Hope in this new Missionary Age: The New Evangelization

'I sense that the moment has come to commit all of the Church's energies to a new evangelization.' (Pope John Paul II)

ORLANDO, Fla. (Catholic Online) - It was the late Servant of God John Paul II who coined the phrase "New Evangelization." Among the many writings and speeches throughout his pontificate wherein he used the phrase was his 1990 Encyclical Letter entitled "Mission of the Redeemer."

He wrote, "God is opening before the Church the horizons of a humanity more fully prepared for the sowing of the Gospel. I sense that the moment has come to commit all of the Church's energies to a new evangelization and to the mission ad gentes. No believer in Christ, no institution of the Church can avoid this supreme duty: to proclaim Christ to all peoples".

He lived this mission until his final passing to the Father. His living faith was displayed to the whole world, confirming the great truth of the Gospel which he both proclaimed and incarnated in a life of conformity to Jesus Christ. His blessed successor in office, Pope Benedict XVI, has continued the call us to this "New Evangelization" and speaks regularly of this time in which we live as a new missionary age.

We are all alive in what is certainly a time of historic challenge for the Church. However, it is also not without precedent. In fact, it is very much like other great missionary ages. The results will also be similar - the triumph of the truth which we proclaim - and the liberation which it brings to people, to families, to Nations and to cultures.

I write to you from the "Catholic Leadership Conference" where I am experiencing a tremendous renewal of hope. The Mission of the Catholic leadership Conference is to "encourage cooperation and collaboration among the Leaders of Catholic Apostolates while providing venues for those leaders to exchange ideas, strengthen personal relationships, and take unified action as decided."

I am representing the work of Catholic Online, as a global integrated media network devoted to promoting the message and the mission of this New Evangelization and serving all those called to engage in it. Frankly, today was, as the expression goes, "just what the Doctor ordered" for this weary pilgrim.

I have just finished the day and, though I am tired, I am filled with hope for the future. Not a feigned or pretended optimism, but the kind of hope which comes from the Holy Spirit. Everyone here KNOWS the challenges we face as our culture continues on its collision course. However, everyone also knows the Lord - and is trying to live their lives as loyal sons and daughters of the Catholic Church who have been sent into this age and this culture on a mission.

I have spoken to many inspired and inspiring Catholic leaders today. You know you are getting old when so many look like they could be one of your children. They work in many different fields of the apostolate. However, what they have in common is the kind of supernatural hope which comes from a living, dynamic faith.

Patrick Reilly of the Cardinal Newman Society shared the platform this afternoon with the heroic President of Belmont Abbey College, Dr. Bill Thierfelder. They jointly discussed the state of Catholic higher education. They did so with honesty, yes, but also with the hope which should be the mark of all of us who are Catholic Christians.

We were honored to have the Bishop of the Orlando Diocese, Most Rev. Thomas Wenski, preside at Mass in the New Basilica, Mary, Queen of the Universe. He gave a wonderful homily on avoiding "bitter zeal" and living our lives, and our mission, in genuine charity and faith. We have some wonderful Bishops in our age and he is surely one of many.

This evening we heard from Fr. Jonathan Morris, the regular news contributor on Fox News Channel. He shared his experience of walking through the Lord's open door to him and utilizing the "secular" media for the "New Evangelization'. His talk was outstanding and the fruits of his work bear witness to the source of his inspiration.

I will have another full day tomorrow but I will try to update our readers on the speakers and the activities. Though it is late, I wanted to give you this report in order to encourage you. Our mission, all of us, is to walk into this culture, filled with the love of God, equipped with the splendor of truth, and continue the "New Evangelization."

We need to do so as Catholic Christians who realize that the gift we have been given is meant for the whole world. We also need to be willing to take the risks that such a new missionary age requires.Even if it means being misunderstood, wrongly accused, disparaged or, should it come, persecuted.We also need to continue to proclaim what the church proclaims.

For example, in proclaiming the Social Doctrine of the Church we need to be willing to be "accused" of being called any number of the contemporary political labels bandied about these days. I am used to it after all these years. What is most important is that what we proclaim is the Social Doctrine of the Catholic Church.

That means we have to study that body of teaching, pray through it, and then learn to articulate it. I often say I am "pro-life, pro-family, pro-freedom (rightly understood), pro-poor and pro-peace". I have been accused of being "conservative" and, yes, I have also been accused of being "liberal", particularly in my economic insights and long term aversion to war. I am simply trying to be Catholic.

The principles and truths offered by the Social Doctrine of the Catholic Church are not "liberal" or "conservative", Democratic or Republican.

Take our position on the dignity of every human life from conception, throughout the entirety of life, and to a natural death. This is not simply some "religious" position in the sense that it should be kept "private", it is the truth. It is revealed by the Natural Law which can be known by all men. It is also confirmed by science. It is also the foundation of any truly just society.

After a long day, I say to our readers, take heart. There are faithful Catholic men and women being raised up in every segment of our culture, and they are hard at work. They are in love with the Lord and His Church and sacrificially standing for both.There is a lot of "Good News" in the midst of all the bad news we so often hear.The Catholic Leadership Conference is just one example that the "New Evangelization" is well underway.

I remember when I was a young man, a priest whom I deeply admired use to say, "We may not have it all together but together we have it all". We really do. We have the fullness of truth which is the Catholic Christian faith, ever ancient and ever new. Now, let's give it away and offer ourselves as servants of the Lord in this new missionary age.

---

'Help Give every Student and Teacher FREE resources for a world-class Moral Catholic Education'

Copyright 2021 - Distributed by Catholic Online