Editorial

By Paul Schratz

Rome recently reminded us of the necessity of giving food and water to all patients, regardless of their condition.

The same is true with spiritual nourishment, especially when there are clear signs people are starving.

On a trip to the U.S. last week, Cardinal Francis Arinze noted the desire among the faithful for ongoing formation. That's the same message that was front and centre in the final document of the Archdiocesan Synod. Formation of adults, children, and young people occupied a central position in the document's message.

The synod, for instance, said adult faith formation strategy must be developed for parishes. "During the debates, it became clear that teaching the faith to adults is a task that we are neglecting, and that there is a hunger for such formation."

Faith formation for teachers in the Catholic schools is also a priority, as it is for parents in assisting them in their role as primary educators.

In addition, parishes will be helped to find ways to extend their catechism programs so students of public high schools receive appropriate religious education until they graduate, dealing with a longstanding concern that many young people drift away after the sacrament of confirmation.

The synod also proposed a marriage enrichment program for couples married one to three years to help them with the difficulties they face early in their marriage.

To sum up, formation is a key component of the evangelization that became such a synod priority and which was the rationale behind the synod to begin with.

It was in noting the spiritual vacuum around us that former Archbishop Adam Exner was prompted to write his document The Signs of the Times, which then led to the archdiocesan synod. He noted that the Church in Vancouver was doing a fine job of keeping the ship afloat, but he could not help but note that many in our midst, perhaps the majority, are not believers and in fact have never even heard of Jesus Christ and the Good News of salvation.

The synod was the archdiocese's effort to "put out into the deep" in the Jubilee words of Pope John Paul II, quoting Christ's words to Peter.

The synod preliminary commission on evangelization described evangelization as "the primary feature of the mission of Jesus Christ to all of creation," and years later the need is still around us. A columnist in one local daily last week wrote about the lack of religion in the world and the resulting loss of any "all-accompanying metaphysic and morality which provide a unifying vision of how to live."

The lives of so many around us, and in many cases our own lives, reflect the emptiness that comes from a life without purpose. If God is removed, there is a void, and it must be replaced with something: entertainment, materialism, sensuality, alcohol, drugs, leisure.

The synod is now in full implementation, and last week Archbishop Roussin appointed a vicar with responsibility for evangelization. One by one, parishes around the archdiocese are implementing their synod plans.

Pope Paul VI noted that in his document Evangelii Nuntiandi (On Evangelization In The Modern World) that "serious preparation" is needed for everyone involved in evangelization. "The Church is an evangelizer, but she begins by being evangelized herself."

Let's pray for the success of that serious preparation as it now begins.