Vatican
City, 26 November 2013 (VIS) – This morning in the Holy See Press
Office a press conference was held to present Pope Francis' Apostolic
Exhortation “Evangelii Gaudium” (The Joy of the Gospel), written
following the Synod of Bishops on “New Evangelization for the
Transmission of Faith”, which took place from 7 to 28 October 2012,
and convoked by his predecessor Benedict XVI. The text was presented
by Archbishop Rino Fisichella, president of the Pontifical Council
for Promoting New Evangelization, accompanied by Archbishop Lorenzo
Baldisseri, secretary general of the Synod of Bishops and Archbishop
Claudio Maria Celli.
The
exhortation, which is 222 pages long, is divided into five chapters
and an introduction. The chapters are dedicated to the Church's
missionary transformation, the crisis of communal commitment, the
proclamation of the gospel, the social dimension of evangelization,
and spirit-filled evangelizers.
We
publish below the text presented by Archbishop Fisichella, preserving
the numbers referring to the corresponding paragraphs in the
exhortation:
“If
we were to sum up Pope Francis’s Evangelii Gaudium in a few words,
we could say that it is an Apostolic Exhortation written around the
theme of Christian joy in order that the Church may rediscover the
original source of evangelization in the contemporary world. Pope
Francis offers this document to the Church as a map and guide to her
pastoral mission in the near future. It is an invitation to recover a
prophetic and positive vision of reality without ignoring the current
challenges. Pope Francis instills courage and urges us to look ahead
despite the present crisis, making the cross and the resurrection of
Christ once again our “the victory banner” (85).
The
several references in Evangelii Gaudium to the Propositions of the
October, 2012 Synod on the New Evangelization for the Transmission of
the Christian Faith are a testimony to the extent to which the last
Synod has influenced the drafting of this Exhortation. This text,
however, goes beyond the experience of the Synod. The Pope commits to
paper not only his previous pastoral experience, but above all his
call to seize the moment of grace in which the Church is living in
order to embrace with faith, conviction and enthusiasm a new phase in
the journey of evangelization. Extending the teaching of the
Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii nuntiandi of Paul VI (1975), he
emphasizes the centrality of the person of Jesus Christ, the first
evangelizer, who today calls each and every one of us to participate
with him in the work of salvation (12). “The Church’s missionary
action is the paradigm for all of her endeavours” (15), affirms the
Holy Father, so that it is necessary to seize this favorable moment
in order to catch sight of and live out this “new stage” of
evangelization (17). This missionary action is articulated in two
themes which mark the basic outline of the Exhortation. On the one
hand, Pope Francis addresses the particular Churches because, living
in the first-person the challenges and opportunities characteristic
of their cultural context, they are able to highlight aspects of the
new evangelization which are peculiar to their countries. On the
other hand, the Pope sets out a common denominator in order that the
whole Church, and each individual evangelizer, may discover a common
methodology born of the conviction that evangelization is always
participatory, shared and never isolated. The following seven points,
gathered together in the five chapters of the Exhortation, constitute
the fundamental pillars of Pope Francis’ vision of the new
evangelization: the reform of the Church in a missionary key, the
temptations of pastoral agents, the Church understood as the totality
of the People of God which evangelizes, the homily and its
preparation, the social inclusion of the poor, peace and social
dialogue, and the spiritual motivations for the Church’s missionary
action. The cement which binds these themes together is concentrated
in the merciful love of God which goes forth to meet every person in
order to manifest the heart of his revelation: the life of every
person acquires meaning in the encounter with Jesus Christ and in the
joy of sharing this experience of love with others (8).
The
first chapter, therefore, proceeds in the light of the reform of the
Church in a missionary key, called as she is to “go out” of
herself in order to meet others. It is “the dynamic of exodus and
the gift of going out of oneself, walking and sowing ever a new,
always further and beyond” (21), that the Pope explains in these
pages. The Church must make “this intimacy of Jesus, which is an
itinerant intimacy”, its own intimacy (23). The Pope, as we are
already accustomed to, makes use of effective expressions and creates
neologisms to grasp the nature of the Church’s evangelizing action.
