On October 12, 2010, Pope Benedict introduced his latest motu proprio, Ubicumque et Semper as an introduction for the Church into the ‘New evangelization,†necessary to restore the prominence of the Catholic Church globally, especially where it has been faltering in recent years. The observation by Pope Benedict that the “phenomenon of abandonment of the faith†has “become progressively more evident in societies and cultures that were for centuries, impregnated with the Gospel.â€
These societies and cultures are most obviously the Western world, especially Europe and the United States.  Uniquely, in these societies, Pope Benedict raises poignant points for modern Catholics to consider in our journey of faith. The increased secularization of the world and the “loss of the sense of the sacred†contribute strongly to the demise of the Catholic faith in countries that were once strongholds of Catholicism.
Catholics seemingly have lost touch with the fundamental experiences of human existence, birth, death and family life and even the comprehension of natural law. The new evangelization movement established officially by Pope Benedict seeks to restore Christian vitality and exuberance to the areas of the Church that have been de-Christianized.
The process of new evangelization is most intimately linked with the teachings of John Paul II in his Apostolic Letter Novo Millennio Ineunte (At the Beginning of the Third Millenium 2000) which contemplated the future of the modern Catholic Church in light of the Second Vatican Council and the increasing secularism of the modern global society.
The motu proprio, Umbicumque et Semper was released by Pope Benedict XVI almost to the exact day of the start of the Second Vatican Council, 48 years ago. With the significance of this date in mind, we as faithful Catholics need to appreciate and more fully understand the intentions of the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council as somewhat prophetic in their teachings. The world of 1962 is indeed quite different from our own modern world. Our Catholic Church is quite different from the 1960’s as well. It is really no wonder that the Catholic world has in part abandoned the message of the Gospel for more appealing lures of secular society.
The establishment of a curia office designed to oversea the process of new evangelization is the first step in this multi-decades implementation after Vatican II. New evangelization will encompass many other points for the 21st century Church and the Catholic faithful.
To begin with, the new evangelization will need to reeducate, reinform and revitalize complacent Catholics on the teachings of Jesus in the New Testament in regards to our deposit of Catholic faith and tradition that has developed for two thousand years. What this means specifically is that the Church needs to minister to the Church, concentrating on those faithful members that have neglected or totally ignored the Gospel message and the Church’s teachings.
In terms of the Catholic resurgence of faith throughout the world, it is also critically important that the Catholic Church come to terms with the growing Islamic presence in the world and take the opportunity not to convert Muslims, but to embrace and culturally understand their faith and traditions. One only needs to look at the catastrophic events of the Great Crusades to see how ineffective our anti-Islamic campaigns were and continue to be. Islam, one of the great three monotheistic religions of the world indeed has a responsibility to the religions of the West to live in theistic harmony. Together with our cousins in monotheism, the Jewish people, the age of New Evangelization should concentrate its efforts towards reestablishing the importance of faith in God and religious practices as part of its agenda of global restoration of the goals of Christianity. The Catholic Church most obviously needs to appreciate the global situation that exists in the 21st century, and not seek an opportunity towards antiquated colonialization, but rather an inclusive acceptance of many faiths, seeking truth from the same Deity, with different modes of worship.
Most importantly, besides the theological message of Christ, the Church in the efforts of New Evangelization needs to restore for all mankind an appreciation and understanding of the message of the Book of Genesis, namely that we are created in the image and likeness of God. If indeed, the message begins with our deepening understanding of our participation in the Divine life, then the points of argumentative and dehumanizing activities and beliefs will begin to fall as well. An understanding by a global Catholic Church that heralds above all things the sanctity of all human life, and a harmonious understanding of all of our brothers and sisters in faith is indeed the best sign of a new evangelization in Christ.
The message of the Council Fathers of Vatican II resounds with the motu proprio, Ubicumque at Semper. Collectively, as the People of God, we need to hear its important message for our own faithful people and our relationship with the global society of the world’s faiths.
2 users commented in " The New Catholic Evangelization…according to Benedict XVI "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a TrackbackI disagree with the article on this point “one only needs to look at the catastrophic events of the Great Crusades to see how ineffective our anti-Islamic campaigns were…”…OK let’s re-think the remaking of history by the Arab world…The crusades were a response to Islamic expansionism on christian land – PERIOD! Let’s be honest about this point, It wasn’t the Christian world that suddenly invaded the Arabs forcing Christianity upon them. It was the Muslims who started their conquest after Mohamed and who conquered the whole middle east, north Africa and even Spain. What should the Europeans do – sit and watch? The crusades were the completely justified counter attack of Europe many centuries AFTER the Muslims had first invaded.
