ExPRESS Newsletter - February 2000 + 2001/01
The Electronic Newsletter of
the USCCB Secretariat for Evangelization
Quote: "...African American Catholics are encouraged to discover their past, let them be encouraged to retell their story for the sake of the present. The role of history in evangelization is that it relates the story of faith in the midst of struggle, and the story of hope and perseverance in the midst of opposition. Hence, there are two goals that must be sought on the diocesan and parish levels. First, scholars and local historians should be encouraged and offered incentives to study the past of African American Catholics. Second, African American Catholics must be encouraged to conserve their records today..."
"HERE I AM, SEND ME" A Conference Response to the Evangelization of
African Americans and the National Black Catholic Pastoral Plan
Quote: Evangelization and African Americans, Eighth National Black Catholic Congress
"....Let us preserve the delightful and comforting joy of evangelizing, even when it is in tears that we must sow....May it mean for usas it did for John the Baptist, for Peter and Paul, for the other Apostles and for a multitude of splendid evangelizers all through the Church's historyan interior enthusiasm that no one and nothing can quench."
Most. Rev. Edward K. Braxton, Bishop-elect Lake Charles, LA
Evangelization and African Americans Eighth National Black Catholic Congress
Member of the NCCB Committee on Evangelization
Quote: The time has come for us to help our people engage in honest and constructive dialogue that will lead to reconciliation, trust, and understanding. There are those who feel there are no racial problems. Still others, and perhaps the majority of people, want to deal with this scar, but do not know how or where to begin. When Mr. Byrd's sister was asked by a reporter about how she felt toward the three men who had brutally killed her brother, she responded that she and her family forgave them because they were not brought up to hate. Armed with the Word of God and the social teachings of the Church, we must help our people so that Jesus' prayer, "That they might all be one," can indeed be a reality. And so let us not grow weary or tired in our own efforts to eradicate racism and to promote true peace and reconciliation among those we serve."
Most Rev. Curtis J. Guillory, SVD, Bishop of Beaumont, TX
"Love Thy Neighbor As Thyself, US Bishops Speak Against Racism"
Chairman, Bishops' Committee on World Mission
On Sunday, 20 January, the Holy Father addressed participants in a symposium organized by the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples and the Pontifical Urbanian University to commemorate the 10th anniversary of his Encyclical Letter Redemptoris Missio, which had been published on 7 December 1990 to mark the 25th anniversary of Vatican II's Decree Ad Gentes. The Pope reaffirmed the Church's missionary task: "If every people and nation are entitled to know the joyful message of salvation, our principal duty is to open the doors to Christ for them through proclamation and witness. If at times the proclamation of the Gospel and public adherence to Christ is impeded for various reasons, Christians still have the possibility to cooperate in the work of salvation through prayer, example, dialogue and humanitarian
service".
US Commission on Catholic Evangelization (USCCE) meets for the first time in April...In November, 2000 the Bishops' Committee on Evangelization established the USCCE and one of its three committees will meet in Buffalo, NY on April 28th and 29th. The Evangelization Committee will gather 30 representatives from each of the 30 US metropolitan provinces. Sr. Lucy Clynes, DW (St. Augustine), Ms. Val Keller (Milwaukee) and Fr. Joseph Kruszynski, OFM Conv. (Chicago) who serve as executive members of the Evangelization Committee recently met with Fr. John Hurley, CSP who is executive director of the bishops' Secretariat for Evangelization. Fr. Hurley and Stevan Ciric, CSP (Intern) recently completed the roster for province representation and were very encouraged by the responses of those who were invited to serve for 2001. In 2002, each province will elect its representatives to this committee of the commission. Check out the USCCE on the secretariat's website: www.nccbuscc.org/evangelization.
Catholic Campaign for Human Development , Poverty USA: The State of Poverty in America....In America's forgotten state, 32.3 million people live in poverty.
(U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, March 2000). Poverty USA is bigger than Texas, Florida or New York. More people live within its boundaries than in the states of Connecticut, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey and Nevada combined. (Based on 1999 U.S. Census Bureau population data) Nearly half of all poor people in the U.S. suffer from "chronic poverty," which means that they have lived or will live below the poverty rate for more than two years. (Poverty 1993-94: Trap Door, Revolving Door or Both?, Mary Naifeh,1998) In 1999, the official poverty threshold, as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau, for a family of four was $17,184. A 2000 poll revealed that most Americans believe it takes at least $35,000 annually for a family of four to make ends meet. (By Lake, Snell, Perry and Associates for Jobs for the Future).
The average American, now age 20, has about a 60% chance of spending at least one year living
in poverty at some point in the future. By age 35, about 31% of the U.S. population will have
experienced a year in poverty. By age 65, the figure rises to 51%, and by age 85, it exceeds 66%. ("The Likelihood of Poverty across the American Adult Life Span" by Mark R. Rank and
Thomas A. Hirschl, Social Work, May 1999). Data for this table was compiled using the most current information available. Check out CCHD'S new website on poverty. It is a motivating site to encourage us to transform society: www.nccbuscc.org/cchd/povertyusa
Migration and Refugee Services Releases New publication...Welcoming the Stranger Among Us, UNITY IN DIVERSITY..."Unity in diversity is the vision that we bishops, as pastors of the Church in the United States, offer to our people as they welcome the new immigrants and refugees who come to our shores...This diversity of ethnicity, education, and social class challenges us as pastors to welcome these new immigrants and help them join our communities in ways that are respectful of their cultures and in ways that mutually enrich the immigrants and the receiving Church." To order this publication, call 800 235-8722. This publication is available in Spanish: No. 5-848, English 5-375.
Committee on African American Catholics Releases New publication
LOVE THY NEIGHBOR AS THYSELF, U.S. CATHOLIC BISHOPS SPEAK AGAINST RACISM...An excellent collection of articles written by bishops on racism. Developed by the U.S. bishops' Committee on African American Catholics, the volume begins with the Oral Report from the Committee to the bishops at their 1998 General Meeting. Articles are arranged into sections on Catholic Social Teaching, Catholic Expressions/Activities, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Celebrations, Hate Crimes, Healing, and Ecumenical/Interfaith Issues. A long-awaited reader ideal for class and group use. To order this resource or to obtain a catalog of other USCC titles, call 800 235-8722, request publication No. 5-393
From the Chairman of the BCEV, Bishop Michael W. Warfel, Bishop of Juneau, AK
Evangelization has become a more commonly used word within the average Catholic's vocabulary however, there still is probably a long way to go before Catholics in general will appreciate that evangelization is the Church's primary mission. Thanks to the enthusiasm and commitment of certain individuals within the Church who have responded whole heartedly to this mission, however, I have great hope that the "new evangelization" promoted by Pope John Paul II will continue to draw more Catholics to witness to their faith through word and deed.
This past November, following the Fall NCCB bishops' meeting, a group of 80 diocesan coordinators and/or directors of evangelization from dioceses around the country, gathered in Jacksonville, Florida to focus on Faith and Mission in Jesus Christ and Catholic evangelization in the U.S. We spoke with one another about the challenges and struggles involved in the ministry of evangelization. We shared stories of witness and ways by which Christ is effectively proclaimed in today's world. We also spent time together in prayer.
The perspectives of the participants varied. The make-up of the participants was culturally and ethnically diverse. The spirit of the group was energetic and enthusiastic. Knowing that each of the participants had been entrusted with a significant position within his or her respective archdiocese or diocese, I was buoyed with a sense of hope and expectation.
Appreciation of evangelization as the Church's primary mission is definitely spreading. Now, in addition to groups like the National Catholic Conference on Evangelization, the Bishop's Committee on Evangelization has established the United States Commission on Catholic Evangelization. I believe that it will prove to be an important instrument in enhancing the Church mission of proclaiming Christ in the U.S.
Congratulations to the Most Reverend Edward K. Braxton who was appointed the second Bishop of Lake Charles, Louisiana, and will be installed on February 22, 2001. Bishop Braxton serves as a member of the Bishops' Committee on Evangelization.
Jubilee Retreat 2000 for diocesan evangelization designates continues to reap benefits from the November, 2000 gathering that was held in the Diocese of St. Augustine, in Jacksonville, Florida. The diocesan designates indicate that the Retreat was significant for the following reasons: the opportunity for positive and affirming contact with others involved in evangelization ministries; the receiving and sharing of information about a range of evangelization programs and related efforts; powerful shared experiences of liturgy; a deep sense of fellowship and unity of purpose with the Bishops present and the other evangelization designates. It was overwhelmingly suggested that this type of gathering be repeated every two years.
BCEV Committee meeting update. . . Bishop Warfel welcomed guests: Ms. Adele Bolduc, Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops; Sr. Lucille Clynes, Diocese of St. Augustine, Mr. Michael Marconi, The Koch Foundation, and Mr. Tom Gornick Archdiocese of Portland. They each gave brief introductions about their work and ministries. Of special significance: the positive reaction to "Journey To The Fullness of Life-A Report on the Implementation of the RCIA in the US"; the establishment of a self-standing Secretariat for Evangelization, and; approval for the US Commission on Catholic Evangelization (USCCE).
