speaking, how are individual
Christian communities meeting the demands of devising new forms of raising
the question of God in society and in the communities themselves? What
meaningful experiences deserve to be shared with other particular Churches? |
4.
How has the idea of the “Courtyard of the
Gentiles” been taken up and developed in our various local Churches? |
5.
What priority have individual Christian
communities placed on the commitment to attempt bold new ways of
evangelization? What initiatives have been most successful in opening
Christian communities to missionary work? |
6.
What experiences, institutions and new
associations or groups were formed or developed to proclaim the Gospel to
humanity in a joyous and transmissible manner? |
7.
What has resulted from collaborative endeavors
among the above groups and parish communities? |
The Church has devoted much energy to reformulating the programs of
initiation and instruction in the faith. |
8.
How much has the Rite of Christian Initiation
of Adults been a model in reevaluating the program of initiation in the faith
in our communities? |
9.
To what extent was it used in Christian
initiation? In what way? How has it helped in reevaluating the pastoral program
for Baptism and in emphasizing the bonds between the Sacraments of Baptism,
Confirmation and the Eucharist? |
10.
The Eastern Catholic Churches administer to
infants all three Sacraments of Christian Initiation. How is this experience
rich yet different? How has this practice affected the thinking and changes
taking place in Christian initiation in the Catholic Churches? |
11.
How has the “Baptismal catechumenate” inspired
a reevaluation of the program of preparation for the sacraments, transforming
them into a spiritual journey in Christian initiation and actively involving
not simply the recipients but the various members of the community
(particularly adults)? How are Christian communities supporting parents in
their increasingly difficult task of transmitting the faith? |
12.
What developments have taken place in
scheduling the Sacrament of Confirmation within this spiritual journey? What
are the reasons? |
13.
How have elements from mystagogy been
incorporated in this process? |
14.
How successful have Christian communities been
able to adapt the process of instruction in the faith to adults, thereby
avoiding the danger of limiting it to infants only? |
15.
How do the local Churches view the role of
proclamation and the necessity of giving greater importance to the genesis of
faith and the pastoral program for Baptism? |
16.
How have parish communities avoided the
temptation of leaving the work of instruction in the faith to other agents of
religious education (for example, their passing the responsibility to
schools, thus confusing instruction in the faith with possible cultural forms
of religiously-oriented education)? |
In our Churches, the challenge of education is a true and proper
emergency. |
17.
To what degree has this challenge been noticed
and addressed? What means are available in this regard? |
18.
Is the presence of Catholic institutions in
the academic world an assistance in responding to this challenge? What
changes in these institutions are of interest? What resources are available
to respond to this challenge? |
19.
What bond exists between these institutions
and other ecclesial institutions? Among these institutions and parish life? |
20.
In what way are these institutions able to
participate in culture and society by contributing the Christian
faith-experience to public discussion and mentalities oftentimes determined
by culture today? |
21.
What is the relation between Catholic
institutions and other educational institutions? What is the relation between
them and society in general? |
22.
How can the great cultural institutions
(Catholic universities, cultural centers, research centers), left to us as a
historical legacy, have a voice in the present-day discussion on the basic
values of the person (defense of life, family, peace, justice solidarity,
creation)? |
23.
How can they assist people to broaden their
minds and seek truth so as to recognize the traces of God’s plan which gives
meaning to our history? And in a corresponding way, how do they help
Christian communities discern and promote listening to the inquiries and deep
expectations of culture today? |
24.
Which Church institutions can be said to be
included in the so-called experience of the “Courtyard of the Gentiles”?
Which ones are places where Christians can show a boldness in devising forms
of dialogue, which meet the deeply-felt expectations of humanity and its
thirst for God? Which ones are places where Christians can show a boldness in
raising the question of God in these discussions? Which ones are places where
Christians can show a boldness in sharing their experiences of their search
for God and give their account of personally encountering him in the Gospel
of Jesus Christ? |
The project of the new evangelization requires formation in view of
proclamation and witness. |
25.
How are Christian communities displaying their
awareness of the urgency of recruiting, forming and supporting persons to be
evangelizers and educators through the witness of their lives? |
26.
What services – institutionalized ministries
or otherwise (which is more often the case) – have arisen (or been
encouraged) in the local Church which clearly have evangelization as a goal? |
27.
How do parishes show an openness to the
vitality of certain movements and charismatic groups? |
28.
In recent decades, many episcopal conferences
have made missionary work and evangelization central components and a
priority in their pastoral planning. What are the results? How have they been
able to make Christian communities aware of the “spiritual” aspect of this
missionary challenge? |
29.
How has emphasis on the “new evangelization”
assisted in the reevaluation and reorganization of formation programs for
candidates to the priesthood? How have the various institutions responsible
for this formation (diocesan seminaries, regional seminaries, seminaries
staffed by religious orders) been able to reevaluate and adapt their rule of
life to this priority? |
30.
How has the ministry of the permanent
deaconate been included in the Church’s mandate to evangelize? |