PAGE 10 - The Georgia Bulletin, May 21. 1987
A?
"A Disciple's Search" Offers
Insights On Gospel Narratives
ILLUSTRATION’S in the book, including that
shown above, are by Father John Quigley.
Avoiding Chaos In Parish
BY PAULA DAY
“Jesus A Disciple s Search, by Murray Bodo. St. An
thony Messenger Press (Cincinnati, 1986). 131 pp., $5.95.
For the reader of Scripture and particularly the Gospels,
a book that helps deepen one's reflection on the gospel nar
rative is welcome. And this unassuming paperback by
Franciscan Father Murray Bodo is.
Written as an internal monologue, set in the cadences cf
speech, the author adopts the voice of the disciple,
Nathaniel, the Israelite in whom Jesus found no guile, three
years after the Resurrection. Bodo offers a subjective view,
a behind-the-scenes and in-between-the-lines reflection on
aspects of the Gospel narrative. The introspective voice
echoes the tone and feeling of all who search for a savior
they once knew but have lost in a time of spiritual dryness.
Readers who have not considered and come to terms with
the theological notion that Jesus' self-awareness, including
his awareness of his divinity, developed as he “grew in
wisdom and age," may find the book's assumption of this
view either disturbing or thought-provoking or both. Using
Nathaniel's voice, the speaker addresses Jesus:
Your great poverty was in the struggle of the man-
Jesus (who did not know who he was)
New Approaches To Evangelizing
“The Evangelizing Parish: Theologies and Strategies for
Renewal," by Rev. Patrick J. Brennan. (Tabor Publishing,
Allen, Tx.) pp.113 + $6.95.
BY ANITA WILLOUGHBY
Have you ever felt the Church was pushing families,
teens, and young people through “programmatic hoops,"
with little evidence that their lives were changed? Have
parish celebrations of sacraments appeared to you more
like cultural milestones rather than “celebrations of in
dividuals of familial conversion?” If so, then you have felt
the same dissatisfaction that led Father Patrick Brennan to
change his attitude and pastoral practice and devise new
approaches for ministry and religious education. This book
is the fruit of his awareness and experience as associate
pastor, DRE, youth minister, director of the Office for
Chicago Catholic Evangelization, president of the National
Council for Catholic Evangelization and now director of the
National Center for Evangelization and Parish Renewal.
Many people today seem to be asking why the Catholic
Church is into “evangelization" and why the Catholic
Church is not marketing Christianity and salvation as some
fundamentalists and evangelicals appear to be doing with
much success. Parish staffs and leaders are wondering
‘ ‘ How and when do we evangelize?' ’ as well as “Who should
be evangelizing?" and “What training is needed?" These
are the questions that Father Brennan addresses in his
book, “The Evangelizing Parish."
Father Brennan approaches Catholic Evangelization by
first clarifying the popular notion of evangelization, usually
associated with fundamentalists and evangelicals, by-
describing their underlying theologies and strategies.
While acknowledging the weaknesses of their approach
(automatic conversion, manipulative and judgmental ap
proach, appealing to fears and anxieties) he reminds us of
the strengths (focus where people are, use trained laity, be
simple, central to Church's mission). I found this informa
tion to be foundation and crucial for all Catholics involved
in evangelization efforts. I believe Catholics can under
stand why evangelization promoted by the Catholic Church
is not the same as evangelization techniques carried out by
evangelical and fundamental churches when the relation
ship between theology and strategy is understood.
An overview of Catholic Evangelization is provided with
some definitions and principles. Evangelization is
presented as the central mission of the Church in general
and individual Christian in particular. Father Brennan suc
cinctly describes the way the Catholic Church has recently
understood and identified her mission as “evangelizing.”
The contents of the Bishops’ study document “The
Evangelization of the Modern World,” (1974) and the in
fluential work of Pope Paul VI, “Evangeli Nuntiandi,"
(1975) were summarized as well as the role religious
educators have had in this area. Due to the central relation
ship of evangelization to baptism, Church, all ministries,
Father Brennan continually emphasizes the “convergence’
model of evangelization. While there is a need to organize
ministries, i.e., religious education, liturgy, youth, service,
administration, he warns against “not communicating or
collaborating with people who are involved in other types of
ministries or who possess different gifts. " Such “compart-
mentalization" he says, “leads to turfism or people fighting
to maintain their kingdom but not really harnessing
energies for the coming of the Kingdom of God. Father
Brennan challenges us to share "common why for
ministry," and to examine and balance evangelizing at
titudes and strategies in relation to “invitation" and “mis
sion." “To evangelize is to invite to the Kingdom, facilitate
conversion and make disciples."
Evangelization is not a program, and Father Brennan
warns us to “beware of programitis!” "Programitis
stacks program upon program often creating a chaotic,
busy parish rather than an innovative, organic environ
ment for renewal and ongoing conversion that is facilitated
by “parish structures, the development of lay leadership,
(shared) parish decision, prayer and worship." Rather
than list successful programs (he did mention RENEW) he
proposes eight general areas that parish staffs and leaders
need to attend to in order to create an environment of
spiritual renewal and conversion.
