Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong
Diocesan Synod
Group Four – Evangelization (Ad Gentes)
Second Draft
PROLOGUE
1. The drive to evangelize stems from the Resurrection experience. The Risen Christ sends forth his disciples to forgive sins, anoint and heal people, cast out demons, and make disciples of all nations in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. These, and other similar words, express an awareness that the Kingdom of God, this new life in Jesus Christ, must be shared and announced to everybody.
2. The early Christian literature (Acts of the Apostles and Letters) shows that growth in evangelization consciousness came in the face of challenges, difficulties and conflicts. The apostles were “pushed out” of Jerusalem because of persecution and they transformed that experience into an occasion for evangelization. The tense relationship between Jewish and Hellenistic communities became an opportunity for further development.
3. Throughout the history of evangelization, neither poor religious performance nor limitations within the community have ever put an end to the proclamation of the Gospel. With this in mind, we look at both the present situation and to the future with optimism.
4. The document focuses on the evangelization of non-Christians. It is divided in three parts:
-The first part is a reflection on the present situation in Hong Kong.
-The second part highlights some simple and comprehensible principles.
-The third part offers a plan to be implemented over two years.
5. Each part in turn is analyzed on six different levels as follows:
-Evangelization at the individual level;
-Evangelization at the family level;
-Evangelization by Catholic groups (including lay-groups and Catholic organizations);
-Evangelization at the school level;
-Evangelization at the parish level;
-Evangelization at the diocesan level.
1. Reflection on the Present Situation
1.1 Evangelization at the individual level:
1.1.1 Catholics of all walks of life are carrying out their mission of evangelization, especially by their life witness. They have motivated many people to join catechism class, including children and youth, housewives and working people, as well as the elderly.
1.1.2 Most catechumens join catechism class because they are prompted by lay Catholics, or are influenced by their good example. This shows that the laity are carrying out their evangelical mission. However, the lifestyle of some Catholics is a counter-witness.
1.1.3 Many Catholics accept that they have the responsibility and the mission to evangelize. However, in Hong Kong, many people face great work pressure and long working hours and spent time in ongoing education. All this deprives the individuals of the time and energy to carry out evangelization work, although they are willing. Nevertheless, some Catholics still think that evangelization is the work of the clergy, religious and catechists only.
1.1.4 In recent years, evangelization activities are becoming more and more common in parishes, and the parishioners are zealous in bringing non-Catholics to these events.
1.1.5 Many Catholics are enthusiastic about attending courses in theology, bible, catechism, spirituality, and leadership training. However, it is still common that parishes lack people for evangelization work. Is this because all these trained people pay attention to pastoral work and the formation of Catholics ad intra, while neglecting the evangelization work of non-believers ad extra?
1.1.6 Prayer, abstinence, and donations are important means to support evangelization work. However, most Catholics are not aware of this.
1.1.7 Some Catholics make good use of their own places to spread the Good News (such as exhibiting scrolls with biblical quotations or other symbols of the Church). Others make good use of their particular profession in society (such as workers, domestic helpers, office staff, professionals, etc.) to act as the yeast of God’s good news in society. However, generally speaking, there is still much room for improvement along these lines.
1.1.8 In today's Hong Kong, not many people look upon Catholicism as an alien Western religion. So this environment does not put much pressure on Catholics in their evangelization work.
1.2 Evangelization at the family level
1.2.1 In recent years, quite a number of catechumens have been motivated to join catechism class by Catholic members in their own families.
1.2.2 Evangelization among family members is becoming more and more common, especially between spouses.
1.3 Evangelization by Catholic groups (including laity groups and Catholic organizations)
1.3.1 Although there are many laity groups in the diocese, most of them focus on prayer and bible sharing or bible study, and not so much on evangelization work ad extra. All but a few of these groups carry out evangelization work on a regular weekly basis.
1.3.2 Most social services and medical organizations only pay attention to the service they provide to their clients, and are relatively lacking in the awareness and actual work of evangelization.
1.3.3 Among Catholic groups, there are quite a number whose specific ministry is evangelization of non-Catholics. Among them are those who are sent abroad to evangelize. This reflects the universality of the Church.
1.4 Evangelization at the school level
1.4.1 The Catholic school is a favorable place to carry out evangelization work. Most students are non-Catholics. Many people are baptized when they are studying in a Catholic school. Others are baptized after they leave school due to the influence by the Catholic school.
1.4.2 The school pays more attention to imparting knowledge, and not so much on communicating the Catholic faith to non-Catholic students.
