CACCLC Retreat 2014 Society of St. Vincent de Paul Circle V Camp Santa Barbara, CA

1. CACCLC Retreat 2014 Society of St. Vincent de Paul Circle V Camp Santa Barbara, CA August 29 to September 1, 2014 Fr. Samuel W. Ward Associate Director of Vocations Archdiocese of Los Angeles

2. “Ever Ancient, Ever New. Ever Relevant?” • Who are the CACCLC Retreatants? • How many were born in China? • How many were born in the U.S.? (A.B.C.’s—American Born Chinese) • Born elsewhere? • How many do not speak Chinese (Mandarin or Cantonese) fluently? • How many were baptized Catholics as infants? • How many went to Catholic School? Catholic High School or College? • How many are converts? As children? As teens? As young adults? • How many are the only Catholic or Christian in their family? • Or your family is the only Catholic family in your extended family? • How many here are not Catholic? Were invited by a friend? • How many are living a retreat for the first time this weekend? • First time at CACCLC? • How many are involved in some sort of ministry in the Church? At your parish? At your college? • How many are part of a Chinese Catholic community in your parish?

3. For reflection, without raising your hand: • How many have been away from the Catholic faith at times in your life? Recently? • How many are here reluctantly or are trying this out with skepticism? • How many are searching for connections in their lives? With God? With peers? With other Catholic young adults? With other Chinese Catholics? • How many are here because a retreat at this point in your life is exactly what you need? • What are your expectations this weekend? Your hopes? Your fears? • Are you open to new possibilities for your life? • Are you open to the Holy Spirit working in your life in a new way? • Thank God we are here!

4. List of Retreat Conferences: Friday Evening Introduction—Introducing the Theme & Getting to know the Retreatants Saturday Conference #1—Ever Ancient: “The Faith of Our Fathers” (And Mothers) Conference # 2—Ever New: The New Evangelization & Catholic Young Adults “Mass in Slow Motion”—A Catechetical Primer on the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass Mass Homily—“Don’t Squander What Has Been Given To You.” Eucharistic Holy Hour & Benediction Confessions during Holy Hour Sunday Conference #3—Ever Relevant: The Catholic Church in Asia & Implications for Chinese Catholics in the U.S. Conference #4—Ever Relevant? Part II—Making a Choice for Jesus and His Church The Holy Chinese Martyrs Mass Homily—Discernment & Discipleship: Offering Ourselves as a Holy and Pleasing Sacrifice to the LORD LectioDivina & Ignatian Spirituality—Contemplative Praying with the Scriptures Monday Conference #5—Prayer, Spirituality & Living the Catholic-Christian Faith: Implications for Daily Life Mass Homily—The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass & Confession: Encountering Divine Mercy in the Sacraments ***Fr. Sam will be available for counseling/Spiritual Direction throughout the weekend. Please see him to make arrangements when and where to meet.

5. CACCLC 2014 Retreat Schedule FRIDAY 4:30 pm Registration 6:30 pm Dinner 7:30pm Intro & Icebreakers 9:00pm Evening Mass (optional) SATURDAY 7:15am Morning Prayer (optional) 7:30am Wake-up Call 8:15am Morning Exercise 8:30am Breakfast 9:30am Talk #1 10:30am Small Group Discussion 11:30am Mass 12:30pm Lunch 1:30 pm Workshops (3) 3:15 pm Free Time 4:15pm Talk #2 5:15 pm Small Group Discussion 6:00pm Dinner 7:00pm Group Pictures 7:15 pm LectioDivina 8:00pm Praise & Worship / (Reconciliation) 10:00pm Night Prayer (optional) Quiet Time