First among these is the concept of “primerear”, namely God
preceding us in love and indicating to the Church the path to follow.
The Church does not find herself in a dead-end, but is following in
the very footsteps of Christ (cfr. 1 Peter 2,21). Thus the Church is
certain of the path she must follow. She does not tread this path in
fear since she knows that she is called “to go out in search of
those who are far from her and arrive at the crossroads in order to
invite those who are excluded. She is filled with an unlimited desire
to offer mercy.” (24). In order for this to occur, Pope Francis
again stresses the need for “pastoral conversion” (25). This
involves passing from a bureaucratic, static and administrative
vision of pastoral ministry to a perspective which is not only
missionary but is in a permanent state of evangelization (25). In
fact, alongside the structures which facilitate and sustain the
Church’s missionary activity there are, unfortunately, “ecclesial
structures which can jeopardize the dynamism of evangelization”
(26). The existence of stagnant and stale pastoral practices obliges
us, therefore, to be boldly creative in order to rethink
evangelization. In this sense, the Pope affirms that: “an
identification of the goals without adequate research on the part of
the community as to how to achieve them is doomed to end in mere
fantasy” (33).
It
is necessary, therefore, “to concentrate on what is essential”
(35) and to know that only a systematic approach, i.e. one that is
unitary, progressive and proportional to the faith, can be of true
assistance. This implies for the Church the capacity to bring out
“the hierarchy of truths” and its proper reference to the heart
of the Gospel (37-39), thereby avoiding the danger of presenting the
faith only in the light of some moral questions as if these could
stand apart from the centrality of love. If we lose sight of this
perspective, “the moral edifice of the Church runs the risk of
becoming a house of cards, and this is our biggest danger” (39). So
there is a strong appeal from the Pope to find a healthy balance
between the content of the faith and the language in which it is
expressed. It may happen at times that the rigidity of linguistic
precision can be to the detriment of content, thus compromising the
genuine vision of the faith (41).
One
of the central passages in this chapter is certainly paragraph 32 in
which Pope Francis illustrates the urgency of bringing to fruition
some of the perspectives of the Second Vatican Council, in particular
the exercise of the Primacy of the Successor of Peter and of the role
of Episcopal Conferences. John Paul II in Ut unum sint, had already
requested assistance in order to better understand the obligations
tof the Pope in ecumenical dialogue. Now, Pope Francis continues in
this request and sees that a more coherent form of assistance could
be derived from the further development of the theoretical
foundations of Episcopal Conferences. Another passage of particular
intensity for its pastoral implications are paragraphs 38-45. The
heart of the Gospel “is incarnate within the limits of the human
language”. As a consequence, doctrine is inserted into “the cage
of language”—to use Wittgenstein’s expression—which implies
the necessity of a real discernment between the poverty and the
limits of language, on the one hand, and the often yet to be
discovered richness of the content of faith, on the other. The danger
that the Church may at times fail to consider this dynamic is a real
one, giving rise to an unjustified fortress mentality in relation to
certain questions which risks rendering the Gospel message inflexible
while at the same time losing sight of the dynamic proper to its
development.
The
second chapter is dedicated to recognizing the challenges of the
contemporary world and to overcoming the easy temptations which
undermine the New Evangelization. In the first place, the Pope
affirms, we must recover our identity without those inferiority
complexes which lead to “concealing our identity and convictions …
and end up suffocating the joy of our mission as we become obsessed
over becoming like everyone else possessing the things which they
possess” (79). This makes Christians fall into “a kind of
relativism which is more dangerous than the doctrinal one” (80),
because it impinges directly on the lifestyle of believers. So it
happens that many expressions of our pastoral activity suffer from a
kind of weariness which derives from placing the accent on the
initiatives themselves and not on the person. The Pope believes that
the temptation of a “de-personalization of the person” in order
to become better organized is both real and common. By the same
token, the challenges in evangelization should be accepted more as a
chance to grow and as not as a reason for falling into depression.
