Evangelisation Circles – where faith is explored, deepened and shared
Synod on Synodality delegates in small groups in Rome listen on Oct. 4, 2023, to Pope Francis’
guidance for the upcoming weeks.
PARISHES within the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn will benefit greatly t from the creation of evangelisation circles in this Year of the Holy Spirit, according to Roger Paul.
The Chair of the Blackfriars Parish renewal team said the church’s own circle, which has been running for several years, had been enlivened by the Year of the Holy Spirit. “We use it as a catalyst for continuing renewal,” he explained.
“It is renewal based on the church’s mission, which is to spread the good news. I would definitely encourage other parishes to form circles.”
Roger said the whole Church was encouraged by Pope Francis, as part of the Synod 2021-2024 on Synodality, to increasingly become a ‘synodal Church: walking together’.
“The Synodal Assembly is still in progress but it is clear that the responsibility for carrying out this mission – of proclaiming the Gospel – is shared widely,” he said.
“Pope Francis has similarly talked positively of a shared responsibility or co-responsibility of pastors and the lay faithful in the Church to contribute to the life of the Church according to their charisms and abilities. Bringing together synodality and evangelisation is at the centre of our current Archdiocesan Year of the Holy Spirit, during which we are asked to pray, discern and be led by the Holy Spirit, animated by the words of Acts 15:28: ‘It seems good to us the Holy Spirit.’”
In starting the renewal team, or evangelisation circle, Blackfriars parishioners drew inspiration from a book called Divine Renovation, which led to initiatives such as Alpha, the Women’s Faith Circle, and dialogue on Pope Francis’s encyclical Laudato Si’ – On Care for our Common Home.
“It is about enlivening our renewal journey, making people more aware of that journey and acknowledging that the Holy Spirit is informing that,” Roger said.
“Basically, we are saying what Pope Francis is saying about synodality and what Archbishop Christopher is saying about evangelisation – those things come together as a basis for the parish role. So, linking the parish role to the church’s mission and the Year of the Holy Spirit is very timely.”
Roger said the parish had also held a presentation for parishioners, informed by the Year of the Holy Spirit.
“It is about engaging the parishioners in that journey and in that message,” he said.
“It is exploring faith, deepening our faith and ultimately sharing that faith, which is really what evangelisation is all about. I see the Year of the Holy Spirit as bringing together synodality and evangelisation, and the renewal team is about taking parishioners on that journey.”