6. SUNDAY 7:15am Morning Prayer (optional) 7:30am Wake-up Call 8:15am Morning Exercise 8:30am Breakfast 9:30am Talk #3 10:30am Small Group Discussion 11:30am Mass 12:30 pm Lunch 1:40 pm Conference Call 2:00pm Large Group Activity 3:30pm 4:00pm Talk #4 5:00pm Small Group Discussion 6:00pm Dinner 7:00pm Evening hike (Leads into Eucharistic Procession into Adoration 8:00pm Taize & Adoration Reconciliation 10:00pm Night Prayer (optional) Quiet Time MONDAY 7:15 am Morning Prayer (optional) 7:45 am Wake-up Call 8:30 am Breakfast 9:30 am Talk #5 10:30 am Mass 11:30 am Final Remarks / Survey 12:00 pm Final Small Group Discussion 12:30 pm Lunch Pack & Clean Up

7. CONFERENCE #1 Ever Ancient— “The Faith of our Fathers” (and our Mothers)

8. Hymn: Faith of our fathers! Faith and prayer Shall win all nations unto thee; And through the truth that comes from God, Mankind shall then be free. Refrain: Faith of our fathers, holy faith! We will be true to thee till death. Faith of our fathers! We will love Both friend and foe in all our strife: And preach to thee too, as love knows how, By kindly deeds and virtuous life. Refrain: Faith of our fathers, holy faith! We will be true to thee till death.

9. From The Confessions of Saint Augustine: “Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you! You were within me, but I was outside, and it was there that I searched for you. In my unloveliness I plunged into the lovely things which you created. You were with me, but I was not with you. Created things kept me from you; yet if they had not been in you they would have not been at all. You called, you shouted, and you broke through my deafness. You flashed, you shone, and you dispelled my blindness. You breathed your fragrance on me; I drew in breath and now I pant for you. I have tasted you, now I hunger and thirst for more. You touched me, and I burned for your peace.” Painting of St Augustine by Botticelli

10. Fr. Sam’s testimony: “Late have I loved you, Lord.” I can identify with those words. I am a Catholic priest now, but for the first 22 years of my life, I was what you call a nominal Catholic. I was a believer but only a part-time practice of my faith. And I knew ever less about my faith. For the last years of high school and the first years of college, I was a “C & E Catholic.” You know what that means. Christmas and Easter. That’s when I went to Church. I barely prayed and I had forgotten more about my faith since my Confirmation in 8th grade than I remembered. If you asked me at that time to define the Immaculate Conception, I would have given you one of two answers: It either referred to when Jesus was conceived (wrong, that’s the Annunciation in Luke 1:26-38) or to an amazing touchdown catch by Franco Harris of the Pittsburg Steelers against the Oakland Raiders in 1973—the so-called “Immaculate Reception” (I always seem to relate things back to sports!). But even though it was later in my life that I really came to know Jesus Christ in a more real and powerful way, it was not too late for me. And here I am now as a Catholic priest, ordained for over 11 years and now Vocation Director for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. I was barely going to Mass before and was pretty ignorant of my faith, which I consequently never share with others since I felt so unprepared and inadequate, and now I am leading a Young Adult Retreat for Chinese Catholics! How did that happen? Surely it is a miracle of God’s grace. And the preaching of the Gospel, the Good News of Jesus Christ and his Holy Catholic Church, for the past 2000 years. Us being here this weekend is the fruit of a missionary, evangelical, Spirit-led group of Christian believers who have preached and taught and shared the Gospel with men, women, and children of every time and place, culture and language, “in season and out of season,” when it was both “convenient and inconvenient” (cf. 2 Timothy 4:2), suffering martyrdom and ridicule and persecution, all done for the love of Christ and a zeal for the salvation of souls.

11. Jesus and the Great Commission

12. The Commissioning of the Disciples. (Matthew 20:16-20) • “The elevendisciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them.When they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted. Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me.Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” • “I AM”: Jesus identifies Himself as YHWH (Yahweh or LORD); see John’s Gospel: • God reveals Himself to Moses at the Burning Bush (See Exodus 3) • “I AM the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” (Exodus 3:6) • God said to Moses, “‘I AM WHO I AM’…Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” (Exodus 3:14)