There should be no talk, then, of a “sense of defeat” (85). It is
essential that we recover interpersonal relationships to which we
must accord a priority over the technology which seeks to govern
relationships as with a remote control, deciding where, when and for
how long to meet others on the basis of one’s own preferences (88).
As well as the more usual and more diffuse challenges, however, we
must be alive to those which impinge more directly on our lives: the
sense of “daily uncertainty, with evil consequences”, the various
forms of “social disparity”, the “fetishism of money and the
dictatorship of a faceless economy”, the “exasperation of
consumption” and “unbridled consumerism”... In short, we find
ourselves in the presence of a “globalization of indifference”
and a “sneering contempt” towards ethics, accompanied by a
constant attempt to marginalize every critical warning over the
supremacy of the market which, with its “trickle down” creates
the illusion of helping the poor (cf. 52-64). If the Church today
appears still highly credible in many countries of the world, even
where it is a minority, its is because of her works of charity and
solidarity (65).
In
the evangelization of our time, therefore, and most especially in the
face of the challenges of the great “urban cultures” (71),
Christians are invited to flee from two phenomena which undermine its
very nature and which Pope Francis defines as “worldliness” (93).
First, the “charm of Gnosticism” which implies a faith closed in
on itself, not least in its own doctrinal certainties, and which
erects its own experience as the criterion of truth by which to judge
others. Second, a “self-referential and Promethean Neo-Pelagianism”
of those who maintain that the grace is only an accessory while
progress is obtained only through personal commitment and force. All
of this stands in contradiction to evangelization. It creates a type
of “narcissistic elitism” which must be avoided (94). Who do we
want to be, asks the Pope, “Generals of defeated troops” or “foot
soldiers of a platoon which continues to fight”? The risk of a
“worldly Church in spiritual or pastoral trappings” (96), is not
hidden but real. It is vital, then, not to succumb to these
temptations but to offer the testimony of communion (99). This
testimony is reinforced by complementarity. Starting from this
consideration, Pope Francis explains the necessity of the promotion
of lay people and women, and the need to foster vocations and the
priestly life. To look upon the Church in the light of the progress
of these last decades demands that we subtract ourselves from a
mentality of power and embrace a logic of service for the united
construction of the Church (102-108).
Evangelization
is the task of the entire People of God, without exception. It is
not, nor could it be, reserved or delegated to any particular group.
All baptized people are directly involved. Pope Francis explains, in
the third chapter of the Exhortation, how evangelization may develop
and the various stages which may indicate its progress. First, he is
keen to underline the “the primacy of grace” which works
tirelessly in the life of every evangelizer (112). Then the Pope
develops the theme of the great role played by various cultures in
the process of the inculturation of the Gospel, and which prevents a
particular culture from falling into a “vainglorious sacralization
of itself” (117). He then indicates the fundamental direction of
the new evangelization in the interpersonal relationships (127-129)
and in the testimony of life (121). He insists, furthermore, on
rediscovering the value of popular piety as an expression of the
genuine faith of many people who thereby give true testimony of their
simple encounter with the love of God (122-126). Finally, the Pope
invites theologians to study the mediations necessary in order to
arrive at an appreciation of the various forms of evangelization
(133), reflecting more at length on the homily as a privileged from
of evangelization which requires an authentic passion and love for
the Word of God and for the people to whom it is entrusted (135-158).
The
fourth chapter is given over to a reflection on the social dimension
of evangelization. This is a theme which is dear to Pope Francis
since, as he states, “If this dimension is not explained in the
correct way, we run the risk of disfiguring the authentic and full
meaning of the mission of evangelization” (176). This is the great
theme of the link between the preaching of the Gospel and the
promotion of human life in all of its expressions This promotion of
every human being must be holistic and capable of avoiding the
relegation of religion to the private sphere, with no incidence in
social and public life. A “faith which is authentic always implies
a profound desire to change the world” (183). Two great themes
emerge in this section of the Exhortation: the “social inclusion of
the poor” and “peace and social dialogue”. The particular
evangelical passion with which the Pope speaks about them is
indicative of his conviction that they will decide the future of
humanity.