The whole world needs redemption through the narrow road – Jesus Christ.
THE FOURTH MONOTHEISTIC RELIGION
by BV Bhagavat Maharaja & Isa das
Which religion is that? You may ask, and rightly so. Most academic and news articles usually talk about the three monotheistic religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Even though these three religions share a common theological precept that there is one GOD ([1]El Kana) and no other, they are anything but unified in describing the path that the devotee must take to reach that one and only GOD.
Today we have attempts by all three religions to create interfaith harmony through theological fiats at ecumenical conferences that draw people’s attention to the things that unify these three religions as opposed to their differences.
Hinduism (Vedic Religion, Sanatan Dharma) would like to join this dialog and be recognized as Monotheistic.
Hinduism (Vedic Religion Sanatan Dharma) appears to be a polytheistic theological conception where a pantheon of deities ([3]Angels) are worshiped, it is actually a systematic process of elevating each individual soul over one birth or millions ([4]Transmigration; Jewish) to greater and greater levels of faith in the divine existence of the one original and infallible GOD ([1]Kana).
In the Bhagavad Gita which is the book that many consider the Bible of the Vedic Religion, Lord Sri Krishna (Kana) who is understood to be GOD ([5]Allah), The Supreme Personality of Godhead explains.
“After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare.” BG 7:19
“I am in everyone’s heart as the Supersoul ([6]Lord in the heart; Jewish). As soon as one desires to worship the demigods ([3]Angels), I make his faith steady so that he can devote himself to some particular deity.” BG 7:21
“Endowed with such a faith, he seeks favors of a particular demigod and obtains his desires. But in actuality these benefits are bestowed by Me alone.” BG 7:22
In these verses Lord Sri Krishna explains how the worship of the Demigods in the pantheon is for less intelligent persons who want the temporary material pleasures of the world and not the eternal spiritual pleasures of eternal spiritual life on HIS Spiritual Planet ([7]The Garden Of Eden). Furthermore HE explains that it is actually HE who provides such temporary material benefits by empowering the Demigods to provide them. Hence directly or indirectly all Human beings are worshiping that one Supreme Personality of Godhead.
There are many other evidences in the Vedic Scriptures of Lord Sri Krishna’s position as the original Supreme Personality of Godhead , and as the source of, even Mahavishnu ([8]Metatron), Brahma ([9]Abraham), and Siva ([10]Shiva;Judaism) what to speak of lesser demigods like Indra, Ganesha, and Durga ([11]Jewish)
We find in the Vedas this definition of God all religions can agree on.
The Personality of Godhead is perfect and complete, and because He is completely perfect, all emanations from Him, such as this phenomenal world, are perfectly equipped as complete wholes. Whatever is produced of the Complete Whole is also complete in itself. Because He is the Complete Whole, even though so many complete units emanate from Him, He remains the complete balance.
Sri Isopanisad Verse One
The point of this brief monograph is to give the reader an insight into the real nature of the Vedic Religion which in reality is monotheistic as opposed to polytheistic. The so called display of polytheism is only a device to appeal to the widest array of souls having a human experience.
God is always inviting us “Back home back to Godhead”
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[1] The most holy of all names of God for a Jew is KNA or KANA, Rabbi’s have slapped my face when I have said this name out loud.
This is considered to be the most intimate name for God in the Old Testament. Where it is translated, “I am a jealous God, have no other gods before you”, the literal Hebrew translation is, “My name is EL KNA, have no other gods before you.”
[2]From a Vedic (Hindu) view point, Kana is also an affectionate name of Krishna, The pronunciation used above “KRE ShTN” is very similar to the way south Indians pronounce Krishna.
[3]DEMIGODS AND ANGELS have the same function in both traditions.
a. The Midrash teaches, “There is no blade of grass that does not have a constellation (Mazal) over it, telling it to grow.” [Sefer Yetzirah 4.6]
“As commentaries explain, ‘God’s providence works through the angels, but the angels, in turn, work through the stars and planets. As some authorities put it,the angels are, in a sense, like souls to the stars. Thus, for example, some sources speak of the stars as having intelligence, but the commentaries note that this is actually speaking of the angels that are associated with them.'” [Sefer Yetrzirah 4.6]
b. The Vedic conception is that there are many specially empowered demigods who help manage the affairs of the universe including the planets of our solar system.