1.4.3 The teaching duties of teachers in the school are heavy, and only a small percentage of the teaching staff is Catholic. It would overburden the Catholic teachers if they had to carry out evangelization work on top of their already heavy workload.
1.4.4 Instances of bad examples in Catholic schools have an adverse impact on the Catholic Church and obstruct evangelization work.
1.4.5 Generally speaking, the schools and the parishes lack cooperation as far as promoting evangelization activities is concerned.
1.5 Evangelization at the parish level:
1.5.1 The parish provides a locus for evangelization. It is the place where the largest numbers of evangelization functions are held. Every year, there are numerous new catechism classes in parishes, and many new Catholics are baptized in the parish church.
1.5.2 Many Sunday schools are open to non-Catholic children as well, which provide a good opportunity to spread the Good News.
1.5.3 Under the prevailing parish structure, the priests and pastoral workers in the parish are obliged to spend most of their time and energy in administration and pastoral work, which directly affects evangelization ad extra.
1.5.4 The annual plan of the parish usually focuses on activities for parishioners and liturgical arrangements. Vision and planning for evangelization are usually lacking.
1.5.5 There is often a misunderstanding that the parish is there for Catholics only. In fact, the parish should be for both Catholics and non-Catholics alike. However, some parishes seldom grasp the opportunities to spread the good news of God to non-Catholics in its own area.
1.5.6 Many parish offices are closed with staff on leave on Saturday afternoons and on Sundays. This impedes evangelization work.
1.5.7 Many parishes are making good use of wedding ceremonies and funerals to convey the message of God to non-Catholic participants.
1.6 Evangelization at the diocesan level:
1.6.1 Every year, the diocese holds a large-scale celebration, which enables the Catholic Church to give public witness to its faith and spread the good news in society.
1.6.2 The Catholic television and radio programs make good use of the mass media in spreading the good news of God, although the programs are not widely disseminated.
1.6.3 Each local church has the mission to evangelize the whole world. Nevertheless, the Hong Kong diocese is relatively inward looking, and the diocese also lacks a vision and comprehensive plan for evangelization.
1.6.4 There are many organizations at the diocesan level, but none is specifically responsible for promoting evangelization work.
1.6.5 Statistics show that the number of baptisms is decreasing every year.
1.6.6 There are many foreign missionaries serving in the Hong Kong diocese; however, they have not been able to infuse their missionary spirit ad extra into the local Catholic community.
1.6.7 The evangelization work of the mass media bureaus in the diocese is not very obvious, such as the HK Catholic Social Communications Office, Kung Kao Po and Sunday Examiner, Catholic Truth Society, and the Diocesan Audio-Visual Centre, etc.
2. Basic Principles
2.1 Evangelization at the individual level
Evangelization is the mission of each Catholic.
(Refer appendices: [6.1] Dogmatic Constitution on the Church #31; [6.2] Decree on the Church's Missionary Activity #36, 21, 41, [6.3] Apostolic Exhortation Evangelization in the Modern World #15, 24; [6.4] Mission of the Redeemer #31, 32, 34)
2.2 Evangelization at the family level
Every family member has the mission to evangelize the other. (Refer appendix: [6.5] Decree on the Apostolate of Lay People #11)
2.3 Evangelization by Catholic groups
Catholic groups are special beneficiaries of evangelization, and at the same time they are evangelizers. (Refer appendices: [6.6] Apostolic Exhortation Evangelization in the Modern World #58; [6.7] Apostolic Exhortation Ecclesia in Asia #23)
2.4 Evangelization at the school level
The Catholic school is a favorable place for evangelization, and is also a suitable place for the formation of faith. (Refer appendix: [6.8] Mission of the Redeemer #74)
2.5 Evangelization at the parish level
The parish brings together human resources and initiates evangelization work. (Refer appendix: [6.9] Decree on the Apostolate of Lay People #10)
2.6 Evangelization at the diocesan level
Evangelization should be the common vision and universal mission of each particular church. (Refer appendix: [6.10] Decree on the Church's Missionary Activity #20)
3. Concrete Proposals
In order to promote the work of evangelization ad gentes more effectively, we plan to launch an "Evangelization Year" to emphasize the Church's call to mission. Before the commencement of the "Evangelization Year", ensure good planning. Before introducing it to every unit and organization in the diocese, there should be a preparatory year to ensure good, effective plannig.