13. “I AM the Bread of Life” (John 6:35) • “I AM the Light of the World” (John 8:12) • “Before Abraham was, I AM” (John 8:58) • “I AM the Door [or Gate] for the Sheep” (John 10:9) • “I AM the Good Shepherd” (John 10:11, 14) • “I AM the Resurrection and the Life” (John 11:25) • “I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (John 14:6) • “I AM the True Vine” (John 15:1) • Jesus’ name means “God saves.” (Luke 1:31) • He is also Emmanuel, “God with us.” (Matthew 1:23) • The Commissioning of Moses (Exodus 3) • God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you’: this is my name for ever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations. Go and gather the elders of Israel together…I promise that I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites, [etc.; i.e.: to the Promised Land]. (Exodus 3:15-18)

14. The Commissioning of Abraham (Genesis 12) • Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing”…Abram went as the LORD had told him.; and Lot [his nephew] went with him. (Genesis 12:1-2, 4) • Notice how Abram (soon to be called Abraham, “father of a multitude”, in Genesis 17:5) is called to leave his own country and family for a new calling (vocation), a new mission in life. He was 75 years old at the time! • Think of the circumstances and decisions that led you (and your family) to come to the U.S.

15. The Commission of the Church at Pentecost (See Acts of the Apostles 2) • When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and [the Holy Spirit] filled all the house where they were sitting…And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit…(Acts 2:1-4) • Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them. “…Let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day [9:00 AM]; but this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: ‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh....” (Acts 2:14-17; see Joel 2:28ff.) • Ever ancient. • Peter continued, “And it shall be that whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.” (Acts 2:21) • After the Preaching of Peter at Pentecost, “Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Brethren, what shall we do?’ And Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children and to all that are far off, every one who the LORD our God calls to him.’” (Acts 2:37-39) • “Ever ancient, ever new. Ever relevant?” • And [Peter] testified with many other words and exhorted them saying, ‘Save yourselves from this crooked generation’. (Acts 2:40) • Think about it, if that was wicked and crooked generation, what can we say about our time and our culture today? • So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. And they devoted themselves to the apostle’s teaching, and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. (Acts 2:41-42)

16. Discussion Questions: • What does the “Great Commission” mean to you? • “Go therefore….” • Where do you need to take the Gospel? • How does the Holy Spirit work in your life? • In other words, how relevant is the Pentecost experience of the Apostolic Church for you today? • Which of the “I AM” statements of Jesus most resonates with you at this point in your life? Why? • “I AM the Bread of Life” (John 6:35) • “I AM the Light of the World” (John 8:12) • “Before Abraham was, I AM” (John 8:58) • “I AM the Door [or Gate] for the Sheep” (John 10:9) • “I AM the Good Shepherd” (John 10:11, 14) • “I AM the Resurrection and the Life” (John 11:25) • “I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (John 14:6) • “I AM the True Vine” (John 15:1)

17. Holy Mass on Saturday—Mass in Slow Motion • “Don’t Squander What Has Been Given To You.” • 1st Reading 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 • “Consider your own calling…Not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. Rather, God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong, and God chose the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something, so that no human being might boast before God. It is due to him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, as well as righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, so that, as it is written, Whoever boasts, should boast in the LORD.” • The paradox of the Christian life. • Humility is demanded of the true disciple. • All have a chance; none are excluded based on superficial criteria. • Psalm 33:12-13, 18-19, 20-21 • “Blessed the people the LORD has chosen to be his own.” • Gospel Matthew 25:14-30 • The Parable of the Talents • Not squandering what is given to you. To be a good and generous steward. There are consequences for our actions, whether positive or negative.

18. Conference #2Ever New—The New Evangelization and Catholic Young Adults

19. From the USCCB (U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops) Website: • "It is like a mustard seed that, when it is sown in the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth. But once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade." • Mark 4: 31-32 • What is the New Evangelization? • The New Evangelization calls each of us to deepen our faith, believe in the Gospel message and go forth to proclaim the Gospel. The focus of the New Evangelization calls all Catholics to be evangelized and then go forth to evangelize. In a special way, the New Evangelization is focused on 're-proposing' the Gospel to those who have experienced a crisis of faith. Pope Benedict XVI called for the re-proposing of the Gospel "to those regions awaiting the first evangelization and to those regions where the roots of Christianity are deep but who have experienced a serious crisis of faith due to secularization." The New Evangelization invites each Catholic to renew their relationship with Jesus Christ and his Church. • Evangelization v. Catechesis

