Evangelization & Formation: August 2011 Archives

My friend Michel wrote to tell me that Sofia Cavalleti last evening. You may remember that a few days ago I asked  you to include Sofia in your prayers. This past Sunday, Sofia celebrated her 94th birthday. I once again recommend to you the soul of Sofia Cavalletti to the Lord, the Good Shepherd of our souls.

The following is the message sent out by the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA board:

With tears and with peace, we want to share with you that our beloved Sofia Cavalletti, at 94, a founding mother of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, has entered the celestial pasture of the Good Shepherd. There is great rejoicing in heaven for her with Gianna, Tilde, Fr. Mongillo, Maria Christleib and Tina, along with members of her family who have gone before her.

Francesca Cocchini sent the following announcement from Rome, Italy: "Dearest, this is only to say that during this night - at ten after midnight (Tuesday, August 23) Sofia encountered the Good Shepherd face to face." The funeral Mass will be on Wednesday, August 24.

Carindal Stanisław Ryłko, 66, President of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, wrote a brief editorial on the contours of the new evangelization. In 2012, there will be another Synod of Bishops' meeting with the new evangelization as it's central topic. He's helping to focus our attention on the exhortation of Jesus to spread the Kingdom of God. A mere two paragraphs follow, but you can read the entire editorial here.

 As is known, the idea is not new: the entire pontificate of Blessed John Paul II was characterized by the leit-motiv of the new evangelization. Pope John Paul II did not fail to explain to us what he intended when he placed the adjective "new" in front of the traditional term, "evangelization": new in ardor, new in methods, new in expressions. For an appropriate and faithful understanding of the contents of the Lineamenta, one needs to have an adequate key for reading the text. The expression, "new evangelization," in fact, has become so common - even abused - that we run the risk of distorting its sense, or worse, reducing it to an insignificant slogan. The heart of the question of the new evangelization, writes the Cardinal, is the centrality of God in our lives.