3.1 Preparation period (Suggestion: Mission Sunday 2002 to Mission Sunday 2003)
3.1.1 First of all, a Diocesan Evangelization Commission should be established. The Commission would be responsible for coordinating, promoting and supporting the evangelization work of the whole diocese. Then, the parish should set up an "evangelization committee" to reflect the diocesan evangelization program at the local level.
3.1.2 In the first year, the Diocesan Evangelization Commission should coordinate human resources, establish working groups, carry out promotion and publicity work, and prepare materials on evangelization, such as leaflets, books, audio-visual means, etc. It should also assist the diocesan organizations, groups, parishes, and individuals to bring to full play the evangelical spirit, and to carry out evangelization work at all levels.
3.1.3 Lay down a concrete and feasible target for evangelization. Our group suggests aiming at 10,000 new Catholics.
3.1.4 Formulate stages of implementation, with an evaluation after six months, so as to monitor the direction and progress of the work.
3.1.5 Assign a Sunday to carry out a "$10 Campaign for Evangelization" to raise funds for evangelization work.
3.1.6 Call on every Catholic in the diocese to pray for the "Evangelization Year" during the preparatory year, and especially invite the Catholic prayer groups and the elderly to support the project strongly with their prayers.
3.1.7 Organize training courses to help parishes train leaders for promoting evangelization work and leading the parish and groups in evangelization work.
3.1.8 Print prayers, songs, and slogans to prepare for the commencement of the "Evangelization Year".
3.1.9 Invite parishes and groups to respond concretely to the theme of the "Evangelization Year" in its annual planning for the coming year, so that the spirituality and activities of parishes, groups, and individuals can be in line with the aim of the "Evangelization Year".
3.2 Implementation period (Suggestion: Mission Sunday 2003 to Easter 2005)
3.2.1 Evangelization at the individual level
a. Each individual Catholic should attend at least one evangelization formation program, and take part in at least one public evangelization activity.
b. In the span of one year, introduce at least one non-Catholic to a Church function.
c. In the span of one year, introduce at least one non-Catholic to catechism class.
d. Read The Acts of the Apostles within one year, so as to become aware of their evangelical mission. Each individual should also invite relevant people, e.g. the HK Catholic Biblical Institute, to provide guidance for the reading of Acts.
e. Those who are very busy in their profession should realize that in their respective professions, they participate in the work for the betterment of the world. Hence, they should work happily, emphasize professional ethics and responsibilities, respect and enjoy their profession. By doing this, they can become the good yeast. In their respective professions, they spread the good news to their own colleagues through speech and life witness.
f. Design evangelization websites to help Catholics become aware of their evangelical mission, and provide non-Catholics with an opportunity to know the gospel.
g. Individual Catholics should make good use of their own places (offices, homes, etc.) and their particular profession to carry out the mission of evangelization, and to become the yeast of evangelization in society.
3.2.2 Evangelization at the family level
a. In order for the family to become a place for evangelization, Catholic family members should try to influence other members in the family with their speech and life witness.
b. Catholic family members should take the initiative to invite other family members to pray together for the needy and the sick in the family.
c. At least once a year, the whole family should attend a Church activity together.
d. Catholic family members should decorate their homes in order to create a religious atmosphere.
e. Each family should have at least one Bible, and read and share on The Acts of the Apostles within one year, so as to remind family members of their evangelical mission.
f. Once a month, the whole family should pray together for "evangelization", e.g. by saying the Rosary.
3.2.3 Evangelization by Catholic groups
a. To consolidate community life, the group should strengthen its activities of evangelization ad gentes. Therefore, at least once a year, each group should on its own behalf carry out or participate in an evangelization activity.
b. During the "Evangelization Year", the groups should systematically share on The Acts of the Apostles, so as to kindle the evangelical spirit within the group.
c. Catholic groups should use the "Evangelization Year" as the theme of their annual plan.
3.2.4 Evangelization at the school level
a. At least once a month invite Catholic teachers or students to share their personal faith experience during the morning assembly, as a way to spread the gospel.
b. Catholic teachers, staff and students should spread the gospel to their non-Catholic counterparts by their life witness and speech.
c. Schools should be furnished so as to create a religious artistic environment, such as placing sacred statues, crosses, books, posters, accompanied by religious music, etc. in order to edify non-Catholic teachers and students.
d. Schools should make special decorations for Church feast days, by which to promote the faith.
e. Schools should have catechism class for students to learn about the Catholic faith if they wish.
f. Schools and parishes should cooperate closely to promote evangelization activities.