Parish “renewal" is not something one graduates from
and then moves on to something else but rather an ongoing
process requiring constant effort. These areas for renewal
he names “constants” by which parish staffs and leaders
can examine parish life and develop strategies for renewal.
I particularily liked the way Father Brennan addressed
the issue of inactive or alienated parishioners. He not only
defined why people leave (no one reason) and their emo
tions but how to respond to the various situations. “We do
not get people back to Church by trying to get them back to
Church. Rather people may return to Church if they meet
and relate to Christian people who have genuine concern
and compassion for their fellow person. It is...non-
manipulative dialogue that is an attractive, inviting ex
perience for people." The importance and value of training
is emphasized as Father Brennan presents three levels of
training with particular emphasis on home visitation skills.
Father Brennan's 15 years experience with youth work is
most evident as he recognizes this age as a time for
discovering sexuality, identity, as well as beginning the
process of ideological commitment and owning faith and
values. He speaks of the importance and value of an
“oiganic growth" method of youth ministry with emphasis
on peer ministry. He feels the major flaw in Catholic youth
ministry efforts is that frequently it is “spotty or sporadic”
and he advocates a “full cycle youth evangelization” which
is many activities organized in a process sort of way toward
conversion.
This would be an excellent book to be read, reread,
shared and discussed by members of parish staffs, parish
council, boards of education, RCIA teams, evangelization
committees or as Father Brennan writes in the preface,
“anyone who cares about the future of the Church and the
coming of God’s Kingdom.”
Anita Willoughby is pastoral assistant at St. Jude, direc
tor of the Atlanta Forum on the Catechumenate. and a
member of the Archdiocesan Committee on Evangeliza
tion.
with the Goa-Jesus (who did).
These were the polarities of who you were,
and your whole life long you were bringing together
this God and this man within you.
In the end that inner reconciliation
also brought together God and all creation
which you also contained in your person.
All during your life
the God kept summoning you to become
that which the man knew only in promise,
only insofar as it was gradually revealed to him. (pp.
60- i)
Superficially, the book might be called “A day in the life
of... ” The section entitled ‘‘Morning" introduces the reader
to the spiritual musings of the speaker who eventually
moves from self-absorption to such real questions of Faith
as “Who is Jesus?” “What does it mean that Yahweh
saves 1 ” “How responsible am I for my own salvation?"
The “Noon" section is a dialogue between the disciple
and a widowed, son-less Mary of 50. “Dusk" traces briefly
the personal relationship between disciple and Master and
should resonate with anyone who has heard a personal
“Follow me" from the Lord. The “Night" segment, too, will
elicit a response of recognition from those who search for
Him in today’s events, and relationships and struggles.
“Dawn” finds the imaginary Nathaniel, peaceful now, and
reconciled to the loss of his Lord. And, the paradox. With
the acceptance of the loss comes the discovery of His
presence.
One gets the sense in this slender work of a mind and
heart that has lovingly meditated on the Gospels. The result
is not unlike those subjective insights poetry gives that open
us to further reflection.
Paula Day is a member of The Georgia Bulletin staff.
NEW
BOOKS
BY RICHARD PHILBRICK
NC News Service
WASHINGTON (NC) — Here is a list of new books
of particular interest to Catholic readers.
“Disarming the Heart,” by Father John Dear, S.J.,
Paulist Press, $6.95, 132 pp. Links the message of
Jesus lived out to the growing practice of professing a
vow of non-violence.
“Where is God Now?” by Sister Juliana M. Casey,
I.H.M., Sheed & Ward, NPG, 160 pp. Faces the reality
of nuclear terror, suggests alternatives, and ex
amines the role of a peacemaker.
“Julian: Woman of Our Day,” edited by Robert
Llewelyn, Twenty-Third Publications, $6.95. 144 pp.
Essays by Catholic, Church of England, and
Episcopal scholars about a 14th century English
mystic.
“Laity Stirring the Church,” by Dolores R. Leckey,
Fortress Press, NPG, 119 pp. Identifies six issues that
are transfiguring today’s church through suffering,
hope, and creativity.
“The Laity Today and Tomorrow,” by Father Ed
mund Flood, O.S.B., Paulist Press, $4.95. 112 pp. Ra
tionale for the piace of lay persons in the church to
day and some predictions about what their activities
will mean for the church.
“As I Take Christ,” by Dodie Gust, Ave Maria
Press, $4.95, 135 pp. Guide for personal meditation
and for groups that meet periodically for study,
prayer, and Christian fellowship.
“Thankful Praise,” edited by Keith Watkins, CBP
Press, $9.95, 180 pp. Prepared by Protestant
theologians as a resource for Christian worship on an
ecumenicl basis.
“Words of Faith,” by Father Karl Rahner,
Crossroad, $5.95, 96 pp. Eighty-eight texts drawn
from the author's popular spiritual writings, many of
them long unavailable.
“To Be a Revolutionary,” by Father James
Guadalupe Carney, Harper & Row, $10.95, 471 pp.
Paperback edition of the autobiography of an
American-born priest killed in Honduras. It was well
received when published in 1985.
“Healing the Heart,” by Joseph A. Grassi, Paulist
Press, $7.95,137 pp. Explores the deep significance of
biblical heart language images.
