Report: Pope to launch 'Pontifical Council for New Evangelization'

Would "ill-timed" be enough of an understatement?

A Pontifical Council for the the New Evangelization, how strange! A 180 degree turn: the popes, cardianls, and bishops have been de-evangelizing for three decades.

Joe Ratzinger's right wing agenda for the Church at work! This is one more reason for more Catholics to disassociate themselves from the Church. It has become a right wing political tool. Many of us knew Ratzinger would damage the papacy and the Church. He is doing his best to prove it.

My question----is this going to be an attempt by European cardinals to try to rein in outspoken western Europeans, Americans and Canadians? And the comment by the movement's best-known leader in the United States, Monsignor Lorenzo Albacete, who has jokingly defined Communion and Liberation as "Opus Dei for lazy Catholics" doesn't sound like an evangelizing element to me. It sounds more like a "brainwashing tactic" for those who don't question anything coming from the Vatican.

Evangelization should include Sacred Scriptures and living a truly Gospel-life. But rather than having cardinals, and bishops preach to Western Europeans and North Americans---they should demonstrated that they are really living Gospel values themselves. Their deeds should show this. Then and only then---can their evangeliszation be effective.

That Archbishop Frisichella intervened on behalf of the nine year old (third grader) rape victim and the mother and doctors who arranged for an abortion, shows at least someone in the Catholic hierarchy has common sense and logical reason of Catholic docterine. That zealot morons like the Archbishop Sobrindo of Olinda and the swift backing from Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, prefect of the Vatican Congregation of Bishops,gave thought of excommunication, demostrates the blatant lack of understanding that the child was at great risk of health and life as well as the pregnancy of someone as young, small and immature. Of course considering the degree and cover up by South American priest, bishops and members of the Vatican bureaucracy concerning the sodomizing and rape of young children by members of the clergy doesn't even rate a defrocking much more an excommunication or conviction. And they wonder why the faithful won't follow their lead and stand up against the vicious publicity attacks on the clergy.

So, the proposed new Council is for the West, while Propaganda Fide is for the rest. So much for "mission in six continents".

Memo to the CEO,
if the central office and the local branches are dysfunctional and are not contributing to the realisation of the mission statement, indeed are going directly against the mission statement, please refrain from setting up a new branch intended at attracting new customers. Nobody buys a product from a flawed business. Is it to much to ask that priority is given to cleaning out the pigsty before trying to start a new evangelisation- which is doomed to fail anyway if nothing is done about the horrors in the church?

Interesting report…   and somewhat annoying in the current circumstances of scandal…   what seems to be yet another distraction from the serious matter at hand and who is actually responsible.
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First,   the Vatican denies wrong-doing in governance of the Church,   and blames media and victims for the scandal.     When that didn’t gain traction,   it was proposed that “our Church is sinful” and that “we should all pray and do penance”.     What’s this “we” stuff?     …The laity are supposedly at fault because ordained men became criminals and criminal accomplices?     Not!
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Now a new pontifical council   “… dedicated to rekindling the faith in the developed West,   above all Europe and North America     … where centuries of secularization have taken a steep toll”.     This is yet another oblique means of blaming laity,   especially in Europe and the U.S.,   for the sins/crimes of the ordained leaders of the Church.     More accurately,   it’s the Vatican and its hierarchy of ordained who are in need of some “new evangelization”.
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As for the connection between this “re-evangelization” and the ‘Communion and Liberation movement’ founder,   one would think the current Pope would have learned something from JP2’s flub with Maciel and the LC.     These self-serving papal endorsements of ultra-rightwing movements don’t always work out so well.     Both ‘Communion and Liberation’ and ‘Neocatechumenal Way’   (among others)   come with historical baggage associated with their cult-like tactics and divisive practices.     Plenty of scary reading available…   here’s a small sample:

The Pope's Armada: Unlocking the Secrets of Mysterious and Powerful New Sects in the Church,  
by Gordon Urquhart (New York: Prometheus Books, 1999)

People of God,   by Penny Lernoux

The Church in Anguish: Has the Vatican Betrayed Vatican II?   by Hans Küng and Leonard Swidler [25 essays]

Rather than continually trying to drag the Church back to preconciliar days of supreme royal clericalism,   and yet more privilege and secrecy for the "above the angels" ordained,   Benedict would do better to focus on cleaning up his own filthy house of bishops and the dysfunctional system of governance.     Laity are grown-ups who don’t need a papal “think-tank” parent teaching us to only pray,   pay   and   obey…   or of course,   to keep silent and not demand that clergy behave both responsibly and morally.
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Note to Pope Benedict and the Roman Curia:   Please cease trying to change the subject.     It's not working.

Another wasted effort by a Pope who just doesn't understand that the hierarchy has lost all credibility. I guess the "West" wasn't Christian enough and that led to our outrage at these bishops. We don't need a re-evangelizatin of the West; we need a Westernization of these so-called evangelizers.