20. Why do we need the New Evangelization? • The New Evangelization offers hope. Jesus grants all people rest and comfort from the world's burdens (Mt. 11:28) by offering us the hope of salvation and eternal life. Through the “re-proposing” of the Gospel, the Church seeks to comfort all those who are burdened. The New Evangelization offers the gifts of faith, hope, love and new life in Christ. • “Come to me all you who labor and are burdened and learn from me. Take my joke upon you and learn from me; for I am meek and humble of heart, and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30) • Jesus speaks to us about His own Most Merciful and Sacred Heart. • “Those who hear you, hear me, and those who reject you, reject me, and those who reject me rejects him who sent me.” (Luke 10:16) • The context of these words of Jesus is he has just sent out 72 disciples in pairs to preach the Gospel. Jesus says, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; pray therefore to the LORD of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” (Luke 10:1-2) • The call for new priestly and religious vocations in the Church. • And also the call to active lay ministry in the Church.

21. The New Evangelization in the United States The Church in the United States can be likened to the mustard seed. The Church has been present in the Americas since the first missionaries arrived in the 15th Century. Over the past five centuries, the Church's foundation has sprung up and taken root in the U.S., spreading her branches and offering shade to the weary. This can be seen simply by looking at the work of Catholic Charities on behalf of the poor, the network of Catholic schools offering education to millions, and the commitment of U.S. Catholics to the Church's social justice teachings. However, there is still work to do. The 2008 Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) study “Sacraments Today: Belief and Practice Among U.S. Catholics” provides a glimpse into the beliefs, practices and attitudes of U.S. Catholics. According to the study, only 23% of U.S. Catholics regularly attend Mass once a week, while 77% self-identify as proud to be Catholic. These statistics point to the need for the New Evangelization. The seed of the Church is present, but the message of Jesus Christ needs to be re-sown and watered for those who have already heard Christ's call, but who have not been fully evangelized or catechized. Truly, the seed of Christ's message has taken root and yielded much fruit in past seasons. In the spirit of the New Evangelization, it is our hope that [it] will yield even greater harvests for Christ in the future so that all people can dwell in the shade.

