austraLasia #2447

Creative Evangelization in Taiwan

TAIPEI: 25th June 2009 -- Its been so rare to hear any news from Taiwan during these past years. Anyway, late last year until November of this year, Taiwan is celebrating its 150th year of evangelization (actually the 1st group of Dominican missionaries came in 1626. 1858 is already the 3rd big wave of missionary expedition which was rather “successful” which we are celebrating now). Ivan Cardinal Dias, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, will grace the occasion during the closing ceremonies on the Solemnity of Christ the King.
    As part of this year-long celebration, a lot of activities have been organized in each diocese and one of them is the re-launching of the evangelization fervor. Last June 19 – 21, 2009, the Archdiocese of Taipei organized a symposium/seminar on Creative Evangelization. The 1st day was mainly for the clergy, the second day was for pastors and representatives of every parish, and the final day was for evangelization committees in each parish. 4 priests were invited to speak and several lay persons were also invited to share their “successful” evangelization models and experiences.
    Fr. Gary Carbon, of St. John Bosco Parish, Taipei City was asked to give a short primer and explanation on Creative Evangelization during the 1st and 3rd days. One of the salient points of his talk on Creative Evangelization and the need for change was quoting Pope Benedict XVI in his address to the Roman Curia before their Christmas break in 2005. In his address, the Pope expressed his lament on the little progress on implementing the ideas and spirit of the Vatican II after 40 years; he coined 2 terms, namely:
    Hermeneutics of discontinuity and rupture: in an atmosphere of disagreement, there is this confused way of interpretation. It is affected by mass media and trends of modern theology and makes everything in the church and work of evangelization more confusing.
    The other is Hermeneutics of reform and renewal: a silent but steady development of reforms being true to Christ and His Church.
    Fr. Gary continued by explaining other ideas on Primary Evangelization as well as new approaches to Christology. It ended by exhorting everyone to a renewed pastoral zeal and being courageous in facing past difficulties and obstacles.
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Title: australasia 2447
Subject and key words: EAO Provinces CIN creative evangelization Taiwan
Date (year): 2009
ID: 2000-2099|2447