PNCEA Pilots New Parish Planning Resource...In 2001, three U.S. parishes will pilot Parish Planning with an Evangelizing Perspective (PPEP), a new ministry resource developed by the Paulist National Catholic Evangelization Association (PNCEA), Washington, DC. Pastors and lay leaders from Holy Trinity Parish in Whitestone, NY; Holy Infant, Durham, NC; and Our Lady of Joy in Pittsburgh, PA, attended a training workshop held January 9-11, 2001 in Washington, DC, to learn how to implement this process in their parishes. PNCEA provides a step-by-step manual, bulletin inserts, homily hints and helps, leadership training and support, and an internet website for information exchange among leaders. As part of the pilot PNCEA staff will be on site for key parish activities associated with the process. This unique strategic planning model developed specifically for parishes is Christ-centered, mission-focused, highly participative and results oriented. PNCEA plans to make PPEP available to other parishes in the Fall of 2001. For further details visit: http://www.paulist.org/pncea.
NCCE Conference. . .The 17th National Council for Catholic Evangelization Conference will take place in Raleigh, NC on June 6-9, 2001. The conference will be an opportunity for ordained and lay evangelists to gather with diocesan and parish leaders in the ministry of evangelization. The theme of the conference is HOLY GROUND and will focus on the multicultural aspects of evangelization. A special effort has been made to address issues relating to small rural parishes. The pre-conference Proclamation Day event features acclaimed preacher Bishop Kenneth Untener. Other major presenters include Rev. Paul Minnihan, Rev. Dr. Giles Conwill, Seung Ai Yang, Ph.D., Sr. Rosa Maria Icaza, CCVI, Ph.D. from the Mexican American Cultural Center and Rev. John Hurley, CSP. For more information or to register go to www.catholicevangelization.org, or contact NCCE at 1-800-786-NCCE (6223) or director@catholicevangelization.org.
The Pastoral Department for Small Christian Communities of the Archdiocese of Hartford releases its new QUEST for Spring 2001. This is an excellent resource for small groups to break open the Word in prayer, Scripture sharing, integration and response in action. The department is also happy to announce MUSIC QUEST which contains songs and music referred to in each weekly session of the Spring 2001 Quest. Music Quest is available on tape and CD. For more information or to order your copies, call: 860-243-9642.
A Special Report on National Parish Inventory was released by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) in October, 2000. This is an excellent tool and reflection on the status of parishes in our dioceses. For your copy call CARA at 202-687-8080.
The Hallelujah Highway, A History of the Catechumenate by Paul Turner was released by Liturgy Training Publications (LTP) in Chicago. Copies can be ordered by calling 800-933-1800 or visit their website: www.ltp.org.
, the Secretariat for Evangelization offers the following book list:
Keep Your Hand on the Plow
The African American Presence in the Catholic Church
A document specifically designed for pastoral leaders, teachers, and others who minister to the African American community. A practical resource about the African American Catholic experience in the United States and some successful efforts in evangelization. Authors include Rev. Cyprian Davis, OSB; Andrew Billingsly, Ph.D.; Rev. O. Hugh Stout, Editor; and Bishop Curtis Guillory, SVD. No. 098-2, 224 pp., $19.95
Plenty Good Room
The Spirit and Truth of African American Catholic Worship
Furthers the call for the instillation of a distinctly African American flavor to the
Catholic celebration. Lays the theological foundation for cultural adaptations, frames
the discussion of the interplay between African American culture and liturgical
celebration. No. 385-X, 96 pp., $9.95
Here I Am, Send Me
A Conference Response to the Evangelization of African Americans
Focuses on The National Black Catholic Pastoral Plan, which is included in this volume. From the U.S. bishops. No. 338-8, 28 pp., $3.95
| June 6-9 |
NCCE Conference, Raleigh, North Carolina
6-9 Theme: Holy Ground
(202) 832-2610 or email: director@catholicevangelization.org |
For a more complete list of upcoming events, visit the Events section on the secretariat's website: www.nccbuscc.org/evangelization.
| February 9-12 |
Holy Spirit Parish, Laurens, SC |
Parish Mission |
| February 15-17 |
Hispanic Affairs Secretariat Symposium |
Colorado Springs |
| February 17-19 |
Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon |
| February 22-23 |
Diocese of Lake Charles, LA |
Bishop Braxton's installation |
| March 3-6 |
Sts. Peter and Paul, Hoboken, NJ |
Parish Mission |
| March 30-31 |
Diocese of Wichita |
Conference |
| April 1-2 |
Diocese of Duluth |
Bishop Schnurr's Episcopal Ord. |
| April 24/25 |
Diocese of Owensboro, KY |
Conference |
| April 27/28 |
Diocese of Steubenville, OH |
Conference |
| April 28/29 |
US Commission on Catholic Evangelization |
Buffalo, NY |
| April 29-May 3 |
NCCL in Buffalo and keynoting on |
May 3rd |
Secretariat for Evangelization
3211 Fourth Street, NE + Washington, DC 20017-1194
Telephone: 202-541-3012 + Fax: 202-541-3322
E-mail: evangelization@nccbuscc.org
Rev. John E. Hurley, C.S.P.
Executive Director
Mrs. Iris Brown
Administrative Secretary
Mr. Stevan Ciric, C.S.P.
Intern