evangelization – Page 3

Sofia Cavalletti, 94, dies

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.

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WYD cross

Breivik may help Christians clarify identity and belonging to the Church

Archbishop Rino Fisichella spoke of Christianity this
week in an interview regarding the Norway tragedy brought about by Mr. Breivik. In part he said, the gospel
and the culture that has developed from belief and life in Christ is is not a cultural weapon, it is not a fiction, and it is not something arbitrary, as Breivik is said to think, but “a
religion of love, of rejoicing, and of respect.” Fisichella also said a few
other things that are worth noting because I need to make sense of one man’s
expressive pathology. By the way, I don’t believe this Mr Breivik is a Christian
in any sense: neither practicing nor cultural. But what Breivik may have done is to force orthodox Christians to clarify what they believe and how they live. Sinful and criminal actions have a way of helping us to take stock in questions of identity and belonging. Fisichella’s points:

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Truly an ecumenical approach born from the good news of Christianity

The head of the Communion and Liberation Movement, Father Julián Carrón wrote an editorial for tomorrow’s (July 14, 2011) edition of the L’Osservatore Romano about the forthcoming Day of Prayer in Assisi on October 27, recognizing the theme of peace and justice.

The Day for
Reflection, Dialogue and Prayer for Peace and Justice in the World, convoked in
Assisi next October 27 by Benedict XVI is an audacious gesture, just as Blessed
John Paul II’s initiative was, 25 years ago.

“In the name of what can (Pope
Wojtyla) call exponents of all religions together to pray in Assisi?” asked Don
Luigi Giussani twenty-five years ago. He answered, “If one understands the
nature of man, the heart of man, it is his religious sense, it is in the
religious sense that all men find equality and identity. The most profound
meaning in the human heart is religious sentiment, destiny on the one hand and
the usefulness of the present on the other. If we want to use the right terms,
a sense of religion is the only sense which is truly catholic, which means
suitable for everyone and belonging to everyone.”

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Fisichella’s Metropolitan mission to secularized cities

Rino Fisichella, the archbishop who head’s the Pope’s evangelization office has rolled out his newest, that is, the first, endeavor since the founding of the office in the July 12 L’Osservatore Romano. They’re calling it the “Metropolitan
mission” The goal is simple: to be a sign of unity among the diverse European dioceses that have been particularly affected by secularization. Bishops from Barcelona, Budapest, Brussels, Cologne, Dublin, Lisbon, Liverpool, Paris, Turin, Warsaw and Vienna participated in the project’s unveiling. While limited to European dioceses, it is hoped that similar projects will be done in other global cities.

To avoid the
risk of the new evangelization becoming just another formula adapted for every
season, it is important that it be filled with content which informs the
pastoral action of the different Christian communities. In this sense, everyday
pastoral work, which has always animated the life of the Church, must renew its
ways of presenting itself and implementing its activities.

Benedict XVI,
speaking to the first plenary assembly of the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization, said that it was of decisive importance to go beyond
the fragmentation of society and offer concrete answers to the great challenges
of today. To fill this need, a “metropolitan mission” has been put into action.
The goal is simple: to give a sign of unity among the diverse dioceses present
in the largest European cities that have been particularly affected by
secularization.

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A New Pentecost: Inviting All to Follow Jesus

The Cardinal-Archbishop of Boston issued a pastoral letter to the Archdiocese on sharing the good news of Jesus Christ: salvation is offered to all. While some of the the pastoral letter, “A New Pentecost: Inviting All to Follow Jesus” is oriented toward the situation of his local church, Seán Patrick Cardinal O’Malley says a number of things that all of us ought to study and incorporate in our situation since by Baptism we are all called to be missionaries of the Gospel. The section of the pastoral given below speaks to our need to work on our own conversion first….

You can read the entire pastoral letter here: A New Pentecost, Cardinal O’Malley.pdf

We can only
share what we have received. In preparing to evangelize, we are called to
conversion, which means continually to receive the Gospel of Jesus Christ
individually and as a Church. The Good News nurtures us, makes us grow,
and renews us in holiness as God’s people.

