Home Mission Briefing January 2011
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HOME MISSION BRIEFING ‘The man went off and proceeded to proclaim in the Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him. And everyone was amazed.’ Feast of St John Bosco, Mark 5:1-20 A monthly news roundup for the Catholic community in England and Wales January 2011 DIOCESE: INITIATIVE: ENQUIRIES: MEDIA: ECUMENISM: Westminster A national Catholic Philip contacted the Totus2us is a multi- The Hope Diocese is offering a Roadshow is being Catholic Enquiry Office media resource Together website booklet called Faithful organised by Heart to ask: ‘I am a Catholic which aims to give offers various news Pilgrim, to encourage Gives Unto Heart but do not support voice to John Paul items, including parishioners to revisit Radio during exclusion of women II's and Benedict details of a new the texts from the Summer 2011. and gay people from XVI's ‘dear young Easter resource: Papal Visit. Contact: Volunteers are the priesthood and I do people’. So far the http:// [email protected] welcome. Contact: not agree that priests website has voices www.hopetogether. Deadline for parish gerrycoates@bluey have to be celibate. from nearly 70 org.uk/ orders: 11 February. onder.co.uk and Does this mean I countries and offers www.heartgivesunt cannot have a range of mp3 and oheart.co.uk communion at Mass?’ video files. See: http:// (Name changed to protect www.totus2us.com/ privacy) Pope John Paul II’s ‘Speaking to the American Bishops in 1998, the Pope observed that “the new Beatification evangelisation [involves] a vital effort to come to a deeper understanding of the The Congregation for Saints' Causes mysteries of faith and to find meaningful in Rome has announced that Pope language with which to convince our John Paul II will be beatified on 1 May contemporaries that they are called to 2011. An important part of his newness of life through God’s love.” It’s contribution to the mission of the the task of sharing with your neighbors, Church was his teaching and call for friends and co-workers, “the a ‘new evangelisation’. ‘unsearchable riches of Christ’ and of Image source: www.thepapalvisit.org.uk making known ‘the plan of the mystery ‘John Paul first used the expression “the hidden for ages in God who created all new evangelisation” in a trip to Latin heart to Christ and His teachings. The things’ (Eph 3:8-9).”’ America in 1983. Ever since he has call to interior conversion, in fact, was “unstintingly recalled the pressing need one of the main themes of Vatican II. As The Decree for his beatification reads: for a new evangelisation” (Faith and the Council understood well, this can ‘The life of John Paul II was totally Reason 103). This urgency stems not only happen through an authentic, devoted to the service of the Lord.’ Full only from the fact that entire nations still compelling, evangelical witness to text: http://www.zenit.org/article-31459? haven’t received the Gospel, but also salvation through Jesus Christ. l=english because “entire groups of the baptised have lost a living sense of the faith, or ‘As John Paul clarified in his Apostolic Pope Benedict XVI has repeatedly even no longer consider themselves Letter At the Beginning of the New spoken of the importance of engaging in members of the Church, and live a life Millennium, the new evangelisation isn’t the new evangelisation. This is our far removed from Christ and His “a matter of inventing a ‘new program.’ shared task as missionaries in England Gospel” (Mission of the Redeemer 86). The program already exists: it is the and Wales, supported by the prayers plan found in the Gospel and in the ‘Therefore, one thing “new” about this and teaching of the soon-to-be beatified living Tradition, it is the same as Pope John Paul II. evangelisation is that it’s directed in ever” (29). What’s essential in order to large part towards “baptised non- bring the Gospel to the modern world is Text source: http://www.crossroadsinitiative.com/ believers.” Men and women in large a proclamation that’s “new in ardor, library_article/385/ numbers are “culturally Christian,” but methods, and expression” (9 March, Theology_of_the_Body___The_New_Evangeliza haven’t experienced a conversion of 1983). tion___Christopher_West.html Home Mission Desk, tel: 020 7901 4818; email: [email protected] 1 ‘GO MAKE DISCIPLES’ New Ordinariate Archbishop’s Digital Media Appointment Earlier this month a Personal Ordinariate Truth, Proclamation and Authenticity of Our Lady of Walsingham was of Life in the Digital Age has been established in England and Wales announced as the theme of this year’s (referred to as ‘the Ordinariate’) for groups World Communications Day, 5 June of Anglican faithful and their clergy who 2011. Pope Benedict writes: wish to enter into full communion with the ‘The task of witnessing to the Gospel in Catholic Church. It has been described as the digital era calls for everyone to be a ‘unique moment’ and ‘a historic particularly attentive to the aspects of development in the life of the Universal that message which can challenge Church.’ some of the ways of thinking typical of Image source: © Mazur/ the web... I would like then to invite Reverend Keith Newton, the new catholicchurch.org.uk Christians, confidently and with an Ordinary, said at a press conference on 17 informed and responsible creativity, to January: ‘...there are plenty of people out ‘The new Pontifical Council for join the network of relationships which there who have no practice of the Faith at Promoting New Evangelisation has its the digital era has made possible. This the moment. I hope this is going to be an first members, including Archbishop is not simply to satisfy the desire to be evangelistic tool. I think it's part of the Bernard Longley of Birmingham. present, but because this network is an Pope’s vision for the evangelisation of integral part of human life.’ Europe; it’s just a very small part. I hope the Ordinariate is not going to live for ‘The council, formally established in More: http://www.catholicchurch.org.uk/Catholic- October, is charged with renewing and Church/Media-Centre/press_releases/Press- itself, and look beyond its borders to be Releases-2011/Pope-reflects-on-social-media evangelistic. Not simply saying to people strengthening the faith in traditionally who at present in the Anglican Church, Christian countries where religious belief “come and be Catholics in the and practice are threatened by Key To Happiness Ordinariate”. All that will happen I’m sure. secularism and indifference. But we will be looking to people who have ‘Having a job is more important to no faith; we have to be warm and opening ‘Pope Benedict XVI named 19 cardinals people than how much they are paid, and missionary.’ and bishops to be members of the according to the first official inquiry into council.’ what makes Britons happy. At the Ordination of three priests who are to serve in the Ordinariate, Archbishop Text source: http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/ ‘The Office for National Statistics (ONS) news/2011/01/05/archbishop-longley-among- analysed responses from more than Nichols said in this homily: ‘In today’s members-of-new-evangelisation-council/ Gospel passage from St. John, we have 2,000 people. The emerging results heard again of the appearance of the showed that job security, personal Risen Christ to his disciples... He shows health and relationships with family them his wounds. The mission they Sacred Space members were at the top of most receive, the mission of reconciliation, Conference people's concerns, comes from the wounds of Christ... Our ‘Other key ingredients of a happy life mission is characterised by woundedness: were parents' sense of the security of a mission to a wounded world; a mission their children's future; the freedom of entrusted to a wounded Church, carried society; and spiritual and religious out by wounded disciples... The first to beliefs.’ More: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/ witness these wounds, the first, perhaps, science/science-news/8249538/Happiness-is- to grasp their true significance, was Mary, having-a-job-and-the-salary-doesnt-matter.html Mother of Jesus... As this Ordinariate, her A Conference is being held in Oxford to Ordinariate, comes into being so may we explore how to recognise the sacred in Pope’s Legacy entrust to her the work of bringing it to secular spaces. fulfilment.’ The ecumenical event is for anyone Fr Marcus Stock, the General Secretary of engaged in mission (including youth the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of work, schools work, community arts and England and Wales, has written an FAQ fresh expressions of church). resource to assist people in their Image source: www.thepapalvisit.org.uk understanding of this historic initiative. It Over two days (22 - 23 March) a key A new programme has been launched to covers key questions and is available question that will be posed is, ‘Where support the Catholic Community to from: http://www.catholicchurch.org.uk/ are God’s fingerprints in the world contribute to the legacy of the Pope’s Catholic-Church/Ordinariate/Background- around us?’ For more information: http:// Visit to the UK. Information sacredspaces.eventbrite.com/ Called Some Definite Purpose the programme reflects the content of Pope February Outreach Idea: Benedict XVI’s speeches, homilies and Clare Ward, Display a religious image prominently addresses during his September 2010 Home Mission Advisor in your home. visit to the UK. See: www.thepapalvisit.org.uk/legacy For more information and to share your news please contact the Home Mission Desk which works in service of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales.