To All the World: Preaching and the New Evangelization ed. by Michael E. Connors

Abstract

Reviewed by: To All the World: Preaching and the New Evangelization ed. by Michael E. Connors Thomas Lane Michael E. Connors, ed. To All the World: Preaching and the New Evangelization Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2016 ix + 167 pages. Paperback. $24.95. To All the World is a pleasant and inspiring read for anyone engaging in preaching. More than thirty years ago, Pope John Paul II summoned the Church to "a New Evangelization, new in its ardor, methods, and expression" (Address to CELAM, 9 March 1983). This volume, zealous for the Church's mission and message, displaying love of God and his people, is the result of a conference of the same name at the University of Notre Dame in June 2014. Chapter 1, entitled "Preaching: Conversation in Friendship," by Timothy Radcliffe, O.P. applies the encounter of the two disciples with Christ on the road to Emmaus to evangelization today. Conversation is the typical mode of communication and the communication should be joyful. There is prejudice against doctrine but there can be no effective evangelization unless we discover the beauty of our doctrine (4). Chapter 2, "La Virgen de Guadalupe as Mother and Master Icon for the New Evangelization," by Virgilio Elizondo describes Guadalupe as the most successful evangelization since Pentecost (13). "It is really the Gospel presented in native terms" (20). Guadalupe is the key to our task (21). Our Lady opened the doors to the first evangelization and will be the star leading us into the New evangelization (21). Chapter 3 by Honora Werner, O.P., "Forming Preachers for the new Evangelization," begins by calling attention to our duty to evangelize arising out of baptism. Each one must ask, "What is my pulpit?" Some are liturgical, most are not (22). The chapter considers the formation of preachers for the new Evangelization under three dimensions: forming ourselves; forming our students; forming the people of God (assemblies) and gives many examples for each dimension under this four-word practical guide: prayer, care, share, dare. [End Page 98] Chapter 4 by Jude Siciliano, O.P. is on "Preaching with Evangelical-Dynamism." The chapter focusses almost entirely on the preparation for preaching, emphasizing in many different ways the necessity of spending time in prayer and reflection on the word prior to preaching. Paul Turner in chapter 5, "Preaching and the Rites of Initiation," draws on wide priestly experience as he leads us through all the various rites of initiation, concentrating on the Christian Initiation of Adults and possibilities for preaching them. During many of the rites of initiation he preaches on the readings as he finds the rites themselves self-explanatory. Curtis Martin in chapter 6, "Made for Mission: Evangelizing Young Adults," clearly lets shine forth his enthusiasm for and joy in the Church, the Catholic faith, and evangelizing. The issue to be overcome now is apathy, "I don't care." If apathy is not addressed, no amount of teaching will change lives (53). The first step in overcoming apathy is getting into people's lives (57). David Garcia devotes chapter 7 to "The Bilingual Preacher, Catholic Social Teaching, and the Hispanic Community." A familiar saying in Spanish is Mi casa es su casa, "my house is your house." This attitude of welcome needs to be communicated to all who approach our churches. It is not enough to simply translate an English homily into Spanish. Because of the different cultures, in a bilingual parish, the preacher needs to prepare two homilies using different images and stories. Chapter 8 by Donald Senior, C.P. focusses on the document Preaching the Mystery of Faith published by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops. "[T]he Sunday homily remains one of the most important personal encounters that the priest and deacon can have with our people. And for Catholics, participation at the Sunday Eucharist and hearing the preaching of the Sunday liturgy is where they most encounter the face of the church!" (76). Preaching with an eye on the New Evangelization is "with an eye toward illuminating and deepening the Catholic faith and identity of the congregation" (80). For most Catholics, the face of the Church is most [End Page 99] readily and frequently experienced...