Sending Forth on Mission Confirmation Class

Overview Empowered for Evangelization What the Church Teaches Opening Ritual Bold Witness for Christ Filled with the Holy Spirit Evangelization Three Goals of Evangelization Mass Dismissal Prayers Living at Witnesses for Christ How the Church Lives the Faith Living the Faith

Empowered for Evangelization The Jews longed for centuries for one who was anointed by God whose mission was to save his people Jesus recognized himself as that “Anointed One” Christians recognized they had to continue the mission and ministry of Jesus Pope Paul VI which reminded us that the Church exists in order to evangelize Once Confirmed and “sealed” with the gift of the Holy Spirit, you will continue the mission and ministry of Jesus

The Church Teaches … The Good News of Jesus Christ must be carried forth to every person and every nation so that it may penetrate the heart of every person and renew the human race Ref: National Directory for Catechesis 17A, page 46

Opening Ritual Turn to page 108 for the Opening Ritual Need four volunteers (readers) in the Opening Ritual Apostles 1:6-8 Apostles 2:38-41 Apostles 3:2-10 Apostles 5:27-32 Show reverence during the ceremony and during the Sending Forth on Mission ritual Once finished with the Opening Ritual have a seat

Opening Ritual What was your experience as you listened to the public witness during the opening ritual?

From your experience, what is the most effective way that a person can publicly witness to their faith in Jesus?

Bold Witness for Christ In Luke it attests the disciples encountered the Risen Lord and to the amazing effect those encounters had on the disciples after they received the gift of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost These same disciples ran away from Jesus in fear during his final hours were suddenly filled with courage In the Acts of the Apostles, the apostles performed miraculous cures and casting out demons, just as Jesus went about “doing good and healing those oppressed by the devil, for God was with him” (Acts 10:38)

Filled with the Holy Spirit After curing a crippled man, Saint Peter and Saint John were arrested and brought before the Jewish leaders in the Sanhedrin They were eventually released and returned to their people The people in their communities rejoiced and joined them in prayer As the people prayed, the place where they were gathered shook, and they were all filled with the holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness (Acts 4:29-31)

Define what it means to be “Bold”

How were the disciples bold?

Small Group Exercise Divide into two groups Read Acts of the Apostles 4:5-22, which is the account of Saint Peter and Saint John before the Sanhedrin Create a group prayer to the Holy Spirit, asking for the same boldness to proclaim the Good News

What is evangelization?

Evangelization Faith Vocabulary The central work of the Church for which she exists; the Church’s work of sharing the Gospel with all people so that it may enter the hearts of all people and renew the face of the earth

Our Mission as Evangelizers Giving public witness to Jesus Christ and the Gospel is the heart of the work of all the baptized The heart of our vocation as Christians lies in our mission to announce the gift of Salvation and to bring the Gospel of Jesus to the entire world (evangelization) Evangelization is the Church’s work of sharing the Gospel with all people “so that it may enter the hearts of all people and renew the face of the earth”

Journey of Conversion Exercise Break into groups of three Read the story of Saul’s conversion found in Acts of the Apostles 9:1-28 Answer the questions on your handout

“New Evangelization” Evangelization is not a task reserved for a select few within the Church, such as missionaries Evangelization is the task Jesus has given to each of us Pope John Paul II described a “new evangelization” as a commitment to spread the Gospel that would be new in the fervor with which it is pursued

Go and Make Disciples In 1992 the US Catholic bishops wrote an important national plan and strategy for evangelization Go and Make Disciples, helps Catholics get a better sense of the meaning of evangelization and how they can make it real in their own lives

Three Goals of Catholic Evangelization Goal #1: “To bring about in all Catholics such an enthusiasm for their faith that, in living their faith in Jesus, they freely share it with others” Describe a practical way you can live out this goal.

Three Goals of Catholic Evangelization Goal #2: “To invite all people in the United States, whatever their social or cultural background, to hear the message of salvation in Jesus Christ so they may come to join us in the fullness of the Catholic faith: Our bishops encourage us to invite, not to force our ideas on, others who are unwilling to hear them

Three Goals of Catholic Evangelization Goal #3: “To foster gospel values in our society, promoting the dignity of the human person, the importance of the family, and the common good of our society, so that our nation may continue to be transformed by the saving power of Jesus Christ.” We must work to change our society to become more as Jesus would have it be Describe a practical way you can live out this goal.

