Posted on 12/30/2010 7:59:13 AM PST by tcg
...John Paul II called for a "New Evangelization." Pope Benedict XVI has made this a central pillar of his pontificate. He erected a Pontifical Council for the New Evangelization tasked with evangelizing countries where the Gospel was announced centuries ago, but where its presence in peoples' daily life seems to be all but lost.
Pope Benedict established a new dicastery (Vatican Office) and underscored the seriousness with which he views this mission of the New Evangelization.
Cultures formerly infused with a Christian culture are now regularly called post-Christian and understandably so. In April 2009 John Meachem, then of Newsweek magazine, wrote a widely circulated article entitled "The End of Christian America".
There is little doubt that Europe, the United States, Canada and Latin America are all "post Christian". Yes, there are many good and genuine Christians living within these Nations. However, the scourge of legal abortion, the attacks on true marriage and the family and society founded upon it, and the intolerance against people of faith, speak of the decline of Christian influence in these Nations. However, as a proponent of the New Evangelization I propose we refer to them as "Pre-Christian". As a Catholic, I also suggest Mr. Meachem has a surprise coming.... The New Evangelization requires an authentic renewal of the Church so that she can undertake such a new missionary outreach to the world. These two aspects of the one call are intricately connected. Only a Church fully alive in the Lord and filled with His Spirit can carry out such an evangelical mission.
I believe that we are at the beginning of a great resurgence in the Catholic Church precisely for this mission. Just when her opponents are ready to count the Catholic Church out, the sleeping giant is rising...
(Excerpt) Read more at catholic.org ...
I believe that we are at the beginning of a great resurgence in the Catholic Church precisely for this mission. Just when her opponents are ready to count the Catholic Church out, the sleeping giant is rising.
While individual apathy has a role in this dogmatic diaspora, the Church hierarchy itself has a role in it. The past secretive tolerance of pedophilia is not the only, or even now the major cause, if still popular in the press.
It is the promotion of an un-Christian “social justice” campaign that is really nothing more than a usurpation of the (especially American) Catholic Church to advance liberal and socialist political ideology. The US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is the core of this campaign, and the bishops are too naive to even know what is going on, or too lazy or agreeable to stop it.
Look at the support they give to abortion politicians like Biden, Kennedy, Pelosi, Leahy, etc., etc. Look at the millions they give to groups like ACORN. Look at the support they give to the subversion of American laws when they support illegal immigration (many if not most of whom, ironically, are into Protestant fundamentalism).
Add into that the pollution of the rubrics with the boring and irrelevant homilies of the pastors, the vulgarization of the Mass, the use, 40 years after it disappeared from the popular culture, of “Folk Masses”, and a plethora of other annoyances that make many of the faithful just stay home.
The Church needs to go watch some of those old Bing Crosby-Father O’Malley movies to learn how the Church should proceed.
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Benedict XVI Creates Council for New Evangelization -- Will Be Dedicated to Secularized Christian Countries
A Tri-Lingual Catholic Blitz: An Interview with Carlos Caso-Rosendi [JW now Catholic evangelizer]
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Archbishop Gomez urges laity to evangelize 'de-Christianized' American culture
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A New Missionary Age: The Year that was and the Year that will be are a Prelude.
Pope Benedict to Visit London: Is the Rebirth of a Christian Europe Underway?
Catholics are coming home
Cardinal George's Plan to Evangelize America
Jews protest Catholic document on evangelization
Singapore prime minister: Evangelization threatens nation’s stability
Catholic Word of the Day: CONGREGATION FOR THE EVANGELIZATION OF PEOPLES, 06-29-09
Go! Rebuild My Church! [Catholic Caucus]
Ordinations End Shanghai Diocese's Celebration of 400 Years of Evangelization
(Catholic Caucus) Pontiff Says Word of God Is Church's Priority
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Editorial: The Pew report is an invitation to New Evangelization
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Mel’s Passion, the New Evangelization and You
Catholics plan 'Passion' evangelism
The Heart of an Apostle If you want to make converts, begin by converting your own heart
Catholic Caucus: 12 Painless Ways to Evangelize
Announcing New Life -- Christians are called to be not only defenders of life but also restorers
I am ecstatic to read your mention of the Bing Crosby movies and the 1940’s interpretation of the Church, with nuns and the sisters in their habits. Of course it was Hollywood but as a young protestant growing up, I had only the fondest appreciation of the Catholic Church in America where the mystery of her was a beautiful attraction, even the American Catholic soldier dying on the Big Screen with rosary in hand. A few decades later I am Catholic, finally.
I am like minded to your post in every way, and attribute the fearlessness to evangelize to many of the converts of EWTN TV and RADIO and the Steubenville bunch. Fearless, all.
It’s about time, let’s get cracking! We in Poland are going to send out missionaries to the Czechs and Scandanavia. Time to send out missionaries to France, Spain, Germany, Netherlands, the UK
Soon Poland itself will need missionaries.
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