{"id":32,"date":"2016-02-23T06:26:47","date_gmt":"2016-02-23T06:26:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.stpatrickcatholic.ca\/?page_id=32"},"modified":"2022-02-02T17:13:58","modified_gmt":"2022-02-02T17:13:58","slug":"st-catharines-diocese-jubilee-year-of-mercy-prayer","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.stpatrickcatholic.ca\/?page_id=32","title":{"rendered":"St. Catharines Diocese – Bishop Bergie’s Letter to all Catholics"},"content":{"rendered":"

OFFICE OF THE BISHOP<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

October 17, 2021<\/p>\n

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My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,<\/p>\n

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In 2013 Pope Francis published Evangelii Gaudium<\/em>, which focuses on the Church\u2019s primary mission of the evangelization of the modern world.\u00a0 What is the meaning of this evangelization?\u00a0 I believe that the simple answer can be found in this brief quote from the document:\u00a0 \u201cI invite all Christians, everywhere, at this very moment, to a renewed personal encounter with Jesus Christ, or at least an openness to letting him encounter them; I ask all of you to do this unfailingly each day\u201d (EG. 3.)\u00a0 To evangelize is to proclaim Jesus Christ to the world.\u00a0 How we do this is very important.<\/p>\n

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Pope Francis states, \u201cI dream of a \u2018missionary option\u2019, that is, a missionary impulse capable of transforming everything, so that the Church\u2019s customs, ways of doing things, times and schedules, language and structures can be suitably channeled for the evangelization of today\u2019s world rather than for her self-preservation.\u00a0 The renewal of structures demanded by pastoral conversion can only be understood in this light: as part of an effort to make them more mission-oriented, to make ordinary pastoral activity on every level more inclusive and open, to inspire in pastoral workers a constant desire to go forth and in this way to elicit a positive response from all those whom Jesus summons to friendship with himself\u201d (EG. 27).<\/p>\n

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Pope Francis is calling the Church to a sincere reflection on evangelization, vis-a-vis, the world around us.\u00a0 Are we more focused on a spirit of maintenance rather than mission?\u00a0 Do we form missionary disciples who understand their baptismal call to go forth into the world to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ?<\/p>\n

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In 2019 we completed a discernment process that involved gathering and reflecting upon the needs of our diocese.\u00a0 People were asked to consider both the challenges and opportunities in their parishes.\u00a0 From this consultation, we have been able to obtain a great deal of valuable data concerning parish life and our diocese.\u00a0 It is this information that will help us to respond to what Pope Francis is asking of us at this present moment.<\/p>\n

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Our Holy Father has convoked a synod entitled, \u201cFor a Synodal Church:\u00a0 Communion, Participations, and Mission.\u201d\u00a0 \u00a0It will begin in each diocese today, Sunday, October 17, 2021.\u00a0 Pope Francis is inviting the entire Church to embark on a shared journey of renewal as inspired by the Holy Spirit.\u00a0 This path will lead toward the sixteenth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, in October 2023 in Rome.<\/p>\n

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From a theological perspective, synodality is described as \u201cthe action of the Spirit in the communion of the Body of Christ and in the missionary journey of the People of God\u201d (Synodality in the Life and Mission of the Church \u2013 International Theological Commission, March, 2018).\u00a0 In a very particular way, it provides a structured conversation that is focused on listening to the Holy Spirit and to one another.\u00a0 We try to discern the will of God as we face both challenges and opportunities in the life of our diocese and the Universal Church.<\/p>\n

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A Preparatory Document has been prepared by the Vatican to help guide diocese in the first phase of the consultation (October 2021 \u2013 February 2022).\u00a0 Together with this document, we will use the five themes that emerged from our own diocesan discernment process as an interpretive lens regarding our consultation process.\u00a0 The five themes are:<\/p>\n

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