22. APOSTOLIC LETTER “MOTU PROPRIO ” OF BENEDICT XVIPORTA FIDEI: FOR THE INDICTION OF THE YEAR OF FAITH 1. The “door of faith” (Acts 14:27) is always open for us, ushering us into the life of communion with God and offering entry into his Church. It is possible to cross that threshold when the word of God is proclaimed and the heart allows itself to be shaped by transforming grace. To enter through that door is to set out on a journey that lasts a lifetime. It begins with baptism (cf. Rom 6:4), through which we can address God as Father, and it ends with the passage through death to eternal life, fruit of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, whose will it was, by the gift of the Holy Spirit, to draw those who believe in him into his own glory (cf. Jn 17:22). To profess faith in the Trinity – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – is to believe in one God who is Love (cf. 1 Jn 4:8): the Father, who in the fullness of time sent his Son for our salvation; Jesus Christ, who in the mystery of his death and resurrection redeemed the world; the Holy Spirit, who leads the Church across the centuries as we await the Lord’s glorious return. 2. Ever since the start of my ministry as Successor of Peter, I have spoken of the need to rediscover the journey of faith so as to shed ever-clearer light on the joy and renewed enthusiasm of the encounter with Christ. During the homily at the Mass marking the inauguration of my pontificate I said: “The Church as a whole and all her Pastors, like Christ, must set out to lead people out of the desert, towards the place of life, towards friendship with the Son of God, towards the One who gives us life, and life in abundance.” It often happens that Christians are more concerned for the social, cultural and political consequences of their commitment, continuing to think of the faith as a self-evident presupposition for life in society. In reality, not only can this presupposition no longer be taken for granted, but it is often openly denied. Whereas in the past it was possible to recognize a unitary cultural matrix, broadly accepted in its appeal to the content of the faith and the values inspired by it, today this no longer seems to be the case in large swathes of society, because of a profound crisis of faith that has affected many people. 4. In the light of all this, I have decided to announce a Year of Faith. It will begin on 11 October 2012, the fiftieth anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council, and it will end on the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Universal King, on 24 November 2013. The starting date of 11 October 2012 also marks the twentieth anniversary of the publication of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, a text promulgated by my Predecessor, Blessed John Paul II, with a view to illustrating for all the faithful the power and beauty of the faith. This document, an authentic fruit of the Second Vatican Council, was requested by the Extraordinary Synod of Bishops in 1985 as an instrument at the service of catechesis and it was produced in collaboration with all the bishops of the Catholic Church. 6. The renewal of the Church is also achieved through the witness offered by the lives of believers: by their very existence in the world, Christians are called to radiate the word of truth that the Lord Jesus has left us... The Year of Faith, from this perspective, is a summons to an authentic and renewed conversion to the Lord, the one Savior of the world. In the mystery of his death and resurrection, God has revealed in its fullness the Love that saves and calls us to conversion of life through the forgiveness of sins (cf. Acts 5:31). 7. “Caritas Christi urgetnos” (2 Cor 5:14): it is the love of Christ that fills our hearts and impels us to evangelize. Today as in the past, he sends us through the highways of the world to proclaim his Gospel to all the peoples of the earth (cf. Mt 28:19). 10. ...The example of Lydia is particularly eloquent in this regard. Saint Luke recounts that, while he was at Philippi, Paul went on the Sabbath to proclaim the Gospel to some women; among them was Lydia and“the Lord opened her heart to give heed to what was said by Paul” (Acts 16:14). There is an important meaning contained within this expression. Saint Luke teaches that knowing the content to be believed is not sufficient unless the heart, the authentic sacred space within the person, is opened by grace that allows the eyes to see below the surface and to understand that what has been proclaimed is the word of God.

23. “How can I unless someone teaches me?” (Acts 8) • “But there was a man named Simon who had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the nation of Samaria [to the north of Jerusalem], saying that he was somebody great. They all gave heed to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, ‘This man is that power of God which is called Great.’ And they gave heed to him, because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic. But when they believed Philip [the Apostle] as he preached the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip. And seeing signs and great miracles performed, he was amazed.” (Acts 8:9-13) • See the effects of preaching the Gospel. • Once captivated by the passing allure of magic, the people are interiorly transformed by the grace of God. • The witness of the conversion of Simon, one of the least likely to heed the call of the Gospel, is able to be the instrument of salvation for many more. • St. Mary Magdalene • St. Paul • St. Augustine • St. Francis of Assisi • St. Ignatius of Loyola • Fr. Donald Calloway, MHIC

24. Philip the Apostle & the Ethiopian Eunuch

25. Philip the Apostle & the Ethiopian Eunuch: • “An angel of the LORD said to Philip, ‘Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.’ This is the desert road. And he rose and went. And behold, an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a minister of Candice the queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of all her treasure, had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning; seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah. And the Spirit said to Philip, ‘Go up and join this chariot.’ So Philip ran to him and heard him reading I Isaiah the prophet, and asked, ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’ And he said, “How can I unless someone teaches me.” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. Now that passage of scripture which he was reading was this: • ‘As a sheep led to the slaughter or a lamb before its shearer is dumb, • so he opens not his mouth. • In his humiliation justice was denied him. • Who can describe his generation? • For his life is taken up from the earth.’ [Isaiah 53:7-8] • And the eunuch said to Philip, ‘About whom does the prophet say this, about himself or about some one else?’ Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this scripture he told him the good news of Jesus. And as they went along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What is to prevent me from being baptized?” And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the LORD caught up Philip; and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. But Philip was found at Azotus, and passing on he preached the gospel to all the towns till he came to Caesarea.” (Acts 8:26-40)

26. What is going on here? • There is fellowship, or more precisely, there is communion. Relationship with another. Personal encounter and interaction. Companionship. • Evangelization—sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with another. • The heart. • Catechesis—teaching another about Jesus, His Church, and the Christian faith. • The mind.

