Posted February 25, 2013 Book: New Evangelization: Passing on the Catholic Faith Author: Cardinal Donald Wuerl Our Sunday Visitor, Huntington, IN. 2013. Pp. 91 An Excerpt from the Jacket: For the first time since the term "New Evangelization" was coined by Blessed John Paul II, 250 bishops from all over the world were called to Rome by Pope Benedict XVI to discuss it. In an exclusive firsthand summary of the three-week synod, a leader of the gathering, Cardinal Donald Wuerl, provides a succinct, specific, and tactical road map for where Catholics and parishes and dioceses go from here, including: What's the point? The three priorities of the New Evangelization What do I do? How to galvanize people around one simple truth Where did it begin? The four theological foundations Learning from the best: four characteristics of great evangelizers An Excerpt from the Book: Pope Benedict XVI has highlighted three aspects of the New Evangelization --- that is, the sharing and living of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in today's world. First, the pope reminds us that our "ordinary pastoral ministry must be more animated by the fire of the Spirit." Second, we are called to proclaim the Gospel to those people "who do not know Jesus Christ." Finally, the mission of the New Evangelization is to find new ways to help renew the faith lives of people who have drifted away from the Church so that they may "encounter Jesus Christ anew, rediscover the joy of faith and return to the religious practice in the community of faithful." Qualities of the New Evangelizers There are many qualities of new evangelizers, but four stand out: boldness or courage, connectedness to the Church, a sense of urgency and joy. Table of Contents: Introduction 1. Evangelization and the New Evangelization 2. The context today of our faith proclamation 3. The Kerygma --- the core of the good news 4. The Church --- home of the Good News 5. The Church --- font of the new evangelization 6. Parishes --- centers for the new evangelization 7. The theological tasks of the new evangelization 8. Sharing the faith 9. Conclusion: "You will be my witnesses"