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CD O □l CO VOL. 81, ☆ The Southern Diocese of Savannah OSS No. 18 Thursday, May 3, 2001 $.50 PER ISSUE Clergy conference addresses evangelization By Father John J. Lyons he Diocese of Savannah held its yearly Clergy Conference at Saint William Parish on Saint Simons Island April 23-25. All priests serving in the diocese were invited to hear Fathers Kenneth Boyack and Robert S. Rivers of the Paulist National Catholic Evangelization Association (PNCEA) introduce the “Disciples in Mission” program. “Disciples in Mission” is a process that integrates Sunday liturgies, small faith-sharing groups, catechesis, family activities, teen groups, planning, and follow-up activities into a coordinat ed parish-wide experience of evangelization, pro claiming the Good News. The focus of the days centered on the implemen tation of the U.S. Bishops’ document, “Go and Make Disciples: A National Plan and Strategy for Catholic Evangelization in the United States.” The priests were also reminded of the commission that Jesus Christ has entrusted to each baptized Catho lic: all Christians are called to participate in his saving mission. The next step is to evaluate the program to see if the Savannah Diocese can use “Disciples in Mission” as a tool to help it achieve this goal in the new millennium. The conferences were informative and gave the priests of the diocese a good foundation for study ing and evaluating the diocese’s possible participa tion in this three-year program that is being used in many dioceses in the United States. Discussions are planned for the near future that may result in this major undertaking in south Georgia. Father Thomas J. Peyton, pastor of Saint Teresa of Avila Parish, Augusta, commented that evangeliza tion “is a word that often times turns Catholics off and it is often misunderstood as a Protestant methodology.” Regarding “Disciples in Mission,” Father Peyton said he found it “interesting that the program they presented is basically incarnating the words of recent popes: Blessed John XXIII, Paul VI and John Paul II. To put into action the writings of the teaching Church on a local grass-roots level of family and parish setting seems to be the meat and potatoes of the program.” “Helping the average Catholic to encounter Christ in new ways seems to be the impetus or thrust of the program and certainly would have a spiritual awakening for many of us, priests and lay alike on the parish scene,” Father Peyton added. “I would hope that such a program for our young people would allow them the freedom to become more aware and comfortable about being a ‘Catholic’ dis ciple of Christ and taking their rightful place in the pews as witnesses to Christ.” Father John J. Lyons is pastor of Saint Joseph Parish, Augusta. A wild goose chase —page 3 Renewing the Mind of the Media —page 4 Easter week in Italy —page 6 All priests serving in the Diocese of Savannah were invited to gather on Saint Simons Island April 23-25 for the annual Clergy Con ference. At the confer ence, Paulist Fathers Robert Rivers and Ken neth Boyack presented “Disciples in Mission,” an evangelization pro gram, for consideration for possible diocesan use. Left: The bishop and priests gathered for Mass with the communi ty of Saint William Parish. Right: Fathers Mark Ross, Timothy Mc- Keown and Kim Son Nguyen join in the singing. Photos by Jonas N. Jordan.