Cardinal: God Sending Eager Evangelizers

Below is a wonderful story from ZENIT news.

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Calls Movements and Groups an Answer to Church's Needs

By Jesús Colina

VATICAN CITY, MAY 12, 2008 (Zenit).- New movements and ecclesial realities are part of God's answer to the Church's need for a new evangelization, says Cardinal Paul Cordes.

The cardinal, who is president of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum, affirmed this Sunday when he took possession of his titular see, San Lorenzo in Piscibus, home of the San Lorenzo Center, which Pope John Paul II established 25 years ago as a center to welcome youth to Rome.

When still a vice president of the Pontifical Council for Laity, Bishop Cordes was entrusted with founding the center.

And now as a cardinal, the prelate said he considers himself committed in a particular way to the new evangelization. The red hat, he affirmed, is about more than just participating in conclaves for the election of a new pope.

Cardinal Cordes said he chose Pentecost to take possession of the titular see because the feast is an invitation to the new evangelization, since "the fire, the flame of the Spirit of God wants to set others ablaze."But, "where are the missionaries?" the cardinal asked. And he answered that God already considered years ago that the Church would have a need for evangelization.

"Since the middle of the last century, he has brought men and women in movements and new [ecclesial] realities to awaken in the Church enthusiasm for evangelization," the prelate contended. "He has given them the grace to speak in a fascinated and fascinating way about Jesus Christ, to enthuse people about the following of Christ, to find in Jesus of Nazareth -- just as he is proclaimed by the Church -- the center of their very existences and the fount of a plentiful life."

"These groups are not new walls between consecrated and laypeople, between mission in the Church and mission in the world," Cardinal Cordes continued. "This is not about canceling the diversity of ministries and responsibilities: They seek to awaken in every state of life a love for Christ, our brother and Lord, since from him alone comes salvation and joy."

"Despite aggressive secularization, which wants to bring all of us to the idolatry of the 'I,' they keep Christ as the star that guides their activities," he said. "It's not that they are 'more perfect' Christians. They are Christians like all of us. But they are special since God has prepared them better for the decisive challenge of today: the new evangelization."

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We at ChristLife have benefited greatly from the “new movements and ecclesial realities.” In fact, sometimes, we feel like we are part of an emerging new movement of Catholics committed to following with our whole hearts Jesus and proclaiming the person of Jesus Christ to all the world. Yet “this movement” has no formal name or boundaries. It brings together bishops, priests, religious orders, lay movements, organizations, and individual lay Christians of all denominations – all with a burning heart to reveal to this world, Emmanuel, God is with us “in the face of Jesus of Nazareth” (Pope Benedict).

In fact I was at my sister’s graduation at Mount Saint Mary’s University on Pentecost Sunday – and Baltimore’s Archbishop O’Brien gave the commencement address (read Archbishop’s recent letter of encouragement to ChristLife) . And I was expecting – you know – the usual stuff about “go out and serve the world” and “be a leader” and “make a difference.” Well, he did talk about those things, but at a critical moment during the address, as he was recalling the Pope’s recent visit to the US, he said-

Who am I? What is my purpose? How can I realize my potential?

These are searching questions, rooted in every heart since Adam and Eve. But they are so rarely asked, much less answered by your contemporaries. Truth demands an answer. Faith answers, Jesus Christ. Benedict XVI again to the youth at Dunwoodie, New York:

…truth is not an imposition. Nor is it simply a set of rules. It is a discovery of the One who never fails us; the One whom we can always trust… ultimately truth is a person: Jesus Christ.

Bicentennial graduates: Have you discovered or perhaps re-discovered Jesus Christ here? And will you share that discovery with others as you depart with your Mountain memories? Do you believe that he is the only ultimate measure of the truly human being? Do you find in him, in his life, his preaching, his example the model of true leadership?

What an encouragement! Read the entire commencement address.

This whole theme of focusing on the centrality of the person of Jesus – is one of the hallmarks of Pope Benedict XVI. He is constantly calling Christians and all people to friendship with Jesus Christ. From the summative and final sentence of the Foreword to his latest book, Jesus of Nazareth, he writes-

“it struck me as the most urgent priority to present the figure and message of Jesus in his public ministry, and so to help foster the growth of a living relationship with him” (xxiv).

And if you didn’t catch any of his message while he was here in the US recently, listen to the first few minutes of the “Pope Podcast” below – we have an awesome clip of him talking about the centrality of Jesus. Always good to hear. Come Lord Jesus!