27. The idea of the desert in the Christian life. • Retreats are about getting away for a while with Jesus, literally retreating from our normal routine, to allow God to encounter us anew. • The desert (or wilderness) is often the place (metaphorically and literally) where the believer has gone in sure of Christ. • It is not only a place of temptation, but also of searching and of purification (asceticism). • Examples in Scripture: • Think of the 40 years of the People of Israel wandering in the desert, longing for the Promised Land. • The Temptation of Jesus in the Desert for 40 Days (see Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-13). • The Mountaintop is another image of retreat or withdrawal for a time, for a time of encounter with God or of transformation: • Elijah in the Cave (1 Kings 19:9-14) • “Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD.” And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and broke in pieces the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the earthquake, but was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.”

28. The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-8). • Jesus teaches his disciples, especially the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12). • The Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-8; Mark 9:2-8; Luke 9:28-36). • Examples when Jesus withdrew alone to pray to His Heavenly Father: • Matthew 14:23—After Jesus had dismissed the crowds, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. • Mark 1:35—And early in the morning, Jesus rose and went to a lonely place, and there he prayed. And Simon and those who were with him followed him…. • Luke 5:16—Jesus withdrew to the wilderness and prayed. • Luke 6:12—The Calling of the 12 Apostles: In those days Jesus went out into the hills to pray; and all night he continued in prayer to God. And when it was day, he called his disciples, and chose from them twelve, whom he also called apostles…. • Luke 22:41-44—The Agony in the Garden: And Jesus withdrew from [the Apostles] about a stone’s throw and knelt down and prayed.

29. By the way, what exactly is the “Gospel”? • St. Mark begins his Gospel in this way: • “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” (Mark 1:1) • The word “Gospel” comes from the Greek word eugelion, where we get the word evangelical. The Spanish word for Gospel is “evangelio.” • Gospel as defined by the Glossary of the Catechism of the Catholic Church: • The “good news” of God’s mercy and love revealed in the life, death, and resurrection of Christ. It is this Gospel or good news that the Apostles, and the Church following them, are to proclaim to the entire world (see CCC #571, 1964). The Gospel is handed on in the apostolic tradition of the Church as the source of all-saving truth and moral discipline (CCC #75). The four Gospels are the books written by the evangelists Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John which have as their central object Jesus Christ, God’s incarnate Son: his life, teachings, Passion and glorification, and his Church’s beginnings un the Spirit’s guidance. (CCC #124, 514).

30. Discussion Questions: What is the New Evangelization? After this talk, do you understand what the Church and the Popes are calling us to do in the New Evangelization? What does St. Philip tell us about Evangelization? What can you do or are you doing to advance the New Evangelization? What is the role of the CACCLC in the New Evangelization? How can we engage other Young Adults in the New Evangelization?

31. CONFERENCE #3 Ever Relevant?— The Catholic Church in Asia & Implications for Chinese Catholics in the U.S.

32. Pope John Paul II—Ecclesia in Asia: On Jesus Christ the Savior and His Mission of Love and Service in Asia: “…That They May Have Life, and Have It Abundantly” (John 10:10) • Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhoration, November 6, 1999 • Where was Jesus born? • Specifically, in a manger in Bethlehem in the Holy Land. • Where is the Holy Land? • In Asia, or Western Asia, to be precise. • Jesus is Asian! • “…[H]e took flesh as an Asian!” • “Because Jesus was born, lived, died and rose from the dead in the Holy Land, that small portion of Western Asia became a land of promise and hope for all mankind. Jesus knew and loved this land. He made his own the history, the sufferings and the hopes of its people…And from this land, through the preaching of the Gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit, the Church went forth to make “disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19).

