Cardinal Dolan boosts RENEWAL

While Bishop Wm. Michael Mulvey has not called for a synod during the centennial year of the Diocese of Corpus Christi, meetings and celebrations will be held with different groups within the diocese in which the bishop will listen to the needs and the wisdom they bring in order to develop a “Pastoral Plan” that will frame and guide efforts for the New Evangelization.

This effort towards diocesan renewal will get a boost at the Centennial Jubilee Formation Conference on March 26 when Timothy Cardinal Dolan and a group of bishops from throughout Texas will provide guidance to the faithful on various aspects of pastoral care.

Bishop Mulvey said he would be looking at the 13th Ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops scheduled for Oct. 7-28, for additional guidance. The synod, which is called “The New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith,” will consider pastoral initiatives programs to assist the Holy See.

“We will be anxiously awaiting the information coming from the Synod on Evangelization and the Holy Father’s post-synodal exhortation ready to follow the inspirations of the Holy Spirit,” Bishop Mulvey said.

Over the past two years, the bishop has initiated an ongoing formation and renewal of the presbyterate. Additionally, over this time a renewed importance has been given to strengthening parish life and reviewing methods for evangelization and catechesis.

“I take to heart the words of Blessed John Paul II in his Apostolic Letter Novo Millennia Ineunte that the Church must become the Home and the School of Communion. As I began and continue my pastoral ministry as a bishop of the Church, I have tried to instill that call within my own approach to episcopal ministry and continue to promote a spirit of communion among the priests, deacons, laity and with the Curia staff with whom I work closely on a daily basis,” Bishop Mulvey said.

Cardinal Dolan will share with the faithful in Corpus Christi some of the thoughts he presented to Pope Benedict XVI and his brother cardinals on Feb. 27 when the Holy Father asked him to speak to the group on the New Evangelization in view of the upcoming “Year of Faith.”

In his talk to the cardinals on the New Evangelization, Cardinal Dolan cited seven pillars for effective evangelization:

Even those who boast of their secularism have an innate longing for the divine; the first step of evangelization must be to keep the quest for God alive.

Be confident, without being triumphalist, since it is the power of God that sends His people to evangelize.

Know that the New Evangelization is not about presenting a doctrine or belief-system, but a Person, whose name is Jesus.

Jesus is the Truth, therefore evangelization must be linked to catechesis.

An evangelist must be a person of joy, someone who smiles.
The New Evangelization is about love, the love of God made concrete in service.

The Church is peopled by those who are suffering persecution for their faith, and these martyrs give impetus to the new evangelization

In addition, Cardinal Dolan no doubt will remind attendees of the Church’s present struggle against the Federal government’s infringement on the Church’s religious liberty by its requirement through recent “health care” mandates that the Church defy its own teachings or to adhere to its teachings and deny its employees health benefits. Cardinal Dolan recently issued the assurance that the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops would not back down in its drive to overturn the mandates because of its overriding concern for religious freedom.

Texas bishops, including Bishop Mulvey, will provide catechists with guidance at the formation conference on a variety of issues that will help reinforce Catholic doctrine. Bishop Mulvey will speak on respect for life, from conception to natural death. The bishop will again remind the faithful of the need to approach this important issue in a pastoral manner, with forgiveness and love for those who place their soul in jeopardy by disregarding natural law.

Fort Worth Bishop Kevin Vann will talk on medical ethics while Bishop Daniel E. Flores of Brownsville will cover issues related to family life.

Parish renewal, a focus of Bishop Mulvey’s episcopacy, is the topic of three sessions. San Antonio Auxiliary Bishop Oscar Cantu will lead a discussion on catechesis and religious education in parish life and Catholic schools; Auxiliary Bishop Mark Seitz of Dallas will speak on liturgy and parish renewal; and Father Thomas Norris will make a presentation on spirituality of the parish.

Bishop Placido Rodriguez, CMF of Lubbock will speak on evangelization of culture.

Finally, Bishop Michael Pfeifer of San Angelo will make a presentation on Catholic Charities.  

(Editor’s Note: This is the April issue of the South Texas Catholic, but because of the importance of the Centennial Jubilee Formation Conference and Mass, we went to press early to have the special edition available for this event.)