Synod brings forth evangelization office

By JEFF GRAHAM

The New Year tends to start for many of us with fresh beginnings and new resolve. The Archdiocese of Vancouver is no exception, starting off 2007 by formally announcing the formation of the Office for Evangelization. It will be directed by Pat Gillespie, a former Youth Ministry consultant.

Special to The B.C. Catholic Pat Gillespie is excited about his new job as Director of the Office for Evangelization, but he knows he will be facing many challenges in his new role.

"I'm very pleased that we are moving forward with the Office for Evangelization, and fulfilling one of the main directives from the synod," said Archbishop Raymond Roussin, SM. "I also feel the choice of Pat Gillespie is a good one. That being said, as a layman, he will rely heavily on an advisory board for the Office for Evangelization, which will consist of a number of priests, theologians, canon lawyers, and other lay people."

Archbishop Roussin stressed that the Office for Evangelization will help fulfill the call for Catholics to evangelize, a call continually made during the pontificate of Pope John Paul II, and echoed by Pope Benedict XVI. The archbishop also pointed out that throughout the synod, priests, religious, and lay people made it clear that they wanted an evangelizing archdiocese. The establishment of the new office was called for among the 50 propositions of the synod.

"We have been called to this mission of evangelization by Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI, and so we're moving from being a maintenance church to a missionary church," he said. "There will be challenges in establishing this office, which to my knowledge is the first of its kind in Canada, but it's always a challenge when you're following Christ."

"In a recent meeting with Vernon Robertson, a major proponent of this initiative in the archdiocese and a member of both the synod and the preliminary commission for evangelization, it was clear that Mr. Robertson was more than pleased that we were going to act immediately on this critical issue," continued the archbishop. "The world around us has become so secular and even anti-Christian, and calls for our personal witness to Jesus Christ: evangelization."

Challenges await Gillespie

Msgr. Gregory Smith was General Secretary and a driving force of the synod. "Archbishop Roussin's decision to endorse the synod's work so wholeheartedly certainly makes up for my disappointment at missing its final gathering," he said.

"I hope that the synod members feel very proud of their work. They made a big commitment to help the Church, and I think that it has really born fruit, and will continue to bear fruit in the years ahead!"

Msgr. Stephen Jensen, the vicar responsible for the new Office of Evangelization, sees the office as a concrete sign that the call to evangelize is catching on.

"This is the next step in a journey that began long ago for many people in the diocese, who are catching the Pope's vision for the new evangelization and acting on it. That was reflected in the synod, and now we have this new office that will provide leadership for parishes," said Msgr. Jensen. "As well, the synod had such a focus on evangelization, so this office certainly reflects the priorities that the synod recognized."

"We are all called to evangelize within our particular vocation and with our unique gifts," Gillespie told The B.C. Catholic. "Our mandate will be to assist parishes, agencies, and organizations to become sources of evangelization so that each of us becomes salt and light to the world."

Becoming the new director of the Office for Evangelization is just one of many exciting changes that have happened recently for Gillespie and his family. Gillespie has just received his Master of Arts in Leadership Studies from Trinity Western University.

On the home front, he and wife Shauna recently welcomed Benedict, their third son, to their family in November, joining Kieran and Ronan. The family recently moved to a larger house and bought a new mini-van to accommodate their growing family.

"There is so much that excites me about this opportunity," Gillespie said. "So much of what I've been learning and discovering over the past few years aligns with the movement of the synod, and with Archbishop Roussin's vision. Over these years, God has led us all on our own paths toward His goal, and now we are going to act!"

While he is excited about his new position, the Trinity Western grad is sad to be leaving the Youth Ministry Office.

"As I traveled around North America and visited other dioceses and met their youth ministry leaders, I discovered how blessed Vancouver is. Archbishop Emeritus Adam Exner's vision and solid support, along with the hard work and service of Monsignor Hagemoen, built the structure for a vibrant ministry to develop."

"It is somewhat difficult to leave one of the most dynamic and nurturing teams I've worked with. Each of the staff I have worked with over the last nine years has taught me so much about service, accountability, humility, teamwork, lay ministry, and relationship with God and neighbour. It is sad to leave what I see as an incredibly blessed ministry office."