5. 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.”
6. 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.
7. IS about:
Completing the mission of Christ
Revitalizing the members.
Leading them to personal/intimate relationship
with Christ.
8. Focus on the laity.
Know Christ and be his follower.
Deeper individual conversion.
Deepening religious experiences and
commitment.
9. Call to:
Marginal members.
Those barely evangelized.
Search for:
Those who have left the church.
Those who have ceased practice.
Goal - welcome them back!
10. Engage cultures previously identified as
Christian (North America, Western Europe)
New methods of communicating the Gospel.
11. Context and Challenges:
• Evangelization is the
core mission.
• Need to REEVALUATE
and RECAST the
mission:
– Of the church
– Of each parish
– Of each individual.
12. Relationship (not activities),
Leads to Baptism,
Leads to deeper catechesis (Matthew 28:19-20)
Leads to mission
Leads to “discipleship”
Leads to “Apostleship”
“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.
13. 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."
14. 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
