New Zealand urgently needs new evangelization: Pope, Synod council
December 19, 2011
Meeting on December 17 with bishops from New Zealand, Pope Benedict XVI said that the new evangelization “is not an abstract concept but a renewal of authentic Christian living based on the teachings of the Church.”
The Pope told the bishops, who were concluding their ad limina visits, that they should be “protagonists” in the new evangelization, which is “intended to give a fresh impetus to the mission of the whole Church to lead human beings out of the wilderness in which they find themselves.”
Speaking of that “wilderness,” the Pope remarked that contemporary society has “a weakened appreciation for the sacred nature of Christian marriage and the stability of the family.” In that and other respects, he said: “Ultimately, Christian faith provides a surer basis for life than the secular vision.”
In a related development, the Synod of Bishops announced that at a meeting earlier this month, the special council following up on the work of the Synod for Oceania had also focused on “the process of secularization, and particularly in Australia and new Zealand.” The council said that the work of evangelism in the region “requires fresh ardor from all Christians, including the laity, who must rediscover their missionary vocation.”
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Further information:
- New Evangelisation Is Not an Abstract Concept (VIS)
- Christians in Oceania Must Rediscover Their Mission (VIS)
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