The New Evangelization

We the baptised in Christ are asked to: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age" (Mt 28:19,20). With these words, Jesus Christ, before he ascended to heaven to take his place at the right hand of God the Father (cf. Eph 1:20), sent his disciples forth to proclaim the Good News to the whole world.

Pope Benedict XVI considers the biggest challenge for the Church today, above all in countries with deep Christian roots, is to reintroduce the beauty of Christianity to those who consider it an obstacle to happiness (Zenit.org, Vatican City, 14 June, 2011). Then Cardinal Ratzinger reminded us before his election as Pope in 2005: having clear Christian faith is often labelled today as a fundamentalism. Saint Paul stated it as: “tossed by waves and swept along by every wind of teaching arising from human trickery” (Eph 4, 14). This has caused a crisis in faith for many people over the decades. Coptic Orthodox Bishop Angaelos stated (25 January, 2012): "We're facing serious threats of increased secularism and marginalization of religion in general and Christianity in particular." Pope Benedict XVI wants to “promote a renewed evangelisation” in traditionally Christian countries which are living through a “progressive secularisation of society and a sort of ‘eclipse of the sense of God.’” In a meeting on December 17, 2011, with bishops from New Zealand, the Pope said that the new evangelisation: “is not an abstract concept but a renewal of authentic Christian living based on the teachings of the Church.” (Zenit.org, Vatican City, December 19, 2011). To rein-enforce the urgency, the Pope in a letter to mark the close of the twelfth Inter-Christian Symposium (2 September, 2011) wrote: "for a renewed proclamation of the Gospel in the modern world we need evangelisers animated by the same apostolic zeal of (Saint) Paul".

In response to this serious crisis in faith, the Pope appointed Archbishop Salvatore Fisichella, as president of the newly formed Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization in September 2010. It is preparing for the Synod of Bishops on New Evangelisation in October 2012 (Zenit.org, 4 October, 2011). Pope Benedict XVI is asking bishops to be audacious in thinking of new ways to spread the Gospel message. The Pope asked bishops of Europe to "identify new ways of evangelisation with missionary audacity," and he particularly stressed the need that young people have of the Gospel (Zenit.org, 4 October, 2011). Therefore, it has become important that religious leaders remind Europe and elsewhere of Christianity’s social good. The Council of Bishops’ Conferences of Europe and the Conference of European Churches are encouraging Christians to demonstrate the positive influence Christianity can have in the public sphere. The churches “have the opportunity to participate in the intellectual debate and to show that the Christian faith is a force for good in society,” The leaders said the source of the spiritual crisis affecting Europe needs to be found. They encouraged Christians “to resist the temptation to diminish their presence in the public sphere, because the credibility of their testimony in the eyes of public opinion is at stake.” (CNA, Rome, 2 February, 2012). The same can be said in Australia, where similar challenges have caused a crisis in faith; however, the Christian faith can be presented as a positive force for good in society. All Church activity is to evangelise – preaching, catechesis, liturgy, the sacramental life, popular piety and the witness of Christian life. Its mission is one of service to authentic human development in God the Father, Son and Spirit and is much broader that what has traditionally been called the foreign missions (Zenit.org, 4 October, 2011).

A new “internal evangelisation” is urgently needed to strengthen the faith of Christians and reinforce “external evangelisation” (CNA, Rome, 2 February, 2012). Catholics must rediscover their religious identity and mission, as many Catholics suffer from a 'Catholic identity crisis.' There is an urgent need to understand what evangelisation is, or how to go about it. The Church exists in order to evangelise and we have an opportunity to rediscover the meaning and purpose of being Catholic, which will bring about a renewal of Catholic faith and Catholic culture (Professor Dr. Ralph Martin, 7 December, 2011). According to Archbishop Salvatore Fisichella, we can start with the upcoming Lenten period: “Lent was seen as a providential opportunity: that the reading of the Word of God, the bishop’s catechesis, the celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, united with the sign of charity, can still be an evident sign of the commitment of Christians to proclaiming the Good News of Jesus in our day” (Fisichella, 3 February, 2012).

In Australia, we must challenge ourselves to identify new ways of evangelisation with the same missionary audacity. As an individual or group, we can be a force for evangelisation. There are many positive ways in our daily lives we can start to think about our humble contribution towards this new evangelisation: being an example in our faith to others, at the parish level or reaching out to lapsed Catholics. We can start in meeting halls, in schools and universities, in hospitals, within charities and providing charity itself by extending assistance to migrants and travellers. The message can be further communicated via the new social media and in various online forums, in newsletters, with posters and handouts. There are many ways to contribute in the new evangelisation – what is your way?

-- Richard Houlihan.
Co-ordinator of Catholics on Campus – Monash University.