3.2.5 Evangelization at the parish level
a. The parish council should have an annual plan and vision for evangelization.
b. The parish council should have an evangelization committee to carry out the evangelization work of the whole parish.
c. Catechism classes in the parish should pay special attention to the formation of the catechumens in their evangelical mission, and to provide the catechumens with an opportunity to evangelize even before their baptism. In this way, they will become evangelizers after baptism.
d. The priests and pastoral workers in the parish should strike a balance between their pastoral and evangelization work.
3.2.6 Evangelization work at the diocesan level
a. Assign the month of October of each year to be the “evangelization month”.
b. The diocese should do something concrete to enable Catholics to pay more attention to evangelization work, both locally and overseas, paying special attention to the needs of the poor and the weak.
c. The diocese should set up an Evangelization Commission to promote the evangelization work of the whole diocese.
d. The diocesan mass media organizations and bureaus should give first priority to evangelization ad gentes.
e. The diocese should consider setting up a school for evangelization, to serve as a place for the ongoing formation of evangelizers.
f. Organizations and bureaus in the diocese should increase their awareness of evangelization ad extra.
CONCLUSION
Appendices
APPENDICES TO THE BASIC PRINCIPLES
Appendix 1
1.1 “…all the faithful, that is, who by Baptism are incorporated into Christ, are constituted the people of God, who have been made sharers in their own way in the priestly, prophetic and kingly office of Christ and play their part in carrying out the mission of the whole Christian people in the church and in the world.… It is the special vocation of the laity to seek the kingdom of God by engaging in temporal affairs and directing them according to God’s will. They live in the world, in each and every one of the world’s occupations and callings and in the ordinary circumstances of social and family life which, as it were, form the context of their existence. There they are called by God to contribute to the sanctification of the world from within, like leaven, in the spirit to the Gospel, by fulfilling their won particular duties. Thus, especially by the witness of their life, resplendent in faith, hope and charity they manifest Christ to others.” (Dogmatic Constitution on the Church #31)
Appendix 2
2.1 “As members of the living Christ, incorporated into him and made like him by baptism, confirmation and the Eucharist, all the faithful have an obligation to collaborate in the expansion and spread of his body, so that they might bring it to fullness as soon as possible. So all the children of the church should have a lively consciousness of their own responsibility for the world, they should foster within themselves a truly catholic spirit, they should spend themselves in the work of the gospel.” (Decree on the Church's Missionary Activity #36)
2.2 “The principal duty of both men and women is to bear witness to Christ, and this they are obliged to do by their life and their words, in the family, in their social group, and in the sphere of their profession.”
“They should spread the faith of Christ among those with whom they are connected by social and professional ties, and this obligation is all the more urgent since so many people can only come to hear the gospel and recognize Christ through lay people who are their neighbors. Indeed wherever possible lay people should be ready to carry out the special mission of preaching the gospel and teaching Christian doctrine so that they might strengthen the young church by a more immediate cooperation with the hierarchy.” (Decree on the Church's Missionary Activity #21)
2.3 “Lay people should cooperate in church’s work of evangelization and share in its saving mission both as witnesses and living instruments.” (Decree on the Church's Missionary Activity #41)
Appendix 3
3.1 “The Church is born of the evangelizing activity of Jesus and the Twelve. She is the normal, desired, most immediate and most visible fruit of this activity: ‘Go, therefore, make disciples of all the nations.’ (Mt 28:19) Now, they accepted what he said and were baptized. That very day about three thousand were added to their number... Day by day the Lord added to their community those destined to be saved.” (Evangelization in the Modern World #15)
3.2 “Finally: the person who has been evangelized goes on to evangelize others. Here lies the test of truth, the touchstone of evangelization: it is unthinkable that a person should accept the Word and give himself to the Kingdom without becoming a person who bears witness to it and proclaims it in his turn.” (Evangelization in the Modern World #24)
Appendix 4
4.1 “The Church was sent by Christ to reveal and communicate the love of God to all people and nations. This mission is one and undivided, having one origin and one final purpose; but within it, there are different tasks and kinds of activity.” (Mission of the Redeemer #31)
4.2 “…missionary activity itself, which is not considered a marginal task for the Church but is situated at the center of her life, as a fundamental commitment of the whole People of God…. To say that the whole Church is missionary does not preclude the existence of a specific mission ad gentes, just as saying that all Catholics must be missionaries not only does not exclude, but actually requires that there be persons who have a specific vocation to be life-long missionaries ad gentes.” (Mission of the Redeemer #32)
4.3 “Missionary activity proper, namely the mission ad gentes, is directed to peoples or groups who do not yet believe in Christ, who are far from Christ, in whom the Church has not yet taken root and whose culture has not yet been influenced by the Gospel…. The specific nature of this mission ad gentes consists in its being addressed to non-Christians. It is therefore necessary to ensure that this specifically missionary work that Jesus entrusted and still entrusts each day to his Church does not become an indistinguishable part of the overall mission of the whole People of God and as a result become neglected or forgotten.” (Mission of the Redeemer #34)
Appendix 5
5.1 “Christian couples are, for each other, for their children and for their relatives, cooperators of grace and witnesses of the faith. They are the first to pass on the faith to their children and to educate them in it. By word and example they form them to a Christian and apostolic life; they offer them wise guidance in the choice of vocation, and if they discover in them a sacred vocation they encourage it with every care.”
