Posted on 06/15/2006 5:51:07 PM PDT by NYer
ROME, JUNE 15, 2006 (Zenit.org).- The Diocese of Rome wants to go to new heights with its newly launched pastoral plan for the faithful.
The main focus of this diocese for the next 12 months to three years has been themed "Communicating the Gospel and the Joy of the Faith to the New Generations."
Monsignor Marco Gnavi, an official with the Vicariate of Rome, believes a lot can be said for the fruits born of a questionnaire which members of the diocese were invited to complete in recent months.
"This was to verify what the local faithful thought was being done and to hear their ideas on what amendments could be made in their Church communities for the family and its human and spiritual development," the monsignor told me during a pause amid workshops last week.
"After receiving answers from all across the city," he added, "the next step was to bring them together to discuss the results and respond appropriately."
Subthemes and talking points for the meetings had been laid out by the secretary of the vicariate, Monsignor Mauro Parmeggiani, when he addressed the diocese and its Bishop, Benedict XVI, at a conference held in the Basilica of St. John Lateran.
Monsignor Parmeggiani placed great emphasis on Roman parishes needing to be more "consciously welcoming of their youth, to increase the capacity for listening to them so as to formulate new, committed ways of educating them."
Don Mauro, as he's affectionately known by his devoted youths, also presented a unified pastoral plan for schools, universities, parishes and homes, which calls for dialogue between the sectors.
Monsignor Gnavi told me that this new approach "addresses the need for a new synergy among the different actors of evangelization and enables the varying energies rooted in our diocese to work together for the sake of our youth to give them the best treasures of our faith and awaken their genuine desire for a Christian life."
The youth workers have been alarmed at the way Rome's young people are so ambivalent and unconscious of their baptismal faith.
"But it's not for a lack of desire," Monsignor Gnavi insisted. "When we contemplate the fatherhood of God and the motherhood of the Church, we look beyond and see a whole generation here longing for spiritual adoption.
"I think that with the guidelines set out by the diocesan faithful, which were affirmed by the Holy Father himself; with a little imagination and care to present the power and richness of our faith in a personal and comprehensible encounter for the young -- ignorance and ambivalence can be overcome," he said. "But everyone has to play their part."
* * *
Word Perfect
The regenerating experience of reading Scripture is dear to the heart of Benedict XVI. He has pointed out that the four rungs of "lectio divina" -- reading, meditating, praying and contemplating -- "was the ladder by which the Carthusian monks ascended from earth to heaven."
Before his papal election, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger helped a local Roman parish lead its evenings dedicated to this monastic technique of prayer.
The parish Church of Santa Maria in Traspontina, located just down the road from St. Peter's Basilica, offers special programs for meditating on the Word of God every second and fourth Friday at 7 p.m.
The pastor, Carmelite Father Bruno Secondin, began the meetings 10 years ago.
"The idea to hold these encounters was born of a series of my own long experience of spiritual retreats and academic interest," he told me.
"We have gradually developed our own custom methodology which you witness today," said this professor of spiritual theology at Gregorian University.
The format includes a reflective antiphon accompanied by soft music; silent pauses; symbolic gestures; and the display of artworks.
"Everything we do is to promote the centrality of the Word," explained Father Secondin. "At the conclusion of every meeting we give a synthesis of the discussion, accompanied by icons and illustrations to assist the reflections."
I asked the Carmelite what the essential elements for a good reading would be.
"The first element is the sense of faith," Father Secondin said. "We find ourselves before the Word of God at the same time we are being confronted by his deep revelations and actions. You also need a docile and humble heart which is ready to listen in order to obey and not just for the sake of curiosity."
He added: "We must have an ecclesial sense. The community around us can help us better understand the truths of the Scriptures and perhaps there will be someone who has at least a minimal awareness of the varying biblical languages as well."
Father Secondin places the summaries of each event on the Web, in Italian.
"To put the Word of God online, especially in the mode as presented in 'lectio divina,' is a rich undertaking," the priest pointed out. "It helps the inspiration go beyond just our local parish community … something the Holy Father has told us to do."
* * *
Maturing in the Spirit
One of the new ecclesial entities that came to Rome for the vigil-of-Pentecost meeting with Benedict XVI used the opportunity to discuss a key question: Where to go from here?
Back in 1967, a group of students and teachers at Duquesne University, in Pennsylvania, gathered together with the aim of opening up their hearts more fully to the Holy Spirit.
Since then, the Catholic Charismatic Renewal has touched 120 million people. One of the CCR leaders who came to Rome recently was Patty Mansfield, an original attendee at the 1967 gathering.
Mansfield told me how encouraged she felt witnessing the lives that have entered into a deeper relationship with Christ via the Charismatic Renewal.
"And here we are today," Mansfield said, "trying to be faithful to the gifts and charisms given to us by the Holy Spirit in the beginning, always accepting them with obedience and gratitude as Pope John Paul II told us to as well."
The CCR promotes an experience of the first Pentecost, and a renewal of the fervor of baptism and confirmation, via an experience known as "baptism in the Spirit."
It is what Capuchin Father Raniero Cantalamessa explains as not being a sacrament, "but that's related to several sacraments."
"The baptism in the Spirit," says the preacher for the Pontifical Household, "makes real and, in a way, renews Christian initiation. At the beginning of the Church, baptism was administered to adults who converted from paganism and who made […] an act of faith and a free and mature choice."
Mansfield said the CCR provides the context for this experience today and pointed to this meeting as an opportunity to clarify "what role the CCR has in revitalizing society's experience of the Church today."
Organized by the Vatican-based International Catholic Charismatic Renewal Services (ICCRS), the meeting was characterized by discernment and humility.
ICCRS President Alan Panozza told me: "We've had a chance to reflect on what we've done right but also on our mistakes that we've made over these years."
Reports from dozens of countries told of stories of conversion, rises in vocations, healings, ecumenism, prayer meetings, life-in-the-spirit seminars and social ministries. What emerged was a call to adapt the enthusiasm of CCR to a more developed social awareness.
Father Bart Pastor of the Philippines gave a fiery homily last Saturday where he challenged the leaders to "move beyond merely bringing Churches alive."
He urged them to "add a charismatic flavor to community outreach with actions that express zeal." The priest further cautioned them not to "turn in on ourselves but always outward."
ICCRS President Panozza added: "But we can't underestimate the potential of our prayer groups and Bible studies back home. Our primary call is to help convert hearts using the same spirit of Pentecost; then lives are naturally changed."
The Holy Father bears the name, "Benedict." But he might also have been called Gregory.
His sainthood is preordained.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.