August conference to explore how to share Good News

By PAT PASTERNAK- | Comments: 0 | Leave a comment

In 1992, the U.S. bishops issued "Go and Make Disciples," a national plan and strategy for evangelization. As a result, dioceses initiated parish evangelization programs.

To mark the tenth anniversary of that document, the National Council for Catholic Evangelization (NCCE) is hosting its first New York State Conference. "Freeing Hearts, Minds and Souls for Evangelization," August 23-25 in Utica, will include a major presentation on current evangelization efforts in New York State and reflections on the document.

Among those attending will be Jeanne Pitkin, pastoral associate for pastoral care at St. Pius X Church in Loudonville.

Spread the Word

"Pope Paul VI wrote in his document, 'Evangelization in the Modern World,' that there is no true evangelization unless the whole truth is proclaimed," Mrs. Pitkin said. "We [evangelize] when the word of Jesus speaks to people's hearts and minds. This is accomplished through us, the evangelizers, so that others can accept the message of the Gospel as it was meant to be."

Mrs. Pitkin has been involved with evangelization in the Albany Diocese since 1983 when a diocesan committee was formed to carry out the bishops' vision of evangelization.

"Evangelization is loving another with the heart of Jesus," she explained. "It can be defined as care or compassion for another; to me, most of all, it means listening to the other."

Renewal

Mrs. Pitkin said the bishops invited everyone, including individuals, families and parishes, to make evangelization their plan of action. The NCCE is revisiting that challenge by calling evangelizers to a renewed and concerted effort.

The conference is designed for, but not limited to, leaders and active ministers in parish evangelization ministry.

"It is for anyone interested in evangelization or learning more about it," she noted. "In planning this conference, we worked to provide an opportunity for people to come together and help each other learn about the evangelization process. Hopefully, we will be able to network and move forward together in our future evangelization efforts."

How to evangelize

Mrs. Pitkin believes that each person has a "secret" to tell about God.

"If one takes the time to listen to a person when they are telling you what they believe, you will eventually discover that secret," she said. "The evangelizer cannot have an attitude of conversion; he or she can do nothing if they approach evangelization thinking, 'I know something that you don't know,' or saying in effect: 'I am here to convert you to my way of thinking.'

"Rather, when the evangelizer is with someone, he or she is celebrating who that person is. The Holy Spirit gives us the ability to receive the Gospel of Jesus and, in response, the power to proclaim it. When the barriers come down, and people can honestly talk and share their ideas, that is the point at which they will be able to bridge any differences they have. That is evangelization."

Jesus commanded His followers to go and make disciples of each other, and to build the Church the way God intended it to be.

"We all need each other to accomplish that goal," Mrs. Pitkin said.

(Reservations for the weekend include four meals and all conferences. There is an additional cost for overnight accommodations. For further information, visit www.catholicevangelization.org, or call 1-800-786-NCCE. Mrs. Pitkin can be contacted at 462-1336 or 371-6746.)

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