Mission Chicago seeks to ‘jump-start’ evangelization

[HagiaSophia]

The Archdiocese of Chicago has taken on a mega-evangelization project in an effort to draw back lapsed Catholics and to re-energize practicing Catholics in their faith. It’s called Mission Chicago 2006 and, according to a New York Times report, Chicago is the largest archdiocese to organize such wide-ranging events focused on evangelization.

Fr. Robert Barron is heading the yearlong project, initiated by Cardinal Francis George. So far, Mission Chicago 2006 has included a three-day Festival of Faith at a convention center, a day of round-the-clock confessions with 70 priests on hand, a series of six “back-to-basics” sermons by Fr. Barron and the distribution of 2,500 motivational DVDs.

Thousands flocked last month to the Festival of Faith, which featured concerts and workshops in English, Spanish and Polish. And, at one parish, 400 people turned out this month for the round-the-clock confession initiative.

According to the New York Times, some of the efforts are taking a cue from evangelical Protestants, whose mega-churches are attracting some lapsed Catholics due to their ability to link Scripture with everyday life. They also use pop music, social events, the Internet, informal settings and small-group fellowship to foster a sense of community.

catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=6357

 

[Struggling]

My Parish was one of the 6 sites of the Round the Clock confessions! I think we were also the one with around 400 people attending based on what our Pastor told us. Father Barron has spoken at our parish many times, he is a very good speaker.

 

[chicago]

Typically, in some parts of the diocese, we haven’t heard a thing about all of this at all.

 

[Catholic29]

With Cardinal George now embroiled in the Fr. McCormack abuse scandal this initiative certainly appears badly timed. But I pray a certain amount of good comes out Mission Chicago 2006, and that some lapsed Catholics return to the practice of their faith because of it.

 

[Chickamauga]

According to the New York Times, some of the efforts are taking a cue from evangelical Protestants, whose mega-churches are attracting some lapsed Catholics due to their ability to link Scripture with everyday life. They also use pop music, social events, the Internet, informal settings and small-group fellowship to foster a sense of community.

Pop music? Great. How about liturgical dance too? :whacky:

Best wishes to them, but I don’t see why any Catholic archdiosese feels they need to immitate evangelical churches. The Church needs to simply be itself (orthodox), preach the truth and let the Holy Spirit work on hearts.

 

[nova147]

Chickamauga:

Pop music? Great. How about liturgical dance too? :whacky:

Best wishes to them, but I don’t see why any Catholic archdiosese feels they need to immitate evangelical churches. The Church needs to simply be itself (orthodox), preach the truth and let the Holy Spirit work on hearts./QUOTE}

I’m divided on my response to that. A part of me says “AMEN”! The Catholic Church has the Truth and that should be enough. But the battle out there is tough and a lot of my friends, Catholic and otherwise, are very attracted to mega-churches. They offer a kind of “feel good” Christianity that is not necessarily deep, but gets people through the door, so to speak. Perhaps that is what the Archdiocese would like to accomplish (the getting people through the door). Hopefully, once they are through the door, the orthodox truth is there.
Unfortunatly, my experience in the Archdiocese of Chicago took place out at Holy Family in Inverness. That parish was started to “combat” Willow Creek, which is just down the street. It has a lot of “mega-church” trappings, like pop music and liturgical dance. Sadly, it also has a VERY liberal priest and staff . . . the Archbishop is quite displeased with the parish as of now. There is a lot of talk against the Church as a whole in that parish. There are also a lot of other things that happen there that are illicit. In fact, an RCIA leader told the RCIA class that even though the Church teaches that birth control is wrong, they would “be in trouble” if they didn’t. As though children are trouble.
Anyway, hopefully this Mission Chicago is really just a way to get people through the door, back to the orthodox truth of the Catholic Church. I pray it succeeds in that mission.

 

[Tonks40]

nova147:

Anyway, hopefully this Mission Chicago is really just a way to get people through the door, back to the orthodox truth of the Catholic Church. I pray it succeeds in that mission.

I agree with this. The Church in the US is in an uphill battle against non-denominationism and mega-churches. We really do need to find innovative and created ways to bring people back to the Church - at the same time not forsake orthodoxy.