33. “With the Church throughout the world, the Church in Asia will cross the threshold of the Third Christian Millennium marveling at all that God has worked from those beginnings until now, and strong in the knowledge that ‘just as in the first millennium the Cross was planted on the soil of Europe, and in the second on that of the Americas and Africa, we can pray that in the Third Christian Millennium a great harvest of faith will be reaped in this vast and vital continent.’ [Address to the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC), Manila, January 15, 1995]” (EA #1) • That in Asia “‘the issue of the encounter of Christianity with ancient local cultures and religions is a pressing one. This is a great challenge for evangelization, since religious systems such as Buddhism or Hinduism have a clearly soteriological [concerning salvation] character’ (JPII in TertioMillenioAdveniente#30). Indeed it is a mystery why the Savior of the world, born in Asia, has until now remained largely unknown to the people of the continent…[I]n Manila, the Philippines, during the memorable Tenth World Youth Day celebrations, I reminded the Bishops: ‘If the Church in Asia is to fulfill its providential destiny, evangelization as the joyful, patient and progressive preaching of the saving Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ must be your absolute priority.’

34. “‘Ecce natusestnobisSalvator mundi, Behold the Savior of the World is born to us,’ born in Asia!” (EA #2) • “Particularly moving was the encounter of the new Churches with the Ancient Churches which trace their origins to the Apostles [India for instance, which was evangelized by St. Thomas]. We experienced incomparable joy of seeing the Bishops of the particular Churches in Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Mongolia, Siberia and the new republics of Central Asia sitting beside their Brothers who had long desired to encounter them and to dialogue with them. Yet there was also a sense of sadness at the fact that Bishops from Mainland China could not be present. Their absence was a constant reminder of the heroic sacrifices and suffering which the Church continues to endure in many parts of Asia.” (EA #3) • Ever ancient, ever new.

35. “The Synod was also an occasion to recognize the ancient religious traditions and civilizations, the profound philosophies and the wisdom which have made Asia what it is today. Above all, the peoples of Asia themselves were remembered as the continent’s true wealth and hope for the future. • Respect and acknowledgment that the Gospel builds upon the good that is already there, and transforms and purifies that which is not in conformity with the demands of the Gospel. • Vatican II and the Catechism of the Catholic Church on the Church and non-Christians: • “Those who have not yet received the Gospel are related to the People of God in various ways.” (CCC #839; Lumen gentium #16) • The Jewish People. • Muslims • Non-Christian religions • “The Catholic Church recognizes in other religions that search, among shadows and images, for the God who is unknown yet near since he gives life and breath and all things and wants all men to be saved. Thus, the Church considers all goodness and truth found in these religions as ‘a preparation for the Gospel and given by him who enlightens all men that they may at length have life.’” (CCC #843; LG#16; Nostra aetate #2; Evangeliiutiandi #53)

36. “Outside the Church there is no salvation.” • Restated positively, “it means that all salvation comes from Christ the Head through the Church which is his Body.” • “Although in ways known to himself God can lead those who, through no fault of their own, are ignorant of the Gospel, to that faith without which it is impossible to please him, the Church still has the obligation and also the sacred right to evangelize all men.” (CCC #848; Ad gentes #7; cf. Hebrews 11:6; 1 Corinthians 9:16) • Hebrews 11:6—“without faith it is impossible to please him. For whoever would draw near God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” • 1 Corinthians 9:16—“For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!” • “As well as a remembrance and a celebration, the Synod was an ardent affirmation of faith in Jesus Christ the Savior…They emphasized frequently that the faith is already being proclaimed with trust and courage on the continent, even amid great difficulties.” • All of you are the fruit of this work of evangelization in China!

37. Religious Realities (EA #6) • Asia is the largest continent on earth. • Home to nearly 2/3 of the world’s population. • China & India account for almost ½ of the total population • A substantial part of the history and patrimony of the human family comes from Asia. • Cradle of the world’s major religions: • Judaism • Christianity • Islam • Hinduism • Birthplace of many other spiritual traditions: • Buddhism • Taoism • Confucianism • Zoroastrianism • Jainism • Sikhism • Shintoism • Plus other traditional or tribal religions practiced by millions.

