The Vine. E-Newsletter of the Office for Evangelization. Wishing you a most blessed and holy Christmas Season!

Transcription

1 Volume 4 Issue 2 I AM THE VINE. YOU ARE THE BRANCHES. JOHN 15:5 Fall/Winter 2013 The Vine E-Newsletter of the Office for Evangelization Wishing you a most blessed and holy Christmas Season! Reflections of Vicars of Christ on Christmas: Inside This Issue: Bishop s Corner 2 Looking Back Year of Faith Nourishing Your 5 Faith Dinner Bible Study 6 The Catholic s 7 Divorce Survival Guide Hispanic 10 Evangelization 2014 Men s & 12- Women s Days 13 Pope Francis Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI Blessed Pope John Paul II Because Christmas isn t just a temporal celebration or the memory of a beautiful (event). Christmas is something more, he said, Christmas is an encounter with the Lord. And as we make our way towards Him, we must go with open heart and faith, even though this is not always easy. Homily at the Santa Marta guesthouse, December 2, 2013 God s sign is his humility. God s sign is that he makes himself small; he becomes a child; he lets us touch him and he asks for our love. How we would prefer a different sign, an imposing, irresistible sign of God s power and greatness! But his sign summons us to faith and love, and thus it gives us hope: this is what God is like. He has power, he is Goodness itself. He invites us to become like him. Homily at Mass, Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord, December 24, 2009 The mystery of the Holy Night, which historically happened two thousand years ago, must be lived as a spiritual event in the today of the Liturgy, The Word who found a dwelling in Mary s womb comes to knock on the heart of every person with singular intensity this Christmas. Angelus message, December 19, 1999 Newsletter Editor - Liliana Soto-Cabrera Layout Design - Marissa Acosta Spanish Newsletter Translation - Cristina Pardo Pope Paul VI We consider Christmas as the encounter, the great encounter, the historical encounter, the decisive encounter, between God and mankind. He who has faith knows this truly; let him rejoice. December 23, 1965

2 The Vine Page 2 Bishop s Corner - The Door of Faith Remains Open Most Reverend Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V. From October 11, 2012 to November 24, 2013, for 409 days, 9,816 hours, 588,960 minutes, the Church celebrated throughout the whole world, the Year of Faith. What a wonderful opportunity was given to all of us to reflect, ponder, pray, and take time to appreciate the importance of the gift of faith in the lives of each one of us. I often wonder and ask what my life would be like if I did not have faith. What would this world be like if it were not for so many good, faith-filled people, praying, celebrating the Sacraments, hearing God s Word, fighting evil, forgiving each other, serving the Lord and doing good for each other. I cannot even fathom a world without people of faith, a world without the recognition of God s presence and actions in people s lives. When we were baptized a lighted candle was placed in our hands and the celebrant told us and our parents and godparents, This light is entrusted to you to be kept burning brightly.this child has been enlightened by Christ May he/she keep the flame of faith alive in his/her heart. We have received our faith in Baptism and this faith guides our way through life. Even though our faith has been a gift given to us at Baptism, this was not given for us alone, to be kept only for ourselves. It was meant to be shared. Pope Francis told the 3.7 million people gathered on Copa Cabana Beach for the closing Mass of the World Youth Day: Faith is a flame that grows stronger the more it is shared and passed on, so that everyone may know, love and confess Jesus Christ, the Lord of life and history. When we share our experience of faith, when we bear witness to the faith, we are proclaiming the Gospel. This is a command that the Lord entrusts to the whole Church, and that includes all of us. The apostle Saint James told us in his letter: What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Our faith must not be sterile; it must be active, bearing fruits in good deeds and actions. It has been said that, in order to grow, all evil needs is for good people to do nothing about it. Evil is all around us, waiting for us to cross our arms and do nothing for it to grow. When we put our faith into action, we are not only growing closer to God and growing in holiness, but we are also helping others to come to believe in Christ, follow him and become his disciples.

