May 12, 2024 - "Evangelization and Welcome"

During the interim phase of the Universal Synod when it ended its first session In October 2023 and before the Universal Synod meets again in October 2024, the Archdiocese of Washington held five listening sessions in Lent with five specific communities:  Young Deaf Catholics, Young Black Catholics at Howard University’s Sr. Thea Bowman Catholic Campus Ministry Center, the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council, and the Archdiocesan Priest Council.
 
Three themes arose across the five listening sessions:  1) Evangelization and Welcome; 2) Leadership and Leadership Development, and 3) Social Justice and Inclusion.  Within each of these themes there are areas of convergence, matters for consideration, and proposals.
 
Below I am going to reprint the matters for consideration and proposals for the theme of Evangelization and Welcome.
 
· Matters for Consideration
o Many people noted that there is a difference between being invited and being welcomed. As one participant noted, she may be invited by pastor to a ministry, but she wondered if she was really welcomed to bring her Hispanic culture and gifts to the ministry. Listening session participants, especially young adults, noted that leaders of ministry are not open to new ideas, which can then lead to feelings of cliques in the parish. Other participants noted that a parish can feel unwelcoming when new people arrive, especially immigrants or migrants, and there is staring, and a lack of friendliness.
 
o The use of Flocknote email and text messaging and digital outreach are seen as helpful tools for evangelization, but it was noted that once people are at the parish, they need to be welcomed by others who embrace the Biblical value of hospitality.
 
o Many lay people feel unprepared and incapable of evangelization or doing ministry because they lack a degree or training. However, most priests noted that they would welcome lay people helping in evangelization efforts with their authentic witness on how to live as The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington Diocesan Synthesis for the Interim Stage 3 Catholics in the world. Priests were not focused on having lay people with formal theological degrees, rather the focus was on lay people who knew what their baptismal vocation was.
 
o Clergy and lay participants noted that at times the language used in official church documents is too formal and feels disconnected from the modern world. Many participants asked for official Church documents to use language that is more accessible.
 
o Some priests expressed an openness to having lay people provide a witness testimony during Mass after the homily.
 
· Proposals
o To have ongoing formation about the Sacrament of Baptism and the vocation of every baptized person.
 
o To have ongoing formation and training on how to evangelize.
 
o To provide formation for the laity on how to give witness testimony.
 
o The Office of Evangelization and Pastoral Planning will increase trainings on how to host small Christian communities in parishes and promote the small Christian community’s resources that exist.
 
o To increase ministries through the Office for Family Life to support parents so that they can be witnesses to their children about the importance of a personal relationship with Jesus.
 
We shall continue this discussion next week.
 
Until then,
Fr. John