By Rosemary Daniels | Correspondent

There are a number of ways to define the New Evangelization, but what’s most important is an outreach that touches the heart, through both teaching and healing.

Such was the message conveyed to religious educators gathered for a day of formation held March 22 in St. Robert Bellarmine Parish, Freehold.

Sponsored by the diocesan Department of Evangelization and Catechesis, the day began with Mass celebrated by Msgr. Thomas N. Gervasio, vicar general and moderator of the curia.

Following Mass, a presentation was given by keynote speaker Jared Dees, digital marketing manager at Ava Maria Press.

In his homily, Msgr. Gervasio told the assembled crowd that they must be like the guards in John’s Gospel, and speak to their students “no one has ever spoken before.”

He talked about the new evangelization having three ingredients to success:

“Be joyful about what you do. Joy is attractive. People will wonder what made you that way.

Prepare well. We need to open up the scriptures, open up the lesson plan, so we might meet the needs of (our students). Try something new.

Persevere and be open. Have the humility to learn from others.”

Kathy Jobes and Kathy Oltrichter, co-catechists of first and second graders in St. Martha Parish, Point Pleasant, were very enthusiastic about Msgr. Gervasio’s homily. Jobes said, “It gave me more insight into reaching my students.”

Dees, who is a graduate of the Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) program at the University of Notre Dame and author of “31 Days to Becoming a Better Religious Educator,” continued the day with an educational program. 

In his opening remarks, Dees noted that while the faithful are called to a new evangelization, many Catholics are new to the concept. Asking the audience to define evangelization, he received many responses, such as “Spreading the Word of Christ to those who don’t know it, or have forgotten it,” and “Showing my Light of Christ to all.” He built on this concept, saying that teaching is a vital part of evangelization, but “what we forget is that healing is also an integral part of evangelization”.

Both Msgr. Gervasio and Dees touched on a trend with today’s youth where many label themselves as “SBNR – spiritual, but not religious.” According to Dees, this group tends to think of “religion” as a bad thing. With some 850,000 Catholics in the Diocese, but only 17-22 percent attending church regularly, Dees acknowledged that these numbers might indicate that a massive change is needed, but shared that every successful ministry he has observed has happened “one person at a time.”  So, what is the duty of today’s catechists? “Your duty is to encounter and touch the hearts of whatever number of your children you teach in your program and their parents.”

Dees noted the challenges of reaching today’s kids and parents, who have been greatly impacted by technology. He cited sobering statistics: more than 80 percent of 15-year olds have a smart phone, 52 percent of 5-8 year olds use an iPad, and 71 percent of parents actively use FaceBook, or some other social network.

“We need to be where they are.” Dees said, “Technology is an accelerator, but not an answer. It simply speeds up what is being done well or poorly.” However, Dees did encourage the ministers to utilize social media, so they can be where the kids are, and to get to know their students better. He also suggested taking time to talk to the students either before or after class, and writing notes to their students who struggle the most. “Think of one student, and jot them a quick note of praise.” Lastly, he exhorted them to share their own testimony with their students and to use it as part of their teaching.