3 Volume 4 Issue 2 Page 3 LOOKING BACK ON THE YEAR OF FAITH Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI said when introducing the Year of Faith, We want this Year to arouse in every believer the aspiration to profess the faith in fullness and with renewed conviction, with confidence and hope. (Porta Fidei, Par. 9) Earlier in the document, he commented that, Reflection on the faith will have to be intensified, so as to help all believers in Christ to acquire a more conscious and vigorous adherence to the Gospel, especially at a time of profound change such as humanity is currently experiencing. (Porta Fidei, Introduction). As we reflect on the recent Year of Faith (October 11, 2012 to November 24, 2013) we consider the many ways we (the Office for Evangelization) has been allowed to help people in the Archdiocese grow in faith. A short synopsis of the activities of the Office for Evangelization (OFE) during the Year of Faith are: A Call to Witness in the Year of Faith: Empowering Ecclesial Movements and Lay Communities of the Archdiocese of Newark as Agents of the New Evangelization. Four online webinars were produced (February 26, April 23, May 22, August 13), exploring the history of lay movements in the Church, encouragement in growth, the witness of various lay movement leaders, and the introduction of the Criteria of Ecclesiality. (Ecclesial Movements as Agents of the New Evangelization by H. Richard McCord, U.S. Conf. Catholic Bishops, Sept. 16, 2012) catechetical-sunday/new-evangelization/upload/ecclesial-movementsmccord.pdf This offering concluded with a Day of Reflection for Leaders focusing on the themes of Conversion, Vocation, Discipleship, Criteria of Ecclesiality and Mission and was held on Saturday, December 7, 2013 at the Archdiocesan Youth Center, Kearny, NJ. Seventy five people attended this full day retreat. Co-Adjutor Archbishop Bernard Hebda came to meet these leaders of various Archdiocese of Newark lay and ecclesial movements. Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha opened the day with Prayer and a brief address on the church and lay movements. He emphasized that all movements that exist in the Church, including his own Vocationist order, do so at the service of Christ and His Church.

4 The Vine Page 4 LOOKING BACK ON THE YEAR OF FAITH Talks and workshops were conducted by members of the Evangelization Commission: Co-chairs of the Ecclesial Movement Partnership Committee Mr. Ron Pihokker and Mr. Richard de la Fuente as well as Msgr. Richard Arnhols Fr. Tom Dente, Fr. Timothy Graff and Liliana Soto-Cabrera. Talks were also given by Fr. Juan Luis Calderon and Diana Hernandez (missionary with Bonds of Marian Love). Archdiocesan Wide Conference and Day of Reflection The Office for Evangelization is actively involved in the planning and implementation of the Women s Commission Day of Reflection and the Men s Conference, annual Archdiocesan events. On Saturday, March 9, ,200 women joined together at Seton Hall University for a day of fellowship, learning and worship to Rediscover the Joy of Believing. On Saturday, March 2, ,500 men gathered at Seton Hall University for faith, fellowship and worship with the theme: Come, Follow Me. Article continues on Pages 8 & 9

5 Volume 4 Issue 2 Page 5 Welcome, Co-Adjutor Archbishop Bernard A. Hebda! The Office for Evangelization welcomes Co-Adjutor Archbishop Bernard A. Hebda to the Archdiocese of Newark! NOURISHING YOUR FAITH DINNER The Fifth Annual Nourishing Your Faith Dinner: An Evening of Faith, Fellowship and Spiritual Inspiration, was sponsored by the Archdiocese of Newark on Wednesday, November 20, 2013 at the Marriott Teaneck at Glenpointe. This annual event supports the Evangelization efforts of the Archdiocese of Newark. We are grateful to all who participated! The keynote speaker, George Wiegel, is the Distinguished Senior Fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, and a prominent Catholic theologian and author. In his inspirational talk he spoke of the idea that Catholics today are experiencing the birth pains of a new way of being Catholic; a kind of Evangelical Catholicism. He shared that each one of us is baptized into a missionary vocation and this new understanding of intentional Catholicism is necessary to be successful in bringing God s divine mercy to mankind. Weigel invited all present to deeply embrace the New Evangelization. His most recent book is called Evangelical Catholicism: Deep Reform in the 21 st Century Church (Basic, 2013).

6 The Vine Page 6 Bible Study Training Session Make a 2014 Resolution to Launch or Improve your Bible Study. Current and prospective leaders and small group facilitators will learn to overcome common issues: How can I get people to come? How can I keep my study from fizzling out? How can I make our small groups more cohesive? Bring your own questions and concerns and join us for this Great Adventure Bible Study training to learn how to lead and

7 Volume 4 Issue 2 Page 7 Hope and Healing Program for the Separated and Divorced A Parish Program for the Separated and Divorced No one normally marries with a conscious intent to divorce, yet countless Catholics are doing just that. The faces of separation and divorce are many and varied. Some people find themselves in unlivable or unsafe situations and are forced to leave their homes, while others simply choose to walk away from their marriages rather than work at reconciliation. But whatever circumstance ends a marriage, a spouse is left behind, a family is forever changed and many emotional, practical and spiritual challenges become part of everyday life. The daily realities of separation and divorce are daunting for those who live them. In addition to dealing with overwhelming emotions, financial challenges and family problems, many separated and divorced people stop attending Mass or leave the Church completely. They struggle with anger, fear and a lack of forgiveness and are likely to completely ignore or misunderstand the teachings of the Catholic Church and the deep healing power that lies within. The Catholic s Divorce Survival Guide is a program that was created to help separated and divorced Catholics find their way home to the Love that never leaves and never fails. The Catholic s Divorce Survival Guide has been chosen by the Office of Family Life Ministries of the Archdiocese of Newark as the program to be used in all Archdiocesan parish groups for the separated and divorced. The program, distributed by Ascension Press, is strongly rooted in the teachings of the Catholic Church, including Blessed John Paul II s Theology of the Body. It offers information and guidance from well-known Catholic priests, psychologists and authors, via a 12-DVD series, on the following topics: shock, denial, fear, anger, depression, loneliness, financial issues, court battles, parenting, custody and visitation, annulment, dating again, remarriage, sex, chastity, singleness, and the spiritual life, all from a uniquely Catholic perspective. The Catholic s Divorce Survival Guide is easily brought to any parish wishing to create an outreach to the separated and divorced. Facilitators can include clergy, religious, permanent deacons, pastoral staff or lay members of the parish. To assist parishes in adopting this program, the Family Life Office offered a Catholic s Divorce Survival Guide Facilitator Training Session on Saturday, November 23, 2013 at the Archdiocesan Center. This session offered in-depth instruction on all aspects of advertising, facilitating and administering the program. For more information about The Catholic s Divorce Survival Guide, please visit or contact the Family Life Office at Janet McCormack, M.A. Janet McCormack, Associate Director of the Family Life Office ran a training workshop in late November The response was very positive, and the Family Life Office will be running more training workshops in the future.

