GRAPEVINE, Texas — Quoting from Pope Francis' apostolic
exhortation "The Joy of the Gospel," Archbishop Christophe Pierre
encouraged Hispanic Catholic leaders and bishops to continue working toward
being an evangelizing church by seeking an encounter with Christ and taking
initiative while accompanying those on the peripheries.
"The church which 'goes forth' is a community of missionary
disciples who take the first step, who are involved and supportive, who bear
fruit and rejoice," Archbishop Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United
States, said Sept. 20, the opening day of the Fifth National Encuentro.
Nearly 3,000 ministry leaders at the gathering in Grapevine were
selected to represent 159 dioceses across the country, including 22 delegates
from the Diocese of Arlington.
During the Sept. 20-23 event, participants were taking part in
listening and dialogue sessions to discuss a wide range of issues they consider
to be priorities in Hispanic Catholic ministry for the church in the United
States.
The Fifth National Encuentro, also called V Encuentro, is a
process of missionary work, consultation, leadership development and community
building that seeks to develop better ways in which the Catholic church can
respond to Hispanic Catholics in parishes around the country. It also seeks to
strengthen them as leaders and missionary disciples.
As in previous encuentros, the goal is to develop a national
pastoral plan for Hispanic ministry for the present and for years to come.
Archbishop Pierre, in his keynote address, praised the work done
by Encuentro leaders to reach those on the peripheries as they answer the call
to be missionary disciples.
In remarks delivered in both English and Spanish, the papal
nuncio warned against judging and condemning the church and considering it
distant. "We are the church, if there's need for a conversion it starts
with us," he said.
He also challenged the leaders to seek new ways to reach out to
those who are indifferent and to those who have abandoned the church or are on
existential and spiritual peripheries.
"What leads to a change of heart in Christians is precisely
a missionary spirit," he said.
The archbishop described the characteristics of an evangelizing
church: getting involved, taking initiative, staying committed, accompanying
others, bearing fruits and feeling joy.
He reminded participants that as Pope Francis said: "The
church in the United States, as in other parts of the world, is called to 'go
forth' out of its comfort zone and become leaven of communion."
The nuncio also urged everyone to get involved and not just
remain as spectators and invited bishops and clergy to keep their vocations
alive.
"Accompaniment entails guiding, encouraging and supporting,
and uniting. The church that actively does this is a synodal church — a church
that walks together. One speaks of synodality in the church and synodality of
the church," he added.
He explained synodality "in" the church as a church
that journeys together renewing the life and practice of faith through constant
discernment and action involving many forms of participation and action.
Synodality "of" the church, he said, refers to the journey of the
church with humanity through history.
"The Encuentro process has shown the effectiveness of
synodality 'in' the church — listening, speaking, participating by asking
critical questions and discerning the path forward. If communion is a sharing
of the faithful in the mysteries of faith and mission of the church, synodality
is the sign and fulfillment of communion."
Bearing fruits requires discernment and patience, he stressed.
"Patience in the art of discernment and accompaniment allows the whole
church to move forward."
Archbishop Pierre told participants not to forget about joy along
the journey. "Joy is the greatest experience of the church that goes
forth. The Eucharist is the source and summit of all life in the church. The
Eucharist is the sacrament which nourishes Christian joy."
He concluded by inviting others to live the joy of the Gospel.
"It is my sincere hope that as we gather for these days, we
may be the church that Christ wants us to be — with him at the center of our
lives, our conversations and our ministry, confident that with the Holy Virgin
of Guadalupe to accompany us and to intercede for us, we may always move
forward in hope, making known the joy of the Gospel."