We Pax Romana members from different nations, continents, cultures, generations, in electronic connection with other members who could not come to Rome met from 3rd to 7th October 2012. The meeting was aimed to contribute to the work of the synod and we pray for its success.

Realizing the need for greater ardour to accompany the new evangelization in the spirit of the Second Vatican council, Pax Romana calls upon for a more effective involvement and stronger mobilization on new evangelization.

 

 One challenging question today is “How can we create the conditions to implement this in an effective manner?” Being  part of the universal church and evangelizers through the virtue of our baptism, we as lay people have more that ever a greater responsibility of announcing the gospel, and to empower those too often invisible or not listened to such as poors, indigenous, women, youth, vulnerable persons etc.

 Reminded by Pope John XXIII opening speech during the second Vatican council  stressing on the World as a place where the Holy Spirit is acting, we are awaken to respond to this and we believe that;

•          We have to be more audacious and ready to take risk of decisions without fear of uncertainties as we are guided by the Holy Spirit.

•          We have to actively listen to the world we live in and analyze to discern the signs of times.

•          Evangelization therefore becomes a question of dialogue between cultures, traditions, religions and generations and not merely a top-down message transmission. This gives space to local churches to participate more creatively in evangelization through inculturation.

•          We have to study the collective dimensions of our economies and policies to fight the structures of evil and to enhance transformation of cultures for a common good.

            In the first place, this calls for the evangelization of the church herself through Jesus Christ’s exemplary way of living and acting. Examples and actions are often a better language than declarations.

 This brings us to identify three main challenges of evangelization today;

 •          Poverty situation of too many people in the world, for which charity is the “best language” of evangelization.

•          The dialogue with the modern cultures around the issue of “truth” as a proposal of more meaningful life.

•          Religious pluralism of the current world and the challenge of dialogue at grassroots level.

 We therefore invite our member movements and delegations in the international institutions to become active agents of new evangelization at the national and global levels in communion with the fathers of the synod and the local churches.

Pax Romana commits herself to reflect and act on new evangelization and thereafter implement the recommendations that will come out from the synod.

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