“The mission of being the primary vital cell of society has been given to the family by God. This mission will be accomplished if the family, by the mutual affection of its members and by family prayer, presents itself as a domestic sanctuary of the church; if the whole family takes its part in the church’s liturgical worship;… Among the various works of the family apostolate the following may be listed: adopting abandoned children, showing a loving welcome to strangers, helping with the running of schools, supporting adolescents with advice and help, assisting engaged couples to make a better preparation for marriage, taking part in catechism-teaching, supporting married people and families in a material or moral crisis, and, in the case of the aged, providing them not only with what is indispensable but also procuring for them a fair share of the fruits of economic progress…. To attain the ends of their apostolate more easily it can be of advantage for families to organize themselves into groups.” (Decree on the Apostolate of Lay People #11)
Appendix 6
6.1 “These latter communities will be a place of evangelization,… the ecclesial communautes de base will correspond to their most fundamental vocation: as hearers of the Gospel which is proclaimed to them and privileged beneficiaries of evangelization, they will soon become proclaimers of the Gospel themselves.” (Evangelization in the Modern World #58)
Appendix 7
7.1 “The more the Christian community is rooted in the experience of God which flows from a living faith, the more credibly it will be able to proclaim to others the fulfillment of God’s Kingdom in Jesus Christ. This will result from faithfully listening to the word of God, from prayer and contemplation, from celebrating the mystery of Jesus in the sacraments, above all in the Eucharist, and from giving example of true communion of life and integrity of love.” (Ecclesia in Asia #23)
Appendix 8
8.1 “Besides catechists, mention must also be made of other ways of serving the Church and her mission; namely, other Church personnel:... leaders of liturgy;… leaders of Bible study groups; those in charge of charitable works; administrators of Church resources; leaders in the various forms of the apostolate; religion teachers in schools. All the members of the laity ought to devote a part of their time to the Church, living their faith authentically.” (Mission of the Redeemer #74)
Appendix 9
9.1 “The parish offers an outstanding example of community apostolate, for it gathers into one all the human diversities that are found there and inserts them into the universality of the church. The laity should develop the habit of working in the parish in close cooperation with their priests, of bringing before the ecclesial community their own problems, world problems, and questions regarding humanity’s salvation, to examine them together and solve them by general discussion. According to their abilities the laity ought to cooperate in all the apostolic and missionary enterprises of their ecclesial family.”
“The laity will continuously cultivate the feeling for the diocese, of which the parish is a kind of cell; they will be always ready at the invitation of their bishop to make their own contribution to diocesan undertakings. Indeed they will not confine their cooperation within the limits of the parish or diocese, but will endeavor, in response to the needs of the towns and rural districts to extend it to interparochial, inter-diocesan, national and international spheres.… The laity will therefore be concerned for the needs of the people of God scattered throughout the world. (Decree on the Apostolate of Lay People #10)
Appendix 10
10.1 “As the local church must represent the universal church as perfectly as possible, it must remember that it has been sent to those who live in the same territory as itself, but do not believe in Christ so that it might be for them, by the example of the lives of the faithful and of the whole community, a sign indicating Christ....”
“In the young churches the local priests should give themselves generously to the work of evangelization. They should work with the foreign missionaries, with whom they form one priestly body under the authority of the bishop, not only in ministering to the faithful and in celebrating divine worship, but also in preaching the gospel to those who are outside. They should show themselves ready and should eagerly offer themselves to their bishop to undertake missionary work in distant and abandoned areas of their own or other dioceses when the occasion arises.... In order that this missionary zeal might flourish among their compatriots it would help greatly if the young churches took part in the universal mission of the church as soon as possible and sent missionaries to preach the gospel throughout the whole world, even though they are themselves short of clergy.” (Decree on the Church's Missionary Activity #20)