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Mrs. Joanne Chafe, director of the National Office of Religious Education for the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops led Putting Out Into the Deep! participants in a dynamic, meaningful, and challenging reflection on the call to evangelize. Building on the insight that the Church exists to evangelize, Joanne used vital perspectives from Paul VIs letter Evangelii Nuntiandi, as well as orientations and approaches outlined in The General Directory for Catechesis, to help participants reflect deeply on this call to bring good news to all.
Joanne emphasized that the orientation of evangelization in the catholic church is not one that seeks to make everyone the same. Rather, it is rooted in a desire to share the person of Jesus Christ who announced himself as good news for all. Evangelization needs to be grounded in deep respect for the person, aware of and sensitive to the soil of the other, and wise and discerning about when to speak and when to be silent.
Three stages of evangelization were highlighted: The missionary stage; the catechetical stage; the pastoral stage. Joanne emphasized the importance of engaging with people at the appropriate stage with the appropriate orientations and means. This points to the need in the church for well formed catechists who are able to lead these processes, and for the entire Christian community, pastoral leaders and all the baptised together, to be well formed for this important call.
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Mrs. Joanne Chafe gave a dynamic, challenging and informative presentation 
Participants engage in meaningful dialogue with Joanne Chafe, presenter
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