November 19 2020
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November 19, 2020 | Issue 28 Share Testimonies, Invite Young People to Encounter Christ in the Sacraments, Bishops Urge Catechists By Jen Reed The Catholic Witness “Until young people realize that Jesus Christ is a real and living person, and until they enter into a relationship with Jesus Christ and experience him moving in their lives, none of our teachings will make sense.” This was the central message that Bishop Andrew Cozzens, keynoter at this year’s Diocesan Catechetical Conference, shared with those engaged in ministry to youth. CHRIS HEISEY, THE CATHOLIC WITNESS The conference, Bishop Ronald Gainer delivers a presentation on Confirmation to open the livestreamed to more Catechetical Conference, offered via livestream from the Diocesan Center. than 450 participants on Nov. 14 from the five speakers for the event, and what it looks like today from even Diocesan Center, was underscored the significance of the just a year ago,” he said. “What we entitled, “Raising Up sacraments and personal witness in do know, though, is that we’re going Holy Youth: Shaping engaging young people in the faith. to need saints, holy people, to guide Our Future Saints.” Speaking to the conference’s us through those times and be the Bishop Ronald theme, Bishop Cozzens said “The strength and life of the Church.” Gainer and Bishop most important thing we have to Chairman of the USCCB’s Cozzens, Auxiliary do in the Church today is focus our Committee on Evangelization and Bishop of the efforts on raising up saints.” Catechesis, Bishop Cozzens linked Archdiocese of St. “None of us know what the world to the Diocese’s livestream from his Paul and Minneapolis, is going to look like in five or ten served as two of the years; none of us would believe More CATECHISTS, page 2 November 19, 2020 • The Catholic WITNESS- 2 CATECHISTS, continued from 1 Christ came to earth, that He died for their sins, residence in Minnesota. rose from the dead and invites them to live a He pointed out two important truths we realize resurrected life, this is the kerygma. It’s the basic from an encounter with Jesus: I am a sinner, and Gospel message that we’re all sinners in need of I am loved. a savior, and Jesus is the savior who is the Way, “Both of these truths come together. In that the Truth and the Life,” Bishop Cozzens said. moment, because I realize I am loved in that Catechists can deliver the kerygma through sinfulness, my whole life changes and I become testimonial. a true disciple “We can of Jesus,” he have great said. programs, Young great people need Christian encounters movies, with Jesus great music, in order to but when become his one person disciples, shares with Bishop another why Cozzens said. they believe “Once they that Jesus have that Christ is encounter, alive and everything is their redeemer, can change. Auxiliary Bishop Andrew Cozzens of the Archdiocese of St. Paul They that witness and Minneapolis, is streamed live from Minnesota for his keynote of the experience presentation on forming young people as intentional disciples. His love and Resurrected they’re open life and the to conversion, they’re open to truths, even the power of the Holy Spirit changes hearts. We need difficult and countercultural truths,” he said. to be prepared to share our own witness with Bishop Cozzens spoke on three key ways young people,” Bishop Cozzens remarked. of leading young people to this encounter: The third key to leading young people to an kerygmatic teaching, testimonials and the encounter with Christ is through His living power sacraments. in the sacraments, he said. Kerygmatic teaching is the proclamation of the “I have seen the power of Adoration and Good News of the Gospel. “When I show young people why Jesus More CATECHISTS, page 3 Publisher: 4800 Union Deposit Road The Most Rev. Ronald W. Gainer, Harrisburg, PA 17111-3710 DD, JCL, Bishop of Harrisburg Phone: 717-657-4804 Executive Director for Public Relations: Email: [email protected] Rachel Bryson, M.S. [email protected] Digital subscriptions provided complimentary to all parishioners registered to a parish in the Diocese of Managing Editor: Jennifer Reed The mission of The Catholic Witness is Harrisburg. The Catholic Witness (ISSN 0008-8447, [email protected] to be of personal and practical help as USPS 557 120) is published digitally weekly except we try to be loyal and true witnesses for Photojournalist: Chris Heisey Christmas/New Year by the Harrisburg Catholic Christ in our daily living, spiritual and [email protected] Publishing Association, 4800 Union Deposit Road, temporal, in private and in public. Harrisburg, PA 17111. November 19, 2020 • The Catholic WITNESS- 3 he said. “Those experiences CATECHISTS Sister John Sheila Galligan, IHM, continued from 2 can be transformative for young extols the Scriptures and the people. When they have that Confession with young