As
far as concerns the “social inclusion of the poor”, with the New
Evangelization the Church feels it is her mission “to contribute to
the resolution of the instrumental causes of poverty and to promote
the integral development of the poor”, as well as undertaking
“simple and daily gestures of solidarity in the face of the many
concrete situations of need” which are constantly before our eyes
(188). What emerges from these closely written pages is an invitation
to recognise the “salvific force” which the poor possess and
which must be brought to the centre of the life of the Church with
the New Evangelization (198). This implies that first of all, before
any concrete experience, there be a rediscovery of the attention due
to this theme together with its urgency and the need to promote its
awareness. Moreover, the fundamental option for the poor which asks
to be put into practice is, in the mind of Pope Francis, primarily a
“religious and spiritual attention” which must take priority over
all else (200). On these questions Pope Francis speaks with extreme
frankness and clarity. The “Shepherd of a Church without borders”
(210) cannot allow himself to look away. This is why the Pope demands
that we consider the problems of migration and is equally strong in
his denunciation of the new forms of slavery. “Where is the person
that you are killing every day in his secret little factory, in
networks of prostitution, in children used for professional begging,
in those who must work in secret because they are irregular? Let us
not pretend. All of us have some share of responsibility in these
situations” (211). Also, the Pope is equally forceful in his
defence of human life in its beginning and of the dignity of every
human person (213). Concerning this latter aspect, the Pope announces
four principles which serve as a common denominator for the promotion
of peace and its concrete social application. Recalling, perhaps, his
studies into Romano Guardini, Pope Francis seems to create a new
polar opposition. He reminds us that “time is superior to space”,
“unity prevails over conflict”, “reality is more important than
ideas”, and that “the whole is greater than its parts”. These
principles open up to the dimension of dialogue as the first
contribution towards peace, a dimension which is extended in the
Exhortation to the areas of science, ecumenism and non-Christian
religions.
The
final chapter seeks to express the “spirit of the New
Evangelization” (260). This is developed under the primacy of the
action of the Holy Spirit which always and anew infuses the
missionary impulse in the Church beginning with the life of prayer
whose centre is contemplation (264). In conclusion, the Virgin Mary,
“Star of the New Evangelization” is presented as the icon of
every authentic preaching and transmission of the Gospel which the
Church is called to undertake in the coming decades with a strong
enthusiasm and an unchanging love for the Lord Jesus.
“Let
us not allow ourselves to be robbed of the joy of evangelization”
(83). The language of this Apostolic Exhortation is clear, immediate,
free from rhetoric and insinuations. Pope Francis goes to the heart
of the problems which touch the lives of men and women of today and
which demand of the Church more than a simple presence. The Church is
asked to actively program a renewed pastoral practice which reflects
her engagement in the New Evangelization. The Gospel must reach
everyone, without exception. Some, however, are more privileged than
others. Pope Francis leaves us in no doubt as to his position: “Not
so much friends and rich neighbours, but above all the poor, the
sick, those who are often ignored and forgotten … there must be no
doubts or explanations which weaken the clarity of this message”
(48).
As
in other crucial moments of her history, it is with a sense of
urgency that the Church prepares to engage in the New Evangelization
in a spirit of adoration so as to behold once again, with a
“contemplative gaze”, the signs of the presence of God. The signs
of the times are not only encouraging, but are serve as a criterion
for effective witness (71). Pope Francis reminds us, first of all,
of the central mystery of our faith: “Let us not run away from the
resurrection of Jesus, let us not surrender, come what may” (3). He
shows us a Church which is the companion of those who are our
contemporaries in the seeking after God and in the desire to see him.
