On May 10, eighteen leaders in Evangelization Ministry from New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware gathered at the Diocese of Trenton Pastoral Center to discuss “best practices” in Evangelization from the eight (arch)dioceses represented around the table.
During the meeting, chaired by Phil Russo of the Paterson Diocese, those present were asked to share both personal outreach stories and professional processes and programs – “success stories” that are currently flourishing in the Mid-Atlantic area.
The Diocese of Metuchen is experiencing a growth in Evangelization ministry personnel, having added a full time staff member who will serve the needs of the growing Hispanic community in that area. The Office of Evangelization, relatively new to the Metuchen Diocese is currently focusing on networking, collecting resources and meeting with parish leaders to assess needs. They have plans to increase awareness regarding Evangelization among the laity.
Trenton Diocese’s Evangelization Ministry continues to forge new frontiers through innovative offerings addressing current needs. Seeing the present uproar over The DaVinci Code book and film as an opportunity to talk about Jesus, the Office will be launching several co-sponsored workshops in parishes around the diocese and two podcasts that will compare and contrast the true story of Jesus and the early Church with popular myths in today’s culture. The Diocese’s 45 hour, “Share Your Faith Without Losing Your Head! Intensive Training for Parish Evangelization,” continues to draw numbers of people willing and eager to hone their outreach skills and to offer their time and talent to the spread of the Gospel.
Camden Diocese is experiencing a grassroots groundswell – parishioners are invited and encouraged to attend speak up sessions to inform the future of the diocesan planning project. Further, members of the diocesan staff are stressing the importance of the “teachable moments” in parish life – sacraments, faith sharing groups, life’s highs and lows – to evangelize on the local level.
In the Archdiocese of Newark, there are two buzz words – “Evangelization” and “Collaboration”. Offices in the Chancery are meeting monthly for prayer and sharing. Outreach to Hispanic Youth in the Archdiocese has sprung from this Collaboration in the form participation in the First National Hispanic Youth Encounter. Collaborating with the Web experts in the Diocese, the Evangelization office is posting “Evangelizing Community” events on its Evangelization office website www.rcan.org/evangelization.
A Diocese of Paterson Evangelization Commission is being created to develop a pastoral plan for the diocese. This deanery-based body will include all ethnicities and ages and will be convened within the coming month. Also, on June 10, 2006 the local Fr. Judge Apostolic Center (FJAC) in Stirling, NJ will be co-sponsoring, along with the five dioceses of New Jersey, the annual State Young Adult Conference for people in their 20s and 30s entitled, “Highly Flammable.” For more information go to: www.yac.fjac.org. FJAC does ongoing evangelistic outreach efforts to youth and young adults. Persons between the ages of 20-40 regularly come together for ministry (to work at a detention center or a soup kitchen), for liturgy, for socializing and for faith sharing.
In the Harrisburg Diocese more than 150 persons came out for the Little Rock Bible Study Training Workshops. They also are offering workshops to train parish staffs and other lay leaders to present Lenten and Advent local retreats. A draft of a new “Blue Print for Evangelization” being developed in the diocese was unveiled at the meeting.
In the Archdiocese of Philadelphia a new Director of Evangelization has been named and is gathering information on existing evangelization programs. Much planning and preparation is happening for an upcoming Archdiocesan Catholic Life Congress being held on November 4, 2006. There will be a Keynote speaker, Rev. Lawrence Boadt CSP SSD, and 40 workshops offered for participants.
The representative from the Diocese of Wilmington, Delaware, reported on initiatives in that diocese to focus on the true Jesus in light of the culture of confusion that is surrounding the Jesus presented in the media. Through Bible Studies, Workshops, Podcasts they are spreading the truth. One such effort is that a special task force that has been formed to present the historical and theological foundations of the Church to counter the misinformation in The Da Vinci Code book and movie.