people. virtues as means of battling sin. encounter with Jesus, their If you dispose young people hearts are open and they begin to a personal encounter with to be hungry for his Word. It all Jesus through testimonies, begins with that openness to explaining who Jesus is and the encounter.” what he wants to do in their life, and then you bring them A Catechesis on before the Lord in the Blessed Confirmation Sacrament, the Holy Spirit Bishop Gainer’s presentation works,” Bishop Cozzens said. focused on “Confirmation: “Our young people have A Catechesis on Pentecost real struggles today. We all Ever-Present,” and offered know that they get exposed to reflections for catechists who terrible things at early ages, are preparing young people to we know the pressures and receive the sacrament. anxiety they’re struggling Connecting Confirmation to with, and we know that many Pentecost, he pointed to the of them decide to leave fourth question that the bishop the Church at age 13,” he asks those who are about to said. “The enemy is working be confirmed: Do you believe overtime to draw them into sin, but when we in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who, invite them to the Sacrament of Confession, we today, through the Sacrament of Confirmation release powerful graces in their lives.” is given to you in a special way, just as He was Retreat experiences often combine the given to the Apostles on the day of Pentecost? three key elements of kerygmatic preaching, “The place of Confirmation, wherever it is testimonials celebrated, is the new Cenacle,” Bishop Gainer and the remarked. “The very mystery of the 50th day sacraments, after Easter is present anew when the Church and for that celebrates Confirmation.” reason can Turning to the text of the ritual homily that be powerful bishops can preach during the Rite, the bishop ways for young read: The bishops, as successors of the Apostles, people to have possess the same power as the Apostles and encounters they confer the Holy Spirit on those who have with Christ, the already been born again in Baptism. The Holy bishop said. Spirit, which you are about to receive, will be a “You explain spiritual seal by which you will be conformed to the truth of Christ and will be made more fully members of who Jesus the Church. is, you offer “What we’re telling those to be confirmed is, testimonies, ‘Just as the Apostles were changed radically and then you by the descent of the Holy Spirit, so will you,” expose them Bishop Gainer stressed. “Get ready. Changes are to the power about to come upon you. Just as the Apostles Kate Phenice offers a of Jesus in cooperated, you too must surrender to the power presentation on young saints Adoration and of interest for youth today. Confession,” More CATECHISTS, page 4 November 19, 2020 • The Catholic WITNESS- 4 CATECHISTS, continued from 3 presentations from three additional speakers. Sister John Sheila Galligan, IHM, a longtime of the Holy Spirit and the gifts you are about to Theology professor at Immaculata University, receive.” spoke on “Deadly Sins and Saving Virtues” in an The proof of one’s radical change and engaging presentation that examined the ways conviction is found in how it changes their lives, we can quickly fall into sin, and the virtues that the bishop remarked. can save us. “We see that dramatic, radical transformation Father John Szada, Exorcist for the Diocese of the Apostles, and we see the authenticity of of Harrisburg, gave an intriguing presentation on their conviction to go out and change the world the occult, examining why people turn to occult for Christ,” he said. “Their senses of sight and practices, why they might not realize the dangers hearing are engaged by the tongues of fire of it, and the consequences that result. and the sound of the mighty wind, and they Kate Phenice, Director of Spiritual Life at experience a mystery that their physical senses Delone Catholic High School in McSherrystown, cannot detect…. God engages us through our rounded out the presentations with “Wise Beyond physical senses as a human person, and then Their Years: Young Saints for Young People we receive the grace of the sacraments that are Today.” She examined the lives of St. Therese beyond the capability of our senses to detect,” he of Lisieux, St. Faustina, St. Aloysius Gonzaga, said. Blessed Pier Georgio Frassati and Blessed “The effect of Confirmation is that we are more Chiara Badano and the inspirational ways they deeply rooted in the Divine affiliation,” Bishop can speak to youth today. Gainer said. “It unites us more firmly to Christ, The Catechetical Conference, which is increases the gifts of the Spirit in us, perfects an annual offering of the Diocesan Office of our bond with the Church, and gives us special Evangelization and Catechesis, also included strength to fulfill the Divine Commission given by music by the Caelorum band and Adoration of Jesus at His Ascension.