- Priests & People

October 2002

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this Issue

How can they believe unless a preacher is sent?

EDITORIAL

Living the gospel

Bishop Declan Lang

No matter how much Christians may want to evangelise, unless they know their faith their efforts will be ineffective. Declan Lang, Bishop of Clifton, looks at what is necessary for effective evangelisation and insists that within all our dioceses adult education still needs to be our priority.

Evangelisation: what is our situation?

Philip Knights

What is the current situation of evangelisation in England and Wales? Philip Knights, who has recently presented a report on this question to the bishops, gives here some of his conclusions. The pluralism and fragmentation of contemporary Britain demand that evangelisation faces up to enormous diversity in a huge variety of religious, cultural and socio-economic contexts.

The way of the world

Mark Lawson

We are called to bring the gospel to our culture, but what is that culture like? Mark Lawson is a Guardian columnist who presents the cultural discussion programmes Newsnight Review on BBC2 and Front Row on Radio 4. Here he looks at some examples of our culture and concludes that the general trends in society are clearly problematic for religion.

Click here to read this article

Helping Catholics share their faith

David Payne

What can I, or my parish, do in a practical way about evangelisation? Catholic Evangelisation Services, based at All Saints Pastoral Centre in Westminster have developed a new video process helping Catholics to get excited about their faith and share the good news with others. Here David Payne, the Director, explains how CaFE works

Through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults

Ursula Leahy

Ursula Leahy has been involved in parish RCIA since 1989. She is the co-ordinator of the RCIA Committee in the Archdiocese of Liverpool, and a member of the national RCIA Executive. Here she questions whether the RCIA has been considered largely to be a journey in faith, or a time-tabled programme - and offers positive suggestions for parishes to make it the former.

Evangelising young people

Robert Toone

What brings young people into the Church? Robert Toone, 34, a practising barrister married to Amanda and father of four children, is the national leader of Youth 2000. Here he describes its work with young people, on the eve of their highly successful annual youth prayer festival at Walsingham which attracts 1500 young people.

Through a presbytery window

Preaching and teaching the Word

Paul Grogan

Paul Grogan, parish priest of St Johns, Buttershaw, and a school chaplain, here offers some reflections for the lectionary readings for Sundays and Holy Days in November.

Pastoralia - Youth Challenge 2002

Jocelyn Jones

The Diocese of Portsmouth invited young people to meet for a day earlier this year in which they were challenged to dare to be different in living life as Christians today. This is a snapshot of the process of the event.

Postscript: The sound of silence

Books

REVIEWED BY ALEXANDER MURRAY

Living Catholicism
Roderick Strange
Darton, Longman and Todd, £9.95
Tablet Bookshop Price: £ Tel: 01420 592 974

REVIEWED BY PETER CORNWELL

Challenging Catholics: a Catholic Evangelical dialogue
Dwight Longenecker and John Martin
London: Paternoster Press, £7.99
Tablet Bookshop Price: £ Tel: 01420 592 974


October 2002


CONTENTS October 2002 Click here to buy this Issue How can they believe unless a preacher is sent? EDITORIAL Living the gospel Bishop Declan Lang No matter how much Christians may want to evangelise, unless they know their faith their efforts will be ineffective. Declan Lang, Bishop of Clifton, looks at what is necessary for effective evangelisation and insists that within all our dioceses adult education still needs to be our priority. Evangelisation: what is our situation? Philip Knights What is the current situation of evangelisation in England and Wales? Philip Knights, who has recently presented a report on this question to the bishops, gives here some of his conclusions. The pluralism and fragmentation of contemporary Britain demand that evangelisation faces up to enormous diversity in a huge variety of religious, cultural and socio-economic contexts. The way of the world Mark Lawson We are called to bring the gospel to our culture, but what is that culture like? Mark Lawson is a Guardian columnist who presents the cultural discussion programmes Newsnight Review on BBC2 and Front Row on Radio 4. Here he looks at some examples of our culture and concludes that the general trends in society are clearly problematic for religion. Click here to read this article Helping Catholics share their faith David Payne What can I, or my parish, do in a practical way about evangelisation? Catholic Evangelisation Services, based at All Saints Pastoral Centre in Westminster have developed a new video process helping Catholics to get excited about their faith and share the good news with others. Here David Payne, the Director, explains how CaFE works Through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults Ursula Leahy Ursula Leahy has been involved in parish RCIA since 1989. She is the co-ordinator of the RCIA Committee in the Archdiocese of Liverpool, and a member of the national RCIA Executive. Here she questions whether the RCIA has been considered largely to be a journey in faith, or a time-tabled programme - and offers positive suggestions for parishes to make it the former. Evangelising young people Robert Toone What brings young people into the Church? Robert Toone, 34, a practising barrister married to Amanda and father of four children, is the national leader of Youth 2000. Here he describes its work with young people, on the eve of their highly successful annual youth prayer festival at Walsingham which attracts 1500 young people. Through a presbytery window Preaching and teaching the Word Paul Grogan Paul Grogan, parish priest of St Johns, Buttershaw, and a school chaplain, here offers some reflections for the lectionary readings for Sundays and Holy Days in November. Pastoralia - Youth Challenge 2002 Jocelyn Jones The Diocese of Portsmouth invited young people to meet for a day earlier this year in which they were challenged to dare to be different in living life as Christians today. This is a snapshot of the process of the event. Postscript: The sound of silence Books REVIEWED BY ALEXANDER MURRAY Living Catholicism Roderick Strange Darton, Longman and Todd, £9.95 Tablet Bookshop Price: £ Tel: 01420 592 974 REVIEWED BY PETER CORNWELL Challenging Catholics: a Catholic Evangelical dialogue Dwight Longenecker and John Martin London: Paternoster Press, £7.99 Tablet Bookshop Price: £ Tel: 01420 592 974

CONTENTS

October 2002

Books