Bishop David Ricken of Green Bay, Wis., recently established a Department of New Evangelization for his diocese.
He responded to questions from the Register in writing about how he and his flock are reaching out to those in need of hearing the Gospel of Christ.
From where did the idea for the Department of New Evangelization come?
The idea for the Diocese of Green Bay’s Department of New Evangelization is the fruit of much prayer and guided by the Holy Spirit.
This new department was created to align more closely with the diocesan pastoral plan which I promulgated on June 12, 2011 — the Solemnity of Pentecost. The plan, entitled "Parishes: Called to be Holy, Fully Engaged, Fully Alive," focused on six pastoral areas that the diocese and its 157 parishes would commit themselves to develop during the next five to seven years, so they can better carry out the mission of the Church — of bringing the Gospel to the world. One of the focus areas was evangelization. This plan to renew parish vitality began back in 2009, as leaders within the diocese set out to develop a diocesan visioning process that could identify how and where parishes were prepared to grow.
Although it will take many years to see the totality of the abundance of fruits connected to these efforts, there are beginning to be clear signs of growth in our parishes.
We step forward in confidence, understanding the vital role of each and every parish, and commit ourselves to assist them to realize their dreams and strengthen their mission into the future.
The work of the New Evangelization is integral to the life of the Church — indeed, the Church exists in order to evangelize, and we in the Diocese of Green Bay are committed to creating a culture of intentional discipleship in our homes, parishes and communities.
Please define what you mean by "New Evangelization."
The New Evangelization calls each of us to deepen our own faith, to believe in the Gospel message, to seek opportunities to grow in faith and to go forth to proclaim the Gospel with courage and joy.
The New Evangelization invites each Catholic to renew his or her relationship with Jesus Christ and his Church. The New Evangelization is often a matter of reaching out and inviting someone who may not have come to church for some time, to let them know that they are missed, that we want them and need them in church, so that they can journey with us.
The New Evangelization calls us ever deeper into a life of holiness, so that we can truly be engaged in our faith and our communities in order to be fully alive in Christ.
What are the department’s main objectives?
Taken from my pastoral letter, the goals of the Department of New Evangelization include: developing a missionary approach to our outreach to both those who are not familiar with the Gospel or the Church (evangelization) and to those who may have fallen out of familiarity with the Church (the New Evangelization); "re-proposing" the faith to those who have fallen away, with a personal invitation to return to church; helping our parishioners to evangelize others by telling them about Jesus, who is the Son of God, the Savior of the world and the one who forgives our sins (we will help our parishioners to invite others to our churches and invite them to become Catholic); showing our people how to overcome the fear of sharing their faith with others and how to converse about and live the Gospel in various real-life situations.
In addition, a strategic-ministry plan will be created for the Department of New Evangelization focusing on support and specific initiatives to create an intentional culture of discipleship in the Diocese of Green Bay.
What are the department’s biggest challenges?
As Cardinal [Donald] Wuerl has stated, we are experiencing a "tsunami of secularism" in the current culture. This is a challenge that the Church must confront with the Gospel message of hope and love.
All ministries of the Church will face this challenge, but it is only by the power of Christ, through the holy Church and her authentic witness of believers, that we can confront this tsunami of secularism and claim the culture for Christ.
What are your hopes and expectations?
It is my hope that all of our parish Masses throughout the diocese will be full every Sunday with faithful who are truly walking with Christ.
It is my dream and hope that youth and young adults are fully accepted as an essential asset to our parishes, becoming fully engaged and fully alive in faith.
It is my hope that our parishioners are so joyful in their faith that they bring home to the Church many of their family members and friends who have fallen away and that they return to full participation in the life of the parish.
Our faith is filled with hope! Let’s open our minds and hearts to Christ, so that, through us, he can make these dreams and hopes a reality. This is the mission of Christ, carried out in the life of our parish communities. This is the work of the New Evangelization.
Marge Fenelon writes from Cudahy, Wisconsin.
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Why would a non-Catholic want to be a Catholic when the Post-Vatican popes says that a member of any religion can be saved. Vatican II is heretical since they are not following the teaching of Jesus, “the only way to the father is through me.”
@Joe Decarlo,
I don’t know what Vatican II actually taught, but I do know what a lot of clergy are teaching and that is that as long as someone is following their conscience to serve God, they are in union with the church and are saved. Than why evangelize anyone. I don’t know many people that are not following their conscience to do what they think is best.
I asked a similar question of a nun recently. She said that we can not judge those of other religions. I asked her, ‘Why should I evangelize. It is a lot of work and I loose friends along the way. (You know, don’t talk about religion or politics.) She said, they most likely are saved due to ‘invincible ignorance’. But I wonder, if I tell someone about Christ, then they are no longer ‘invincibly ignorant’. That makes them now the subject of hell. Now am I responsible for someone going to hell?
This idea is confusing to me. There has got to be something more. Why did thousands of priests die in missions trying to convert others to Catholicism? The Bible doesn’t seem to indicate that ignorance is an excuse. I know that if you are in business and unknowingly do something against the law, you are still going to be fined or go to jail.
Jesus said that someone must be Baptized in order to be saved. He didn’t say, they must be Baptized in order to be saved, but if they don’t know about me and have been totally trained in my teachings and have access to a Catholic church, they have a special pass. No in fact, Jesus said that ‘Narrow is the path leading to life, and wide and spacious is the path leading to destruction’. I don’t know but that seems to indicate that it is pretty hard to get to heaven and you better figure out the best way to get there (which is the teachings of Christ).
This whole politically correct teaching that most anyone is saved, doesn’t seem biblical. Personally, I think that others can be ‘saved’ but only if they are totally selfless and godly. They still must be purified and taught the truth about God and his requirements. Their best hope is Purgatory where they get this purifying.
But the problem is that very few people in our modern world would fit this. Most are selfish and lazy. When they do good things, it is mainly because it somehow benefits them through better relations, or they won’t feel guilty. I know because I was one of them. In fact, why is it that 75% of Catholics don’t go to church anymore. They think that it doesn’t matter. If they are good (aren’t a serial murderer or rapist) they will go to heaven, because they are good people (better than Adolf Hitler). Their priest probably taught them that too. BUT, they are wrong. There is a hell, and ‘wide and spacious is the road to it’. The Catholic church is the best way of truly becoming that godly and selfless person. I am afraid most Catholics today wouldn’t even fit this description. I am afraid that I too may not be good enough. I pray that I am good enough to make it to purgatory where I can be purified.
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