Another wasted effort by a Pope who just doesn't understand that the hierarchy has lost all credibility. I guess the "West" wasn't Christian enough and that led to our outrage at these bishops. We don't need a re-evangelizatin of the West; we need a Westernization of these so-called evangelizers.

What do we really mean by evangelisation? What is of prime importance is to recognise those concepts, ideas etc which though not couched in the language of the churches are promoting love truth and a fuller being in our relationships with others and with the rest of the created universe.

Why now?
'Pontifical Council for New Evangelization'
Is there a PROBLEM with the OLD Evangelization?
The great irony is that this so-called NEW evangelization is going to be even more BACKWARD-LOOKING than that which preceded it.

Memo to Fisichella:
Could you please explain the meaning of "PROMOVERE AD REMOVEre" to your neighbor Archbishop Burke?

Give the internet a 'soul' eh? Why doesn't Mr. Ratzinger start by taking his into the repair shop. The distortion of facts, the ongoing public relations marathon, and I was appalled and angered to read that the Curia was 'upset' by recent comments concerning the pope and the church in the British press. These men of entitlement will not be living off the few dollars I am able to put in the plate at Mass. You see, I don't go to Mass. Two months ago I attended Mass almost daily with Rosary prayer before. Visiting the 'blessed sacrament' was part of my observance also. This year, NO LENT, NO HOLY WEEK, NO EASTER. The foundation is in place, the rest is cracking. I am being formed again in the furnace of affliction. I will stand against Papist nonsense. In their 'caricature' the 'fools' or is it 'comedians', pointed to a few of the salient issues that stand in the way of your continuing triumphalism. It's over folks. The American church is in schism. One doesn't need a pair of magic glasses to see the outline of what's ahead, and it's not more assuaging moments with Mr. Ratzinger telling us there's room at the inn for more nazi sympathizing, cross dressing, holocaust denying clerics that we need, and yes will that be 'ad orientem?

The last thing we need is yet another Council in the Roman curia, yet another piece of bureaucratic play-acting - unless it's real purpose is yet more jobs for "the boys".
What is needed is less bureaucracy and more preaching the Gospel - by deed as well as word.

Hans Kung: Where are you right now?

First, as usual, thank you NCR for a thoughtful article. Second, what nonsense.Butatlast we have a leader, one who calls for the breath of the Holy Spirit of the Creator to sweep over the lands again, one who calls the ordained leaders back to the Church once again. Hans Kung's open letter to the bishops of the world called for radical reform and a Vatican Council. I don’t think the Bishops understand that while the current turmoil was triggered by the clergy’s sexual abuse of children and young people, it has been deepened and broadened by the clerics’ cover-up, denial, and direct actions taken — including actions by JPII — against those same victims.
And now it is too late to turn back. ALL bishops have been damaged — by their silence if nothing else. And we in the pews have been paying attention and now wonder about the wisdom of the entire teaching charism of the Church — one which the men in red silk have taken entirely upon themselves. We know that the abusing priests are stunted in their psycho-sexual development, still childlike themselves in their in their understanding of sexuality, gender, and holistic social development. How can it be then that their theology, their declarations on morality, on creation in the world itself be anything other than stunted as well? The “crisis” –I think it is now an “opportunity” instead — the opportunity now is to unite the Church — and we ARE the Church — around a fulfillment of the Vatican II documents and to breathe life into our Church once more. The Holy Spirit has already done her job by throwing back the curtain and revealing the feeble clerk who is lost in the world.

In fact, the third Council is already underway but it is occurring and being led by those in the e-pews. On blogs and FaceBook groups, in e-columns and comment pages, the questioning and fresh thinking has begun. Thank you, Hans Kung. [Care to join the Facebook page re Kung’s letter? http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=114780715217560

Reading these posts is quite sad. The "Protestant-Catholics" who are out to destroy anything and everything this pope proposes are only shooting themselves in the foot.

There's no right or left _on christian religion ,

Good Christian 2000 years.

We need to remember that today's western civilization is primarily the result of 2000 years of "Old" Evangelization. Somewhere along the time line, it failed miserably as the sex scandals highlight.

More important, however, is that you can't make something new by looking backwards. Life doesn't work that way. This is just going to make the Vatican more of a retrograde organization without meaning in today's world.

What really needs to be done is for the Vatican to look at itself and stop blaming the world and so-called secularization for its troubles. I know many people of different faiths that lead a very religious life that puts Vatican practices to shame.

By the way, I have lived 6 decades in the secular world and have yet to notice more accomplished, determined and persistent liars in the midst of secular culture than in the the Church hierarchy.

Evangelize the Vatican first.

This is a great idea!!!! Perhaps some of the people making the usual, tired, stupid anti-Catholic comments above should be the first to participate - it's clear that they need evangelization!

Sign me up!!!

Wow ... The faithful, at least in this country, are really upset, or worse, don't care. At the local parish level, the lay person is engaged, but as far as the universal Church, there seems to be apathy about what Rome and the Pope decrees. The trust of the average Catholic has eroded.

