The New Evangelization and the Year of Faith

The New Evangelization and the Year of FaithJonathan F. Sullivan

CACE Annual Meeting | October 22, 2012

Opening PrayerThrough Christ our lord.

Jonathan F. Sullivan

Director of Catechetical Services, Diocese of Springfield in Illinois

Technology Committee Chair, NCCL

Blogger and podcaster

Married father of five

Outline

1. What is the New Evangelization?

2. Affirmative Orthodoxy and the New Evangelization

3. The Year of Faith as an Expression of the New Evangelization

4. Implementation of the New Evangelization

5. Q&A

6. Suggested Resources

What does “New Evangelization” mean to you?

What is the New Evangelization?No, it’s not like New Coke.

What is the New Evangelization?

Vatican Council II

Paul VI

Bl. John Paul II

Benedict XVI Synod on New

Evangelization

Jesus Christ

What is a disciple?

1. Living, growing relationship with God

2. Excited Christian activists

3. Knowledgeable about the faith, Sacred Scripture, etc.

4. Know and use their charisms

5. Know their vocation and actively live it

6. Engage in fellowship with other disciples

With this in mind, what percentage of the people in your school or parish are intentional disciples?

Affirmative OrthodoxyPutting first things first.

Affirmative Orthodoxy

Termed coined by John Allen in 2008

“[A] tenacious defense of the core elements of classic Catholic doctrine, but presented in a relentlessly positive key.”

Image by arimorre/ FlickrCC

Affirmative Orthodoxy

“Christianity, Catholicism, isn’t a collection of prohibitions: it’s a positive option. It’s very important that we look at it again because this idea has almost completely disappeared today. We’ve heard so much about what is not allowed that now it’s time to say: we have a positive idea to offer.”

- Pope Benedict XVI, 2006

Affirmative Orthodoxy

Not about soft-peddling “difficult teachings”

Emphasis on the positive, affirmation

Joy as charism of New Evangelization

How does your experience of catechesis in your parish or school reflect a spirit of Affirmative Orthodoxy?

The Year of FaithProclamation, celebration, witness.

The Year of Faith

“To rediscover the content of the faith that is professed, celebrated, lived and prayed, and to reflect on the act of faith, is a task that every believer must make his own, especially in the course of this Year.”

The Year of Faith

Faith in who?

What does faith call us to?

• Proclaim

• Celebrate

• Witness

Strategies for Parishes and Catholic Schools

Because we’re evangelizing one way or another.

1. Relentless Focus on the Person of Jesus Christ

• Use the Name

• Tell the Story

2. Hire for Evangelization

• Seven Qualities of a New Evangelist

• Evangelization in the Job Description

• Evangelization in Performance Evaluation

Image by SpDuchamp / FlickrCC

3. Invitation to Discipleship

• Priority of Discipleship

• Within the Cultural Context

• High Standards

• Life-Long Process

4. Utilize New Media

• Go to Where the People Are

• Keep it Christocentric

• It’s About Relationships

Q&AThe only stupid question is the unasked one.

Q&A

Is your school or parish committed to and engaged in the New Evangelization?

If so, how?

If not, what is one step you could take to begin?

ResourcesHere’s where you go next.

Resources

Forming Intentional Disciples: The Path to Knowing and Following Jesus by Sherry Weddell (OSV, 2012)

Resources

Disciples Called to Witness: The New Evangelization (USCCB, 2012)

Resources

Fr. Robert Barron’s Word on Fire Video Commentary

For notes and linksgo to www.JonathanFSullivan.com

Thank you!