EVANGELII GAUDIUM (The joy of the Gospel) – Highlights

Nov 26, 2013 | 2 comments

Joy of the Gospel 01
EVANGELII GAUDIUM
– THE JOY OF THE GOSPEL
HIGHLIGHTS FROM CHAPTER ONE

Quotes from the Popes first Apostolic Exhortation

 Pope Francis has issued his first Apostolic Exhortation today, Evangelii Gaudium,  The Joy of the Gospel. The 224-page document outlines the Pope’s vision for a missionary Church, whose “doors should always be open”.  Here are some quotes from chapter one to wet the appetite.

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“Here I have chosen to present some guidelines which can encourage and guide the whole Church in a new phase of evangelization, one marked by enthusiasm and vitality. In this context, and on the basis of the teaching of the Dogmatic Constitution Lumen Gentium, I have decided, among other themes, to discuss at length the following questions:

(a) the reform of the Church in her missionary outreach;
(b) the temptations faced by pastoral workers;
(c) the Church, understood as the entire People of God which evangelizes;
(d) the homily and its preparation;
(e) the inclusion of the poor in society;
(f) peace and dialogue within society;
(g) the spiritual motivations for mission”

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 “……. Nor do I believe that the papal magisterium should be expected to offer a definitive or complete word on every question which affects the Church and the world.  It is not advisable for the Pope to take the place of local Bishops in the discernment of every issue which arises in their territory. In this sense, I am conscious of the need to promote a sound “decentralization” 

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“The parish is not an outdated institution; precisely because it possesses great flexibility, it can assume quite different contours depending on the openness and missionary creativity of the pastor and the community. While certainly not the only institution which evangelizes, if the parish proves capable of self-renewal and constant adaptivity, it continues to be “the Church living in the midst of the homes of her sons and daughters”.  This presumes that it really is in contact with the homes and the lives of its people, and does not become a useless structure out of touch with people or a self-absorbed group made up of a chosen few ……………….  We must admit, though, that the call to review and renew our parishes has not yet sufficed to bring them nearer to people, to make them environments of living communion and participation, and to make them completely mission-oriented.”

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“Other Church institutions, basic communities and small communities, movements, and forms of association are a source of enrichment for the Church, raised up by the Spirit for evangelizing different areas and sectors. Frequently they bring a new evangelizing fervour and a new capacity for dialogue with the world whereby the Church is renewed. But it will prove beneficial for them not to lose contact with the rich reality of the local parish and to participate readily in the overall pastoral activity of the particular Church.  This kind of integration will prevent them from concentrating only on part of the Gospel or the Church, or becoming nomads without roots.”

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“Since I am called to put into practice what I ask of others, I too must think about a conversion of the papacy. It is my duty, as the Bishop of Rome, to be open to suggestions which can help make the exercise of my ministry more faithful to the meaning which Jesus Christ wished to give it and to the present needs of evangelization.  Pope John Paul II asked for help in finding “away of exercising the primacy which, while in no way renouncing what is essential to its mission, is nonetheless open to a new situation”.  We have made little progress in this regard. The papacy and the central structures of the universal Church also need to hear the call to pastoral conversion.  The Second Vatican Council stated that, like the ancient patriarchal Churches, episcopal conferences are in a position “to contribute in many and fruitful ways to the concrete realization of the collegial spirit”.  Yet this desire has not been fully realized, since a juridical status of episcopal conferences which would see them as subjects of specific attributions, including genuine doctrinal authority, has not yet been sufficiently elaborated.  Excessive centralization, rather than proving helpful, complicates the Church’s life and her missionary outreach.”

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“In her ongoing discernment, the Church can also come to see that certain customs not directly connected to the heart of the Gospel, even some which have deep historical roots, are no longer properly understood and appreciated.  Some of these customs may be beautiful, but they no longer serve as means of communicating the Gospel. We should not be afraid to re-examine them. At the same time, the Church has rules or precepts which may have been quite effective in their time, but no longer have the same usefulness for directing and shaping people’s lives.

Saint Thomas Aquinas pointed out that the precepts which Christ and the apostles gave to the people of God “are very few”.  Citing Saint Augustine, he noted that the precepts subsequently enjoined by the Church should be insisted upon with moderation “so as not to burden the lives of the faithful” and make our religion a form of servitude, whereas “God’s mercy has willed that we should be free”.  This warning, issued many centuries ago, is most timely today. It ought to be one of the criteria to be taken into account in considering a reform of the Church and her preaching which would enable it to reach everyone.”

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“I want to remind priests that the confessional must not be a torture chamber but rather an encounter with the Lord’s mercy which spurs us on to do our best.”

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“The Church is called to be the house of the Father, with doors always wide open. One concrete sign of such openness is that our church doors should always be open, so that if someone, moved by the Spirit, comes there looking for God, he or she will not find a closed door.

There are other doors that should not be closed either. Everyone can share in some way in the life of the Church; everyone can be part of the community, nor should the doors of the sacraments be closed for simply any reason. This is especially true of the sacrament which is itself “the door”: baptism. The Eucharist, although it is the fullness of sacramental life, is not a prize for the perfect but a powerful medicine and nourishment for the weak.”

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“These convictions have pastoral consequences that we are called to consider with prudence and boldness. Frequently, we act as arbiters of grace rather than its facilitators. But the Church is not a tollhouse; it is the house of the Father, where there is a place for everyone, with all their problems.”

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“More than by fear of going astray, my hope is that we will be moved by the fear of remaining shut up within structures which give us a false sense of security, within rules which make us harsh judges, within habits which make us feel safe, while at our door people are starving and Jesus does not tire of saying to us: “Give them something to eat” (Mk 6:37).”

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Read Evangelii Gaudium here

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‘Evangelii Gaudium’ amounts to Francis’ ‘I Have a Dream’ speech
by John L. Allen Jr.  National catholic Reporter (NCR)  Nov. 26, 2013

 

2 Comments

  1. Catherine Breathnach

    EG is an inspiring document. It gives me so much hope. Having read all 224 pages, I recommend it to everyone.

    Reply
  2. Mary Anne

    Yes, it is so refreshing and inspiring. I really hope that other members of the church intend to take it as seriously as I do!

    Reply

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