I think the Pope's idea is excellent. We need to rejuvenate the christian culture in Europe and America upon which both continents were founded. There has been a deterioration of values that has corrupted the nature of society in both continents. Personally, i do not want the Muslim culture as a substitute. Where did we lose it? I think for me , it was when John Kennedy was assassinated hope dissipated. He was young and people embraced his optimism and when he was killed, hope began to wane because the impossible happened. He came from the christian culture although he recognized others. He wanted to help the poor which was a virtue of his faith. After Kennedy, the divorce rate soared because people didn't have the courage to work things out. They took the easy way and ended up breaking up families. People began dressing like slobs and schools allowed children to curse in class and there were other bad reflections of a society on the way down. We need to get back to our roots. If the Pope can guide us to that path he will make his papacy a success.

Wow, so this is where the grumblers and complainers hang out. Remember what happened to the complainers Korah, Dathan, their followers, Miriam? Ground swallowing up dissenters, poisonous serpents, leprosy… ring a bell? One of the main points to the desert wanderings (which prefigure our pilgrimage on earth) was if you complain and rebel against the legitimate authority appointed by God you will end up in bad shape. Forty years God endured that generation. Do we, who have received the fulfillment of His promised Son, deserve the same degree of patience? Now, that we have the fullness of revelation the Israelites lacked your complaining is an even greater offense against the Lord. The Church exists to EVANGELIZE! Do you believe the west is NOT in need of evangelization? Based on these comments most of you are in desperate need of evangelization because you have obviously lost much of your faith. Remember Christ’s words to those whom he sent out to evangelize, “Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me" (Luke 10:16). Remember the authority he gave to his Apostles to “bind and loose” (Mt 18:18). The shepherds you freely criticize have the same God given authority. You willingly submit to the human authority of employers, those in public office, and your own heart, but are repulsed by submission to ecclesiastical authority which comes from Christ Himself. This is the perfect time for the Vatican to focus efforts on re-evangelizing the West. The current “culture” of the West is in great need of the Good News of Christ. The apostolic nature of the episcopate requires an evangelization of all cultures & times. New Secularized Culture + New Times = Need for New Evangelization. REPENT & BELIEVE IN THE GOSPEL! Well done Holy Father!

Wow, so this is where the grumblers and complainers hang out. Remember what happened to the complainers Korah, Dathan, their followers, Miriam? Ground swallowing up dissenters, poisonous serpents, leprosy… ring a bell? One of the main points to the desert wanderings (which prefigure our pilgrimage on earth) was if you complain and rebel against the legitimate authority appointed by God you will end up in bad shape. Forty years God endured that generation. Do we, who have received the fulfillment of His promised Son, deserve the same degree of patience? Now, that we have the fullness of revelation the Israelites lacked your complaining is an even greater offense against the Lord. The Church exists to EVANGELIZE! Do you believe the west is NOT in need of evangelization? Based on these comments most of you are in desperate need of evangelization because you have obviously lost much of your faith. Remember Christ’s words to those whom he sent out to evangelize, “Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me" (Luke 10:16). Remember the authority he gave to his Apostles to “bind and loose” (Mt 18:18). The shepherds you freely criticize have the same God given authority. You willingly submit to the human authority of employers, those in public office, and your own heart, but are repulsed by submission to ecclesiastical authority which comes from Christ Himself. This is the perfect time for the Vatican to focus efforts on re-evangelizing the West. The current “culture” of the West is in great need of the Good News of Christ. The apostolic nature of the episcopate requires an evangelization of all cultures & times. New Secularized Culture + New Times = Need for New Evangelization. REPENT & BELIEVE IN THE GOSPEL! Well done Holy Father!

God Bless Pope Benedict XVI and the Catholic Church

Many of the comments above are so full of irrational anger, hatred, and open willingness to welcome any attach against the Pope or the Magisterium - that I find it hard to believe such represent the majority of readers of NCReporter. The most obvious example was the message which called "...for more Catholics to disassociate themselves from the Church."

That sort of begs the question - What is a Catholic?
Of course that writer's thought/answer come in their very next sentence;
"It [the Church] has become a right wing political tool."
Whoever would write such confused rhetoric already thinks that the Church in teaching what She has from the beginning is centrally political in nature. Most of the worst enemies of the Pope and Magisterium are people who are essentially 'political animals/operatives/idealogues' - rather than those who are essentially religious in nature. The tail wags their dog. Jesus didn't start any political movements --- except in the minds-eye and wishful thinking of those who confuse pure politics with religion.

Yeah, whatever.

I was pretty interested in Pope Benedict's letter to Ireland. If he takes his advice to bishops to heart:

Only decisive action carried out with complete honesty and transparency will restore the respect and good will of the Irish people towards the Church to which we have consecrated our lives. This must arise, first and foremost, from your own self-examination, inner purification and spiritual renewal

and applies it to himself, I'll listen. Else, everything is just words, words, empty words.