Cardinal Roger Mahony is issuing a new pastoral letter this weekend which seeks to re-energize the ministry of evangelization by emphasizing meaningful, personal encounters with Jesus Christ.

The letter, with an issue date of Pentecost Sunday, May 11, is entitled "A Fresh Encounter with Jesus Christ: Directions in Evangelization." The title references Pope John Paul II's apostolic letter Ecclesia in America in which he writes that all church goals and ministries must be rooted in a "fresh encounter with Jesus Christ." Unless there is in each person a deep encounter with the person of Jesus Christ, the efforts of the faithful, however well-intentioned, will not bear fruit.

Even in Southern California, where Catholic parishes are vital and vibrant, says Cardinal Mahony, there is still an ongoing concern that many people feel they lack a transformative, personal encounter with Christ.

Evangelization is the primary mission of Christ and of the Church. As such, delegates to the archdiocesan Synod (concluded in 2003) endorsed "Evangelization and 'the New Evangelization'" as the first pastoral initiative to govern all planning and activities in this Archdiocese for the coming years.

To this end, the Synod and the pastoral letter on evangelization identify three levels of evangelization. "First, evangelization entails allowing one's own heart to be seized and saturated by the Gospel, responding to the call to lifelong conversion to Christ by the gift of the Spirit.

"Second, evangelization requires reaching out to others to proclaim in word and deed the Reign of God.

"Third, evangelization demands that the values of the Reign of God, a reign of truth, holiness, justice, love and peace, permeate each and every culture, transforming every sphere of life."

"New evangelization" signifies efforts to re-evangelize under-catechized, inactive and alienated Catholics as well as efforts by active Catholics to allow Christ "to touch the unconverted corners of our lives."

Following the Synod, Cardinal Mahony met with groups of priests over dinner to learn more about their efforts at evangelization and "new evangelization." The writing of the pastoral letter was principally directed by Msgrs. Jarlath Cunnane and David O'Connell and included collaboration with lay representatives of the five archdiocesan Pastoral Regions who were appointed by the five regional bishops.

After a process lasting over three years, the draft was presented to Cardinal Mahony who called for responses and suggestions for improvement from 20 people throughout the archdiocese involved in the work of evangelization.

The result is different than the cardinal's previous pastoral letters. This one is more of a handbook, filled with stories and practical suggestions regarding the "how to" of proclaiming the good news in word and deed. It will be published in English and Spanish.

"Evangelization is the work of the Spirit," Msgr. Cunnane, pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Los Angeles, told The Tidings. However, he added, "there are practices that can open up the possibility. When people talk to one another about their experience of life, and they link that to the Gospel story, that's when faith begins to deepen and to grow."

Msgr. Cunnane emphasized that archdiocesan leaders are not trying to launch a big new program for evangelization. Rather, the letter offers suggestions on how parishes can incorporate Gospel reflection and faith sharing into their ordinary parish gatherings.

"We've been quite deliberate that every meeting, every group, every activity begin by reading the Sunday Gospel and having a period of reflection and sharing," said Msgr. Cunnane. "It turns meetings into more than just a series of agenda items. People begin to see that the Jesus who acted in Galilee, and acted on Lazarus and on Zacchaeus and so on, acts in their lives, too."

A faith question in the parish bulletin each week assists families to share faith experiences with each other at home.

Msgr. O'Connell has seen the transformative power of evangelization to reorient his work for social justice. Having ministered in low-income South Los Angeles parishes for 20 years (currently at St. Michael), he and parish leaders have championed many social justice community campaigns he called "dog fights."

However, he now sees that the "source of the deep pain in people's lives is not really the lack of material resources. The source of most of the pain in people's lives is broken families, divorce, neglected children, and no love in the home when there's no faith and when people don't have Christ in their lives."

A few years ago, the pastor himself was filled with so much anxiety over the death of two of his brothers and a sister and the stress of running a parish that he had to take three months leave.

"I began to put everything in the hands of Jesus and to trust in him," said Msgr. O'Connell. "Jesus has the power to transform lives, transform the parish and transform the world around us."

These days the pastor focuses on helping people to see God's presence in their lives. "Even the people in the poorest and most difficult circumstances, we see the joy and happiness they have in their lives when they have the encounter with Jesus," he said.

Now, even the social justice work of the parish is more sustainable. Added Msgr. O'Connell: "From that experience of the transformation that comes from Christ comes the energy and courage and willingness to take on the work of transforming the neighborhood or seeking justice."

Ed. Note: "A Fresh Encounter with Jesus Christ: Directions in Evangelization" will be published in a future issue of The Tidings.