The controlling demigods, although not eternal themselves, function within various posts that exist as long as the universe exists.
[4]Although the majority of sects within Judaism, Christianity and Islam do not believe that individuals reincarnate, particular groups within these religions do refer to reincarnation; these groups include the mainstream historical and contemporary followers of Kabbalah, the Cathars, theAlawi, the Druze[3] and the Rosicrucians.[4] The historical relations between these sects and the beliefs about reincarnation that were characteristic of the Neoplatonism, Orphism, Hermeticism, Manicheanism and Gnosticism of the Roman era, as well as the Indian religions, is unclear.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transmigration_of_the_soul
[5]In the “Old Testament” the 5 books of Moses, God explains that He is the beginning to the end. This same idea is expressed in the New Testament. Revelation 22:13, I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. ThisEnglish usage of Alpha is based on the Hebrew Alef. Also in the Hindu (Vedic) scripture, Bagavad Gita, Krishna says “of letters I am A.”
[6]When the soul is about to descend to this world, it first goes down to the terrestrial Garden of Eden and sees there the glory of the souls of the righteous, and then goes down to Gehinnom and sees the wicked who cry “Woe, woe”, and find no compassion. That holy form (God) stands by him until he emerges into the world, after which it keeps him company and grows up with him.” [The Zohar 43b] [KI TAZRIA (LEVITICUS)]
[7]Apiryon symbolizes the Palace below which is formed in the likeness of the Palace above. This the Holy one, blessed be He, calls ‘The Garden of Eden,’ for He created it in order to satisfy His own ardent desire for joyous and continual communion with the souls of the righteous who have their abode there-these being those souls who have no bodies in this world. These all ascend and are crowned in that place of perfect delight, and have each their appointed places from whence they can perceive the “loveliness of the Lord”, and partake of all the delicious streams of pure balsam (aparsamon). This aparsamon symbolizes the hidden Supernal Palace, whereas apiryon is the Palace below.” [Zohar 127a Terumah (Exodus)] In other words, there is a Garden of Eden in the eternal spiritual kingdom of God, and there is also a manifestation of the Garden of Eden that exists within the material world.
[8]Metatron in Origins of the Kabbalah where it is said, “Metatron is therefore not a proper name at all but a designation for the whole category of celestial powers performing a mission.”[Origins of the Kabbalah, III, 6]
Regarding the revolving sword or flaming sword that revolves, it is said “the manner in which the sword rotates depends on the readiness of the individual attempting to enter. If he is worthy, it becomes the mirror through which he perceives, while if he is not worthy, he is burned out and cut off by the fire of this sword. The one who oversees the sword, preventing the unworthy from entering, is the angel Metatron.” [Meditation and Kabbalah p 80 Chapter 4, Teachings of Rabbi Abraham Abulafia]
[9]Brahmä is said to have four heads. There is an obscure reference to a four-headed angel in the Talmud. It is said, “Angels are supposed to have no back and four faces, so always to be able to behold God.”[Talmud, cf. Ezek i. 6] Also, many rabbis say that an ancient Abraham, with secondary creative power like Brahma is being referred to when speaking of Brahma.
There is a description of how the universe was in chaos until Abraham appeared. It is said, “Over the whole, there hovered Tohu (chaos) and as long as Tohu dominated, the whole world was not in being or existence. When did that key open the gates and make the world fruitful? It was when Abraham appeared.” [Genesis II 4]
[10]Shiva (Judaism)
Among Sephardic Jews believe that every beracha (blessing) said elevates the neshama, (soul) of the deceased.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sitting_shiva
[11]”He summoned to issue from the side of Darkness a kind of female moon, which rules over the night, and is associated with Adonai, the Lord of all the earth. In his days, the moon was magnified and reached her fullness. A thousand mountains rose before her, and she blew them away with a puff. A thousand mighty rivers flowed before her, and she swallowed them at a draught. Her nails reached out in a thousand and seventy directions and her hands in twenty-four thousand, so that nothing could escape her. Thousands of bucklers clung to her hair. From between her feet went forth a youth who stretched from one end of the world to the other with sixty clubs of fire…” [Zohar]
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