This autumn, fall into a deeper faith

This week, the Albany Diocese has experienced a taste of fall as cooler temperatures brought whiffs of autumn. It won't be long before pro football, the new TV season and school buses prove in more substantial ways that a new season is here.

And that means it's time for Catholics to begin thinking about the third semester of Renew 2000 (or its alternative, Follow Me!, which is being used in some parishes). Those who participated in the first two semesters probably need no persuasion to return in October when Renew resumes. But those who held back from joining a Renew small group should be very interested in two developments reported in this week's issue:

1. The Diocese has created its own Renew 2000 booklet to guide small groups in their prayers and discussions (see page 1); this will give the sessions a more local flavor; and

2. A national study has found that Renew definitely deepens the faith of participants in several significant ways (see page 10).

The study, by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA), surveyed nearly 10,000 people who took part in Renew. An astounding 90-plus percent of them said Renew's benefits include a deeper spirituality, a better awareness of God and an increased ability to link their faith with their everyday life.

In other words, Renew does what most people want: It brings them closer to God while bringing Him closer to their family life, work life and community life.

What Renew participants like about the program is that it allows for both individual growth in faith and communal discussion of that faith. Through Renew, faith is at once personal and communal. The CARA study discovered that people in Renew grow in prayer, intensify their participation at Mass and become more involved in their parish.

If you want those things for yourself, sign up for Renew 2000 or Follow Me! when your parish puts out the call. The small investment of your time this fall will bring enormous benefits for all seasons.

(08-12-99)

[[In-content Ad]]