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Church’s Mission

“ Welcome them and incorporate the positive aspects of their culture into the Church’s life and mission” EIO 44. Church’s Mission.

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Church’s Mission

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  1. “Welcome them and incorporate the positive aspects of their culture into the Church’s life and mission”EIO 44

  2. Church’s Mission • “The Church is not motivated by an earthly ambition but is interested in one thing only – to carry on the work of Christ under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.”(Gaudium et Spes 3)

  3. How does “carrying on the work of Christ” fit into the emerging culture of young people”? From • Passivity to Participation • Certainty to Change • Formal to less structured experiences

  4. Church’s Mission • “The Lord has called the Church in Oceania to himself: as always the call involves a sending forth on a mission. The purpose of being with Jesus is to go forth from Jesus, in his power and with his grace. Christ is now calling the Church to share in his mission with new energy and creativity.” EIO 3

  5. The purpose of being with Jesus is to go forth from Jesus, in his power and with his grace. • I have found the above line speaks to young people in particular………maybe it is part of the culture of PARTICIPATION and RELATIONSHIPS….. • With Jesus out to others.

  6. Christ is now calling the Church to share in his mission with new energy and creativity. • How do we harness the energy and creativity of the young? • Remember…. “It’s about recognizing that young people have gifts and about challenging the current practices we use in involving young people.” • Young people are not a problem to be solved but a gift to be cherished.

  7. Church’s Mission • “Faith in Jesus’ presence among his people in Oceania will always make possible new and wonderful encounters with him, and these encounters will become the seeds of new mission.”EIO 3

  8. Do we believe in Jesus presence among the young people of our Church? do we treat them as such? • or do we see them as Catholics-in-training? the Church of the future?

  9. Church’s Mission • “The central concern of the Synod Assembly was to find appropriate ways of presenting to the peoples of Oceania today Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.”EIO 4

  10. This must still be our central concern today, are we prepared to adapt and make changes in order to find “appropriate ways” to present Jesus to young people today? • e.g. Easter Tri Series.

  11. Church’s Life • Spiritual • Liturgical/Sacramental • Pastoral • Justice • Education • Leadership • Community

  12. Dave made the suggestion that young people are mostly responding to a culture that is marketed to them, rather than ‘creating’ a specific culture…….. • Are we looking for opportunities to “market” those aspects of the Church’s life which speak to the depths of the soul…being prepared to change our language…..be seen in the “market place”, e.g. Marriage Show?

  13. Young People in the Church • “The Bishops wanted them to know that they are a vital apart of the Church today, and that Church leaders are keen to find ways to involve young people more fully in the Church’s life and mission. Young Catholics are called to follow Jesus: not just in the future as adults, but now as maturing disciples.” EIO 44

  14. “May they always be drawn to the overwhelmingly attractive figure of Jesus, and stirred by the challenge of the Gospel’s sublime ideals. Then they will empowered to take up the active apostolate to which the Church is now calling them, and play their part joyfully and energetically in the life of the Church at every level: Universal, national, diocesan and local.” EIO 44

  15. Are we prepared to do the hard yards? • Are we ready to sit and spend time in order to discover what is positive in their culture? • What in us has to die (be given up – over) so that new life will spring up in the young? • The current attitude is you need to be here with us and know us –otherwise don’t bother, it’s a conscious choice to stand alongside them, be with them, sharing life, sharing struggles.

  16. The Voice of the Young • How do we welcome them and incorporate the positive aspects of their culture into the Church’s life and mission?

  17. I suggest a model is The Road to Emmaus(Luke 24: 13-35) • They were talking together about all that had happened… • Now as they talked this over, Jesus himself came up and walked by their side…. • What matters are you discussing as you walk along…? • What things? He asked…..

  18. THEN they told their story…. • WE usually tell our story first, the Church’s story….…without listening first, we expect them to fit in and accept our story • Do we acknowledge that they come from a culture which is uniquely theirs?

  19. N. B. • It was only after Jesus had listened to them that he explained the passages of Scripture, • Even then they did not recognize him, even though they were drawn to the overwhelmingly attractive figure of Jesus… “They pressed him to stay with them.”

  20. LISTEN • If we are to involve young people more fully in the Church’s life and mission….we have no option but to LISTEN…… • Dave spoke of being with them, sharing life, sharing struggles and said “these experiences can clearly show (if you are prepared to listen carefully) moments of God-talk.”

  21. Listen • This means – - - - - - - • Staying with them, being with them, as Jesus remained with the two on the road to Emmaus, • If we are going to provide CREDIBILITY in this Critical Age and draw them to the overwhelmingly attractive figure of Jesus, we have no option but to stay with them.

  22. Listen ……and? and? • There are many other things…e.g. • Honesty, integrity, sincerity in ourselves, • Praying with them • Faith sharing, personal witness • AND

  23. One other point I want to make in this time we have……. PROVIDE EXPERINCES OF BEAUTY

  24. “Beauty – a royal way to God who is it’s source.”Cardinal Godfreid Danneels • “I wonder if we make sufficient use of beauty as the doorway leading to God? God is, indeed, truth, holiness and moral perfection, but also beauty. One can reach God through the gate of truth, for truth attracts us… God as moral perfection and holiness also attracts us……we are drawn by the idea of moral perfection, but think we are incapable of attaining it…..”

  25. “Beauty, on the other hand, disarms: it is irresistible for our contemporaries. Young students spend hours discussing and holding forth about dogma (truth) and ethics (goodness). But when they listen to Bach’s St Matthew’s Passion, they are disarmed and surrender in silence.”

  26. Examples…. • 1. Oberammagau • 2. W.Y.D. –Rome (Theme Song) • 3. W.Y.D. Toronto • - Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament • - Stations of the Cross

  27. “Beauty can achieve a synthesis between truth and goodness. Truth, beauty and goodness: those are three of God’s names and three paths that lead to him. But beauty has hardly been pressed into use by theology or religious teaching up until now. Isn’t it time to do so?” (Danneels)

  28. What’s my own attitude towards young people today? Problem for the Church or gift? • Can I name five positive aspects of the culture of young people I am prepared to welcome? • Is it time to press beauty into use in theology and religious teaching?

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