<strong>Catholic</strong> Faith in Action: Living as Disciples Inside and Out B y F a t h e r J o h n E . H u r l e y , C S P , D . M i n . 16 <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Augustine</strong> <strong>Catholic</strong> <strong>May</strong> 2007
In 1974, Pope Paul VI asked the church fathers attending the Synod on Evangelization three important questions: 1. In our day, what has happened to that hidden energy of the Good News, which is able to have a powerful effect on man’s conscience? 2. To what extent and in what way is that evangelical force capable of really transforming the people of this century? 3. What methods should be followed in order that the power of the Gospel may have its effect? I look forward to exploring these three questions with evangelization, stewardship and RCIA leadership at the upcoming <strong>Catholic</strong> Faith in Action conference, June 2, at San José <strong>Catholic</strong> Church in Jacksonville. However, I welcome this opportunity to entice us to explore in this Easter season the answers as it pertains to the essential mission of the church – evangelization and two very related ministries, stewardship and the RCIA. Key to these three ministries is the call to discipleship. The church exists to evangelize and our very identity as members in the Body of Christ is discipleship. However, all too often we do not think of ourselves as disciples. Over these past few years with all that has been going on in our church in the area of sexual abuse by those in authority and a lack of appropriate responses by some in leadership, I often ask myself the question why am I doing what I am doing? I am sure I am not alone in asking this question. And, the answer to that question transformed my days. However, I also believe each of our days would be powerful days if we began them by asking ourselves the same question when we look into the mirror each morning – why am I doing what I am doing? The answer is I am a disciple of Jesus Christ! What a powerful answer for us to savor – what a powerful answer to prioritize the issues before us each day and to keep everything in perspective. The theme of discipleship was strengthened in 1992 by two documents published by the American Bishops: Go and Make Disciples: A National Plan and <strong>St</strong>rategy for <strong>Catholic</strong> Evangelization in the United <strong>St</strong>ates and, <strong>St</strong>ewardship: A Disciple’s Response. These documents are so closely special aligned that the bishops were at one point considering joining them together into one document. Again, our very identity in the essential mission of the church is that we are disciples. As disciples there are two Paulist Father John E. Hurley of Washington, D.C., is the keynote speaker at the <strong>Catholic</strong> Faith in Action conference on June 2 at San José <strong>Catholic</strong> Church, Jacksonville. things that become immediately clear for us. First, we are disciples of Jesus Christ. And, secondly, we are entrusted with a mission to go forth and proclaim the Good News. In doing so, we must prioritize the use of our time, our talent and our resources in fulfilling this mission. Of course, this prioritization is called stewardship. If the term evangelization itself was hard enough for many of us to grasp, stewardship challenged us all the more. <strong>St</strong>ewardship in its earliest forms of renewal primarily focused on resources and not as much on time and talent. All three are essential in a disciple’s response to our call in baptism. Our bishops in the stewardship pastoral reminded us that we are also called to be good stewards of our vocational call to discipleship. The appropriate use of our time, talent and resources is supposed to draw us into a deeper relationship with Christ. And, in doing so, we become a brighter light for others to see and be drawn to. The fruit of effective discipleship and stewardship is that others will be drawn to the church through its witness in the world. The ministry that each of us participates in is a proclamation of the Good News of Jesus Christ. And, if done effectively this provides those who do not belong to the Body of Christ an opportunity to explore the light they have seen. Some who witness the Good News of Jesus Christ in our times seek to know more about Christ in the church and the process designed from ancient times is known to us at the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults or more commonly known as the RCIA process. After all, the Great Commission entrusted to us is to make disciples of all nations. (Mt. 28:19) This Easter time, the <strong>Catholic</strong> Church in the United <strong>St</strong>ates will welcome more than 100,000 new adult members into the church. In their formation process, they explore their call to discipleship and will also discern how they can best use their time, talent and resources to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ. However, this Easter each of us who are baptized members of the church renew our own baptismal call and this Easter season is the perfect time for us to assess our own response to the Good News of Jesus Christ, risen and alive in our world through our witness. Father John E. Hurley, CSP, is director of the Paulist North American Office for Reconciliation in Washington, D.C. As the former executive director of the USCCB Secretariat for Evangelization (1997-2005), Father Hurley played a critical role in the shaping of the document on evangelization. <strong>Catholic</strong> Faith in Action: Living as Disciples Inside and Out Keynote Speaker: Father John E. Hurley, CSP Saturday, June 2 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. San José <strong>Catholic</strong> Church 3619 Toledo Road, Jacksonville Cost: $10/includes lunch Registration deadline: <strong>May</strong> 25 Registration forms available online at www.dosafl.com or call (904) 262-3200, ext. 117 This biannual conference is primarily for parish leadership in the areas of Evangelization, <strong>St</strong>ewardship and the RCIA, but interested parishioners are invited to attend. <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Augustine</strong> <strong>Catholic</strong> <strong>May</strong> 2007 17
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