8 The Vine Page 8 LOOKING BACK ON THE YEAR OF FAITH (Continued) World Youth Day Involvement WYD Rio 2013 Pre-World Youth Day Rally held on Saturday, June 8, 2013 at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Bloomfield, NJ for all youth preparing to journey and those who were unable to attend World Youth Day in Brazil. This event included a professionally taped catechesis by Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, Mass with Bishop Cruz, Holy Hour Adoration, dinner and an evening band concert. Promotional Video by Te Deum Ministries In this professionally created inspirational video, Bishop da Cunha encouraged young people in their faith walk and invited them to attend the Pre-WYD Rally. School of Evangelization Keys to Reaching Inactive Catholics Seminar- Saturday, June 29, 2013 by John and Therese Boucher 70 people gathered to hear their insights and learn critical skills to reach today s inactive, marginal and un-churched Catholics.

9 LOOKING BACK ON THE YEAR OF FAITH Evangelization Resources for Deacons Presentation on Thursday, October 3, 2013 by Liliana Soto-Cabrera offered much food for thought to Archdiocesan permanent deacons, as she helped them to see beyond programs into the heart of evangelization in the parish setting. Playing off a well-known company acronym ADT Liliana shared how ardor for the faith coupled with zeal in personal discipleship along with the proper tools can lead to fruitful evangelization in a deacon s ministry. Volume 4 Issue 2 Page 9 Bible Studies Committee Scripture and the New Evangelization Talk and Evening Reception with Jeff Cavins, Friday, October 18, 2013 was an event for Clergy, Parish staff, ministry leaders and parish bible study teams. Jeff inspired all to continue wholeheartedly in the desire to be a disciple of Christ through purposeful Scripture study. Matthew in a Day: The King and His Kingdom Live Bible Seminar with Jeff Cavins, Saturday, October 19, excited attendees spent the day with Jeff Cavins exploring the power and call of Matthew s gospel. This event has encouraged many more parishes to begin offering bible study.

10 The Vine Page 10 Hispanic Evangelization Catolicismo - Catholicism Series offered in Spanish. Answering the call for the new evangelization, this multi-media educational program by Fr. Robert Barron reveals the truth, beauty and goodness of the faith in an unprecedented way. The OFE is hosting a pilot program offered to the Hispanic community on Wednesday evenings at the Archdiocesan Center facilitated by Deacon Pedro Repollet. The series started on Wednesday, October 23, 2013 and will run for ten selected evenings. Currently 140 people are attending. Marian Consecration-33 Days to Morning Glory Program Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in South Orange initiated the 33 Days to Morning Glory Retreat with some of their key parish ministers. Fifty faithful souls embarked on the retreat experience in mid October and were consecrated at a special holy hour on Thursday, November 21st, the Feast of our Lady s Presentation in the Temple. It was a profound and deep experience for all and brought everyone to a new and deeper spiritual level. After the consecration, the participants, family and friends celebrated by enjoying a sheet cake made by one of the participants. The parish will open the retreat to the wider parish community in January!

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14 Subscribe to our list through Flocknote. In order to subscribe & receive our communications via , go to Archdiocese of Newark Office For Evangelization 171 Clifton Avenue PO Box 9500 Newark, NJ Phone: Fax: Most Reverend Edgar da Cunha, SDV Vicar for Evangelization Liliana Soto-Cabrera Coordinator for Evangelization Maureen Srinivasa Ministry Assistant Find us on Facebook: officeforevangelization Follow us on Twitter: Watch us on YouTube: MISSION STATEMENT The Office for Evangelization serves as a resource for programs, courses, workshops, and consultations intended to complement and enhance the evangelizing efforts in the Archdiocese of Newark.