In the 'Spirit of the New Evangelization'
  • francis
    Posts: 10,848
    http://www.ipadre.net/2014/07/in-the-spirit-of-the-new-evangelization/
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,513
    When I was a kid I used to sing in this musical theater group that got together every summer. It was pretty good. Our Fiddler on the Roof was really ridiculously good. Anyways, the director of the group always used to tell this story about a nun who would always end the seemingly endless discussions about pastoral needs by interjecting, "DO IT!"

    That's how I feel about every appeal to The New Evangelization. It's not about websites and twitter, ok? And it's certainly not about lectures and conferences that have The New Evangelization in the title. Just DO IT. Just evangelize. People should stop making it an excuse for all kinds of nonsense.
    Thanked by 4Gavin CHGiffen melofluent kenstb
  • Ignoto
    Posts: 126
    Just DO IT. Just evangelize.


    Yes, Kathy!! Right on.
  • MaryAnn Carr WilsonMaryAnn Carr Wilson
    Posts: 1,738
    What no one ever told me was:
    1) with what urgency evangelization would be on my mind.
    2) how fun and creative it could be
    3) how sustaining it would be for my own spirit
    4) the variety of ways, planned and unplanned, to evangelize

    The theological virtues are a great gift, and can become an enormous treasure of the soul and mind. When one loves God, it is impossible not to share Him. The person of Jesus is unique and irresistible. Ask God to receive theological virtues! If my own crusty heart can change, anyone can gain these gifts.

    Speaking of treasures, we tend an immense one... so

    yeah, just DO IT! Amen.
    Thanked by 3CHGiffen Kathy kenstb
  • francis
    Posts: 10,848
    [rant]There is no 'NEW evangelization'. There is only the mandate of JC. That IS the new evangelization. Nothing else.
    "And Jesus coming, spoke to them, saying: All power is given to me in heaven and in earth. 19Going therefore, teach ye all nations; baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. 20Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world."

    So, the ministry I have to YOU, my dear brothers and sisters, is to stress that we OBSERVE ALL THINGS! ...and that means carrying on the tradition that was handed down to us. Yes, people... that means the Mass pre VII and praying the rosary. (Eventually I will play the organ again, or compose a new Mass IN LATIN, God willing.)[/rant]

    If not, please buy my rosaries so I can feed my family. www.finerosary.com

  • donr
    Posts: 971
    Francis, I get the feeling that you are on a mission. Some times when we are on a mission we get it wrong. We do things the way that we want them to be instead of handing it all over to the Lord and letting him handle it through the Holy Spirit.

    The New Evangelization doesn't mean we are to evangelize differently then the mandate of Jesus Christ. Its not "New" to Evangelization its New to us who don't evangelize at all. The new Evangelization is all about evangelizing to Catholics as well as others.

    Its not a new way but a something that hasn't been done before by us. So its "New"... get it.

    You are already doing the New evangelization because you are trying to set us straight.

    But only the Holy Spirit can touch our hearts no matter how much you preach.

    We need to understand that it could be the Holy Spirit working through you, so we should keep an open mind about it.
  • francis
    Posts: 10,848
    donr

    Once I read that article, it occurred to me that we all just play along with the latest novelty that comes down the pike and it just has to stop.

    OK... sometimes I must come across like a wild man, but heck. What else is worth fighting for? I guess I like the model of John the Baptist.
    "And in those days cometh John the Baptist preaching in the desert of Judea. 2And saying: Do penance: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 3For this is he that was spoken of by Isaias the prophet, saying: A voice of one crying in the desert, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. 4And the same John had his garment of camels' hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins: and his meat was locusts and wild honey. 5Then went out to him Jerusalem and all Judea, and all the country about Jordan: 6And were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. And seeing many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them: Ye brood of vipers, who hath shewed you to flee from the wrath to come? 8Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of penance. And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham for our father. For I tell you that God is able of these stones to raise up children to Abraham. 10For now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that doth not yield good fruit, shall be cut down, and cast into the fire. 11I indeed baptize you in the water unto penance, but he that shall come after me, is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear; he shall baptize you in the Holy Ghost and fire. 12Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his floor and gather his wheat into the barn; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.13"

    What I am talking about is the new hype (which this article addresses) about a 'new evangelization' that the church is supposed to be engaging in. If we were 'doing what the church does' (which it always has done), then we wouldn't need to be evangelizing others much less, the Catholics who now don't even understand the basics of Catholicism. The fact that we have lost so much of our faith (apostasy?) brings things to a full circle and an apparent need for a 'new evangelization'.

    Sorry about the rants, donr. It's just high time we all wake up and smell the bulloney and not pretend that we can renew the unrenewable.

  • MarkThompson
    Posts: 768
    We have largely run out of stone-age tribes and animists to evangelize. The approach to evangelization that worked on an Aztec brave in 1520 is probably not going to work on an agnostic hipster in a café in Frankfurt. Hence, new evangelization. Just saying.
    Thanked by 3CharlesW Andrew Motyka Gustavo Zayas
  • MaryAnn Carr WilsonMaryAnn Carr Wilson
    Posts: 1,738
    The approach to not educating faithful women in all the liturgical chants of the Church that would have worked in 1520, before women were largely educated, is probably not going to work now.
    Going with your logic.
    Thanked by 2BruceL kenstb
  • Richard MixRichard Mix
    Posts: 2,815
    The approach to evangelization that worked on an Aztec brave in 1520 is probably not going to work on an agnostic hipster in a café in Frankfurt.
    Just get him in a dark alley, though...
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,985
    Expose him to the forum so his mind can be numbed into submission with eternal cut and paste. He will believe anything after that.

  • francis
    Posts: 10,848
    Mark:

    Actually, I think the world has done gone barbaric and insane. Do let me know how the new evangelization thingy works out for you all! Meanwhile, I am going to scope out some catacombs.
  • francis
    Posts: 10,848
    Another interesting article on the NE:

    http://www.hprweb.com/2014/07/the-problem-with-a-personal-relationship-with-jesus/
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