CHRISTLIFE
Helping to Equip the Church in the Essential Work of Evangelization

NEWSLETTER -October, 2000
Year of the Great Jubilee of our Lord Jesus Christ

October 2000

Dear Friends in our Lord Jesus,

I have just returned from a trip oversees to Rome and London and would love to share with you a little about it. Let me begin by saying that when I was in Rome I took time to pray for all of you, our partners in the mission of CHRISTLIFE.

David Payne and Peter Berners-Lee of England and I were in Rome to begin the filming of a new video series, Catholics Listening to God. The Rome segment will introduce Monsignor Mark Coleridge, the presenter of the series. Monsignor Coleridge serves in the Vatican Secretariat of State in the private office of the Holy Father as part of an English speaking team in areas of correspondence, writing, and translation. Fr. Mark is a Biblical scholar from Melbourne, Australia where he has served as President of the Biblical College. We were able to film. Through God's providence, we received Vatican permission to film some of the Jubilee celebrations in some special locations including the roof of the colonnade outside of St. Peter's Basilica. What an amazing and unexpected gift! We obtained some wonderful video that we will use not only for this particular series but for others as well.

October 8th was the Jubilee Day of Bishops. Over fifteen hundred bishops gathered for the occasion, the most assembled in Rome since the Vatican II Councils. They were joined by thousands of pilgrims, including me, in the celebration of the Papal Mass, including a procession with the statute of our Lady of Fatima, which had been flown to Rome from Portugal. During the Mass, as part of the Jubilee celebration, the Church, the world, and the new millennium were dedicated to the protection of Mary. By God's gift and his providence I was privileged to be in Rome to pray for each one of you and for the work of this apostolate!

Pope John Paul II has helped many of us to recognize the importance of Mary's place in the life of the Church. He has often pointed to the Gospel text of John 19:26,27
"Woman behold your Son! And then to the disciple: "Behold your Mother!" John Paul reflects, "Christ at the most sacred and solemn moment in his life, offered us the most precious gift. It was his last will, his dearest treasure. Mary his Mother." (May 8,1990). This insight into the Gospel calls each of us to a response to this gift from our Lord, much like the Apostle John was called to make. The Pope has expressed his fervent desire: "that the word of the Gospel of John may be realized in you. May each of you be a son or daughter of Mary who at the foot of the Cross becomes in a special way for us the "Mother of divine grace." May each of you, he goes on to say, "make room for her in your home and even more in your heart, every day of your life, especially at times of tribulation and suffering." (September 15,1988) And may she who is our Mother and is the Patroness of the Evangelization of the America's pray for us. Amen!

The video series, Catholics Listening to God, was filmed in England as a seminar before a live audience. I give abundant thanks to the Lord for how well things went. Fr. Mark's outstanding teaching will make a significant contribution to the life of many parishes, small groups, and individuals. It is a real joy working with Monsignor Mark. He is not only a gifted speaker and a great brother to be with, he is also a true servant of the Lord and of the Church. Special praise goes to Dave Payne for the tremendous job he does as the primary producer of these video seminars. We would never be able to pull off these productions if it were not for David and his team of volunteers who serve so faithfully and well. And thanks to each of you who have been praying for success of this project. Would you please continue to pray that the editing and work on the study manuals would go quickly and well? We hope this series will be available in early 2001.

As we have more opportunities to talk with church leaders - hierarchy, priests, and laity, I am amazed at the level of encouragement we are receiving for our work in helping provide a means of evangelization for parishes and their small faith communities. We are also humbled by the providence of God, which provides us with very gifted speakers for these projects, and also by so many brothers and sisters like yourselves who share the vision of the new evangelization and willingly to support us in so many different ways!

It is not always easy to do what we are doing as a lay apostolate. However, we believe the Lord has called us to be servants of His new evangelization and mission to the nations. There is something new happening in the Church as we enter the Third millennium since Jesus' incarnation, and we believe in a certain way that it calls for some to be pioneers of the New Evangelization, moving forward with confidence in His great mercy and love and with a desire for all to know, love, and serve Him. May each of us be given in praise to God and looking daily to live and share His love!

Thanks for your continuing partnership in prayer, service, and financial support!

Your brother

Dave Nodar

Coming soon
The re-designed improved web site is almost ready for launching in cyber space!
We hope it will be on line by the end of November. Please pray for the transition to go well, and when you see it, let us know your thoughts!

Prayer needs
o For workers for the work of evangelization and mission, including for those needed for the apostolate of CHRISTLIFE.

o For the editing of Catholics Listening to God, the study guides and money needed to cover the project Save for Fund raising letter

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