THE WORLD SYNOD OF BISHOPS AND THE NEW EVANGELIZATION............

During this week that includes the commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the convening of the Second Vatican Council, a three year, four session gathering of some 3,000 of the World's Bishops; one of the reforms in the renewal of the Catholic Church it led to is the Synod of Bishops.  Pope Paul VI, established the Synod of Bishops as an advisory and consultative forum, on September 15, 1965, during the final session of the Second Vatican Council, "to make greater use of the Bishops' in providing for the good of the Universal Church", so as to have, "the consolation of their presence, the help of their wisdom and experience, the support of their counsel, and the voice of their authority".  Since 1967 there have been convened at the call of the Pope, thirteen Ordinary General sessions if the Synod of Bishops, a representative group from the entire College of Bishops, who approximately every three years has been gathered to discuss particular topics of pertinence to the contemporary Church in the World.  The 2012 Synod of Bishops being held this month has been called by Pope Benedict XVI to focus on, "The New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith".  The 2012 Synod, comprised of 262 participating Bishops opened on Monday with remarks from the Holy Father.  Proclaiming, "the essence of evangelization", is that, "Christians cannot be lukewarm about their Faith", but that Faith "must burn within us like a flame of love; a flame that lights our entire being, to become the great passion of our existence, igniting those around us".  The Pope's message to the assembled prelates was further reflected in the remarks of Archbishop Donald Wuerl, of Washington, D.C.,  Christians to, "overcome the syndrome of embarassment"...for announcing, "the simple, genuine, and tangible treasure of friendship with Jesus".  Archbishop Wuerl is the General Relator, or Chairman / Facilitator chosen to oversee this Synod of Bishops.  In further remarks at today's second session of the Evangelization Synod, +Wuerl called upon the participating Bishops and the Church to join in rolling back what the Archbishop calls a, "tsunami of secularism", that has, "washed" over society and the Church in recent decades; in his view 'taking most of what we lived by away'.  "We have experienced I believe, in recent decades such a movement of secular hegemony that sees the horizons of life limited to the secular World, that doesn't see a role for Faith, for the belief that we are all created in the image and likeness of God, that there is a moral order that is objective and that we cannot change".  The work of the Synod of Bishops over the next three weeks will be to discuss and provide input on the New Evangelization, not as a program, but a, "new way of thinking, seeing, and acting". ..."a lens through which we see the opportunity to proclaim anew the Gospel".  It is my hope that the relatively grave and dour view as the Synod leader Archbishop Wuerl expresses will not harness an over response on the part of the Bishops that is further polarizing more than it is good news promoting the common good through ongoing, constructive, dialogue and debate, of the concerns vital to us as People of Faith, who know what we Believe as Catholic-Christians and effectively Witness to those beliefs in a positive and participatory, influencing way............Fr.  Troy