What is the definition of “Mass?”

Mass Faith Vocabulary A word meaning “sent forth;” the main sacramental celebration of the Church at which we gather to listen to the Word of God and celebrate the Eucharist; the name given to the Eucharistic celebration coming from the Latin words of one of the closing dismissals, “Ite, missa est” (Go it has ended)

History of “Ite, Missa Est” Early in Church history, the weekly gathering of Christians on Sunday was called “The Lord’s Supper” or “the breaking of the bread” or the “Eucharist” The name “Mass” came to be used centuries later after the language of worship shifted from Hebrew and Greek to Latin

History of “Ite, Missa Est” The Church’s liturgical use of Ite, missa est (Go, it is ended) can be traced back almost to the fifth century It was a phrase of telling the people they could leave Over time, the notion that the assembly is “sent forth” became a highly symbolic and significant element of the liturgical celebration

Dismissal Prayers Today there are three forms of dismissals used at Mass “The Mass is ended, go in peace” “Go in the peace of Christ” “Go in peace to love and serve the Lord”

Living as Witnesses for Christ When you are confirmed, the final words of the liturgy will be words of dismissal – a formal sending forth You are sent forth to take part in the Church’s mission of evangelization

Living as Witnesses for Christ During the rite of Confirmation the bishop will extend his hands over the newly confirmed and the entire assembly and pray one of two blessings One of the prayers: “God our Father, complete the work you have begun and keep the gifts of the Holy Spirit active in the hearts of your people. Make them ready to live the Gospel and eager to do his sill. May they never be ashamed to proclaim to all the world Christ crucified living and reigning for ever and ever”

The Church Lives the Faith The Paulist National Catholic Evangelization Association (PNCEA) was established in 1977 PNCEA inspires and helps Catholics to bring the light of Christ to their families, workplaces, and neighborhoods They provide user-friendly resources to Catholic dioceses, parishes, and individuals

PNCEA Resources Disciples in Mission – 3-year, parish-wide experience of evangelization ENVISION – Christ-centered pastoral planning process that engages all parishioners in developing and implementing a faith-bases vision for their parish I am E3 – A parish resource that stimulate one-on-one faith sharing through the use of conversation-staring faith stories Invite – Equips member of Catholic parishes to reach out and invite people who have no Church family to consider joining the Catholic faith

PNCEA Resources Catholics Reaching Out – Equips members of Catholic parishes to reach out and invite inactive Catholics to return to the active practice of the faith The Reconciling Community – Helps Catholics invite inactive Catholics to consider returning to the Sacrament of Penance Parish Mission – Brings a mission team of a priest and a religious or laywoman to parishes for a weeklong experience in evangelizing spirituality Prison Ministries – Helps prison chaplains and volunteers provide inmates with solid Catholic teaching through the use of newsletters, Bibles, adult faith education books, and prayer cards

For More PNCEA Information Visit PNCEA online at www.pncea.org PNCEA will send you a free catalog of their resources

Living the Faith Goal 1: To live and share our faith enthusiastically with others by word and witness Name a quality of a person of enthusiasm. How can you grow in making that quality part of who you are?

Living the Faith Goal 2: To invite others to know Jesus Christ Name a quality of a person of Christian hospitality How can you grow in making that quality part of who you are?

Living the Faith Goal 3: To help transform the world in Christ Review the “Basic Principles of Catholic Social Teaching” on page 116 of your Faith First book such as … All human life is sacred The human person is principle, the object, and the subject of every social group How can you make the principles of Catholic Social Teaching part of your everyday life?

Summary Empowered for Evangelization What the Church Teaches Opening Ritual Bold Witness for Christ Filled with the Holy Spirit Evangelization Three Goals of Evangelization Mass Dismissal Prayers Living at Witnesses for Christ How the Church Lives the Faith Living the Faith