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New Evangelization means to be missionary, prepare to be new apostles for Christ

The Pope, for the first time since forming the council for promoting the New Evangelization in 2010, addressed the full body of cardinals, bishops, theologians and consultors on May 30. There are two noteworthy Americans who are key advisors for this work, Archbishop Timothy Dolan (Archbishop of NY) and Sister Sara Butler (a theologian at Mundelein Seminary). Plus, I would say that the presence of Father Julián Carrón and Cardinal Scola should be noted, also. The Pope’s talk is given below.

When last June 28, at First Vespers of the Solemnity of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, I announced that I wished to institute a dicastery for promoting the New Evangelization, I gave an operative beginning to a reflection that I had had for a long time on the need to offer a concrete answer to the moment of crisis in Christian life, which is being verified in so many countries, above all those of ancient Christian tradition. Today, with this meeting, I can see with pleasure that this new pontifical council has become a reality. I thank Archbishop Salvatore Fisichella for the words he addressed to me, introducing me to the work of your first plenary assembly. My warm greetings to all of you with my encouragement for the contribution you will make to the work of the new dicastery, above all in view of the 13th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops that, in October of 2012, will in fact address the topic “New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith.”

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Cardinal Burke on the truth of human sexuality & fall of Christian culture

Raymond Cardinal
Burke, Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signature, has been traveling lately. Most recently to Australia. There he spoke on the theme of “The Fall of the Christian West,” at a
symposium organized by the Australian Catholic Students Association, Sydney. He gave “particular attention to the witness to the truth regarding human sexuality, as fundamental to holiness of life, and to the question of conscience as the irreplaceable and secure guide in the pursuit of holiness of life.” The cardinal also reflected on martyrdom.

Among
many things said in the address the Cardinal said:

quoting Benedict XVI said, we “need to form our consciences, in accord with the moral teaching of the Church … ‘our responsibility to make these criteria [these moral foundations] audible and intelligible once more for people today as paths of true humanity, in the context of our paramount concern for mankind'”
“…our call to build anew a
strong Catholic culture, in fidelity to our vocation to give witness to Christ
and, therefore, to be martyrs for the faith”
“witness to the truth regarding
human sexuality, as fundamental to holiness of life, and to the question of
conscience as the irreplaceable and secure guide in the pursuit of holiness of
life.”
“The life of the martyr for the faith finds its center and source in the
Eucharistic sacrifice, in Eucharistic adoration, and in all forms of
Eucharistic devotion, especially visits to the Blessed Sacrament and spiritual
communion throughout the day”
“The Holy Eucharist not only strengthens us
spiritually to be true martyrs, but is the model of our martyrdom, pure and
selfless love, without condition, to the end.”

You ought to read the entire excellent address is here: Cardinal R Burke, The Fall of the Christian West, March 11, 2011.pdf

Synod of Bishops 2012 on Evangelization

Earlier today in Rome, the overview –the guidelines– for the 2012 Synod Bishops working with the theme of evangelization was presented. This is the 13th Ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops which will guide pastoral initiatives and papal thinking and programs. The title for the Synod is “The New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith.” Archbishop Nicholas Eterovic, the Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops made the presentation of the 65 page document.

This Synod will meet at the Vatican 7-28 October 2012.

The guidelines, called officially the lineamenta, can be read here. The various bishops, religious superiors, Vatican offices and experts are to submit their responses to the lineamenta by November. This is step one. Then, the answers to questions will be collated into what is called the instrumentum laboris, the working document that the Synod and the Pope will work from.

This Synod will have a significant influence in the work of the new agency formed by the Pope this past year for evangelization, the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization headed by Archbishop Rino Fisichella.

New tools… [for] new forms of consciousness: Vatican Radio at 80

February 12, 1931, Vatican Radio began its social networking capabilities for Pope Pius XI who had a particular interest in evangelization, especially in the foreign lands. Guglielmo Marconi (1874-1937), the physics Nobel Prize laureate became the father of wireless communication. Quoting Marconi, the Vatican Press Director Jesuit Father Frederico Lombardi recalled, “My inventions are to save humanity, not to destroy it.”

Read a few ideas on the founding of Vatican Radio.

Pope Pius XI exhorted his first listeners said, “Listen and hear, O Peoples of distant lands.”

Continue reading New tools… [for] new forms of consciousness: Vatican Radio at 80