The Valley Catholic
in the diocese
Father Thomas Reese, SJ gives
presentation on Pope Francis
By Roberta Ward
Jesuit Father Thomas J. Reese, a
former editor of America magazine and
now senior analyst for National Catholic
Reporter newspaper, spoke recently at
St. Mary Parish, Los Gatos, on Pope
Francis.
Father Reese said that he was in
Rome covering the papal conclave in
March when Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio
was elected Pope and took the name
“Francis.”
“At that point, not even Jesuits
knew much about Bergoglio,” Father
Reese smiled as he recalled the moment when the new pope, also a Jesuit,
walked out onto a Vatican balcony that
evening.
“He was a first,” Father Reese said.
“He was the first Jesuit to become
pope, the first pope from Latin America, and he had a Franciscan vision. He
was sending us a signal with his simplicity, his love for the poor, his focus
on peace, his interest in interreligious
dialogue, and his love of creation.”
Father Reese said, “We have a
‘green’ pope, interested in furthering
the environmental movement.” He
recalled that the young Bergoglio had
studied and trained as a chemist when
he was in university.
Father Reese recalled the announcement of Pope Francis’ election, his
choice of a name, his bowing to greet
the thousands gathered at the Vatican
and his request that they bless him,
In addition, Father Reese noted,
this pope has always favored a simple
lifestyle, which he has continued in
Rome, which also involves living in a
community – as do Jesuits and other
Religious order clergy.
Praising the new pope on his longstanding concern for the poor, Father
Reese said the pope’s attack on “clericalism” and his stressing of mercy
Father Thomas Reese, SJ, speaks with
people following his talk at St. Mary Parish.
and reconciliation display his pastoral
priorities.
“He brings a simple message,”
Father Reese said, “that urges us to
get to the simplicity of the Gospel,
not intellectualism. Jesus was a storyteller, not a theologian.”
As a Third World bishop and cardinal, and now as Pope, “Pope Francis
has a particular world view,” Father
Reese said, “and, as a Jesuit, he has
Ignatian spirituality and a sense of
community.”
Father Reese said that the new pope
is interested in dialogue and consultation with the people of the Church
and had high marks for the current
consultation that is being conducted
for next year’s synod on family life.
“This is opening windows,” Father Reese said, and “represents a
significant change. By encouraging
broad discussion on contemporary
issues, Pope Francis is moving to a
wider agenda in the Church, especially
regarding a consistent ethic of life.”
December 10, 2013
5
Parish staffs convene for training in
‘Catholic on Purpose’ initiative
By Roberta Ward
The first training session, open to
all, for “Catholic on Purpose: Committed to Christ” took place all day, Nov. 21
featuring author Sherry Weddell whose
book, “Forming Intentional Disciples,”
deals with “evangelizing the evangelizers.” Some 250 parish staff personnel,
representing a range of ministries, attended the packed gathering.
In the face of contemporary data
which show decreasing Catholic practice, fewer Catholic sacramental marriages, and only 60 percent of Catholics
believe in a personal God, Weddell calls
Catholics to develop their spirituality
as “intentional disciples.”
This brings together teachings of the
Church with the lived experience of
Catholics in order to reshape Catholic
culture, Weddell said, which ultimately
brings together the theology of the laity
as well as Church teaching on social
justice and evangelization.
Weddell urges “adjusting our evangelizing, catechetical and pastoral
practice to the unique challenges of the
times in which we live.” She especially
focuses on parish ministry as a fundamental aspect because “discipleship is
best formed in small groups in which
people share experiences and insights.”
Weddell also stressed the need to
evangelize parents and children and
that conversion follows discipleship.
She called for creating a “bridge of
trust” where people can be open to
“threshold conversations.” She calls
this the initial step of “listening evangelization” – inviting someone to talk
about his or her relationship with God.
A “threshold conversation,” she
said, breaks silence and invites people
to talk personally in a supportive
situation. She stressed that listening is
key and that it is not faith-sharing, not
judgmental, and not counseling.
Weddell co-founded the Catherine
of Siena Institute 15 years ago with
Father Michael Sweeney, OP, to equip
parishes to form lay Catholics for their
mission in the world.
She created a gifts-discernment program for Catholics, and she leads CSI’s
international team who have formed
over 85,000 lay, Religious and ordained
Catholics in 105 dioceses.
At the training session, Weddell was
joined by co-presenter Father Michael
Fones, OP, co-Director of the Catherine
of Siena Institute, who works for the
transformation of parishes into centers
Sherry Weddell addressed 250 parish
staff ministers at initial training session for
“Catholic on Purpose.”
of formation for lay apostles.
Both Weddell and Fones called on
Catholics “in the pews” to make a conscious choice to know and follow Jesus
Christ so that they may draw others
to Him. They view this as a basis for
transforming parish life.
Thresholds of post-modern conversion, they say, include trust, curiosity,
openness, seeking, breaking silence,
telling the story of Jesus and personally encountering Him in His Church.
Weddell urges parishes to look at
turning existing ministries into multiple overlapping opportunities for
evangelization, including preaching,
teaching, prayerful liturgy and music,
RCIA, working with the poor, retreats
and devotions.
San Jose Bishop Patrick J. McGrath
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