Bringing God's Word to the streets focus of evangelization training
July 29, 2019 at 12:37 p.m.
By Dorothy K. LaMantia | Correspondent
According to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the New Evangelization exhorts the faithful to deepen their faith, believe in the Gospel message and spread the Good News to others.
On July 7-8, more than 100 people accepted the challenge, attending Basic Evangelization Training in St. Mary Parish, Middletown, which featured speaker Adam Janke, vice president and program director of St. Paul Street Evangelization (SPSE).
Based in Bloomington, Ind., SPSE was incorporated in 2012 as a nonprofit Catholic evangelization organization dedicated to embody Jesus’ mandate to preach the Gospel. Team members take to the streets, offering passers-by a Miraculous Medal or Rosary and engage them in informal, non-confrontational conversations to introduce them to Jesus and the Church. Currently 300 teams are already at work worldwide, one of them in St. Mary Parish.
Co-sponsored by the diocesan Catholic Charismatic Renewal and Catholic Men for Jesus Christ, the gathering attracted faithful representing multigenerations and multicultures from the Dioceses of Trenton and Metuchen and the Archdiocese of Newark.
“The attendance has surpassed our expectations,” said Father Jeffrey Kegley, pastor. “Only 50 signed up, but 50 more showed up at the door. We are thrilled. St. John Paul II said the time has come to put all our energies to the work of the New Evangelization.”
Janke, a married father of six, converted to Catholicism from Biblical Dundamentalism in 2005 and holds a bachelor of arts degree in theology and catechetics and a master of arts degree in theology from Franciscan University, Steubenville, Ohio. His discussion on the New Evangelization and Modern Culture, the Art of Christian Listening and Basic Etiquette paved the way for his instruction on the simpler methods of starting friendly conversations, listening sincerely, praying, and sharing one’s own experiences used by the teams.
“To share it, you must keep the Gospel simple,” Janke said. “Sometimes we talk too much. Be brief enough so people have an opportunity to respond. Everyone has a story. Use the testimony of your faith to break down barriers. Once I said, ‘I am just like you, struggling with a mortgage, jobs, and kids. Sometimes I’m floundering in the midst of a storm.’ The guy said to me, ‘Wow! You sound pretty normal!’”
During a break, Janke summed up the program, saying, “Evangelization is proclamation of God in the way we live our lives and the way we speak. We are meant to proclaim grace, mercy and salvation. All Church ministries come together to offer God to others. I can do evangelization as a member of St. Vincent de Paul, a Church usher, a Rosarian. All our Church structures must evangelize, when for every one person entering the Church, another 6.45 [people] leave it.”
Deacons Al Pennise and Alex Punchello of St. Katharine Drexel Parish, Burlington, said they hoped to bring the methodology of evangelization to their parish with the goal of expanding their outreach to parents and children.
Kelly Toth, of St. Mary youth group, gained a new, achievable vision of evangelization. “ I always thought it meant standing on a street corner, shouting at people. This is about talking to people. It is important to listen to people, especially in this age of technology. I am good at listening to people and love to hear their stories.”
William and Mai Chirinos of Mary, Mother of God Parish, Hillsborough, brought their daughters, age 11 and 14.
“My husband has so much passion for this,” Mai Chirinos said. “I came to support but I’ve learned so much, it’ll make an evangelist of me. Maybe I will help my parish start our own program. I brought my girls to give them the skills to [evangelize] in a way that is not confrontational or condescending.”
Jim Gent from St. Mary Parish said, “For me, there is a desire to share my faith and to have the tools to do so. This provided the tools.” Nodding toward the Chirinos family, he said, “ It was good to be connected to others who want to share the faith.”
Gent’s wife, Susan, added, “We are doing this together out of our bond in Matrimony. I will be stepping out of my comfort zone. It will strengthen our union and get me to know him on a deeper level.”
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By Dorothy K. LaMantia | Correspondent
According to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the New Evangelization exhorts the faithful to deepen their faith, believe in the Gospel message and spread the Good News to others.
On July 7-8, more than 100 people accepted the challenge, attending Basic Evangelization Training in St. Mary Parish, Middletown, which featured speaker Adam Janke, vice president and program director of St. Paul Street Evangelization (SPSE).
Based in Bloomington, Ind., SPSE was incorporated in 2012 as a nonprofit Catholic evangelization organization dedicated to embody Jesus’ mandate to preach the Gospel. Team members take to the streets, offering passers-by a Miraculous Medal or Rosary and engage them in informal, non-confrontational conversations to introduce them to Jesus and the Church. Currently 300 teams are already at work worldwide, one of them in St. Mary Parish.
Co-sponsored by the diocesan Catholic Charismatic Renewal and Catholic Men for Jesus Christ, the gathering attracted faithful representing multigenerations and multicultures from the Dioceses of Trenton and Metuchen and the Archdiocese of Newark.
“The attendance has surpassed our expectations,” said Father Jeffrey Kegley, pastor. “Only 50 signed up, but 50 more showed up at the door. We are thrilled. St. John Paul II said the time has come to put all our energies to the work of the New Evangelization.”
Janke, a married father of six, converted to Catholicism from Biblical Dundamentalism in 2005 and holds a bachelor of arts degree in theology and catechetics and a master of arts degree in theology from Franciscan University, Steubenville, Ohio. His discussion on the New Evangelization and Modern Culture, the Art of Christian Listening and Basic Etiquette paved the way for his instruction on the simpler methods of starting friendly conversations, listening sincerely, praying, and sharing one’s own experiences used by the teams.
“To share it, you must keep the Gospel simple,” Janke said. “Sometimes we talk too much. Be brief enough so people have an opportunity to respond. Everyone has a story. Use the testimony of your faith to break down barriers. Once I said, ‘I am just like you, struggling with a mortgage, jobs, and kids. Sometimes I’m floundering in the midst of a storm.’ The guy said to me, ‘Wow! You sound pretty normal!’”
During a break, Janke summed up the program, saying, “Evangelization is proclamation of God in the way we live our lives and the way we speak. We are meant to proclaim grace, mercy and salvation. All Church ministries come together to offer God to others. I can do evangelization as a member of St. Vincent de Paul, a Church usher, a Rosarian. All our Church structures must evangelize, when for every one person entering the Church, another 6.45 [people] leave it.”
Deacons Al Pennise and Alex Punchello of St. Katharine Drexel Parish, Burlington, said they hoped to bring the methodology of evangelization to their parish with the goal of expanding their outreach to parents and children.
Kelly Toth, of St. Mary youth group, gained a new, achievable vision of evangelization. “ I always thought it meant standing on a street corner, shouting at people. This is about talking to people. It is important to listen to people, especially in this age of technology. I am good at listening to people and love to hear their stories.”
William and Mai Chirinos of Mary, Mother of God Parish, Hillsborough, brought their daughters, age 11 and 14.
“My husband has so much passion for this,” Mai Chirinos said. “I came to support but I’ve learned so much, it’ll make an evangelist of me. Maybe I will help my parish start our own program. I brought my girls to give them the skills to [evangelize] in a way that is not confrontational or condescending.”
Jim Gent from St. Mary Parish said, “For me, there is a desire to share my faith and to have the tools to do so. This provided the tools.” Nodding toward the Chirinos family, he said, “ It was good to be connected to others who want to share the faith.”
Gent’s wife, Susan, added, “We are doing this together out of our bond in Matrimony. I will be stepping out of my comfort zone. It will strengthen our union and get me to know him on a deeper level.”
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