38. The Catholic Church has “the deepest respect for these traditions and seeks to engage in sincere dialogue with their followers. The religious values they teach await their fulfillment in Jesus Christ. • Cultural Realities (EA #6 cont.) • The people of Asia take pride in their religious and cultural values, such as: • Love of silence and contemplation. • Simplicity • Harmony • Detachment • Non-violence • The spirit of hard work • Discipline • Frugal living • The thirst for learning and philosophical enquiry. • Respect for life • Compassion for all beings • Closeness to nature • Filial piety towards parents, elders, and ancestors. • A highly developed sense of community. • In particular, the family is held as a vital source of strength, a closely-knit community with a powerful sense of solidarity. • A spirit of religious tolerance and peaceful co-existence.

39. A spirit of religious tolerance and peaceful co-existence. • A remarkable capacity for accommodation and a natural openness to the mutual enrichment of peoples in the midst of a plurality of religions and cultures. • This not to deny the existence of bitter tensions and violent conflicts that have and still do exist. • Despite the influence of modernization and secularization, Asian religions are showing signs of great vitality and a capacity for renewal, as seen in reform movements within various religious groups. • Many people, especially the young, experience a deep thirst for spiritual values, as the rise of new religious movement clearly demonstrates. • Is this your experience among your family and peers, both here in the U.S. and in China? • All of this indicates an innate spiritual insight and moral wisdom in the Asian soul, and it is the core around which a growing sense of “being Asian” is built.

40. Economic realities (EA #7) • Some countries are highly developed. • Others are slowly developing. • Others still find themselves in abject poverty. • The rise of materialism and secularism, especially in urban areas. • With threats to traditional, social, and religious values. • Multinational business & conglomerations • Rapid changes in some countries. • Urbanization • Large poor areas racked by organized crime, terrorism, prostitution, and exploitation of poor workers. • Corruption • Migration within Asia and out of Asia. • Population growth • “Clearly, the question of population is closely linked to that of human promotion.” • “But false solutions that threaten the dignity and inviolability of life abound and present a special challenge to the Church in Asia.” • External influences • Mass media • Entertainment • Poverty & the Exploitation of people • The status of women

41. Political Realties (EA #8) • From Democracy to Theocracy in Asian countries. • Military dictatorships • Atheistic ideologies • From religious freedom to persecution for their faith in various countries. • “The Synod Fathers remembered in a special way the people of China and expressed the fervent hope that all their Chinese Catholic brothers and sisters would one day be able to exercise their religion in freedom and visibly profess their full communion with the See of Peter.”

42. The Church in Asia: Past and Present (EA #9) • Persian merchants took the Good News to China in the 5th Century. • The first Christian Church was built there in the early 7th Century. • During the T’ang dynasty (618-907 A.D.), the Church flourished for nearly two centuries. • The decline of this vibrant Church in China but the end of the First Millennium is one of the sadder chapters in the history of God’s people on the continent. • In the 13th Century the Gospel was announced to the Mongols and the Turks and to the Chinese once more. But by the end of the 14th Century, Christianity almost vanished from these regions. Among other reasons: • The rise of Islam • Geographical isolation • The absence of an appropriate adaptation to local cultures. • And perhaps a lack of preparedness to encounter the great religions of Asia. • Only the isolated Christian community in South India survived these times.

43. St. Francis Xavier, Jesuit Missionary • Missionary successes in the 16-17th Centuries • Pope Gregory XV founded the Congregation of Propoganda Fide • Missionaries were given new directives to respect and appreciate local cultures. • In 19th Century educational and charitable works went hand in hand with the preaching of the Gospel, thus reaching the poor and underprivileged in a more effective way. • New efforts were made at enculturation of the faith but were not sufficient. • The Church was also considered foreign in many areas, and was often associated in people’s minds with colonial powers. • This was the situation up the eve of Vatican II (from 1962-1965). • An new understanding of mission dawned in the Church. • The Philippines is the only Asian country with a Catholic majority. • Signs of hope today: • Reports of heroic witness, unshaken perseverance and steady growth of the Catholic Church in China. • The efforts of the Church in South Korea to offer assistance to the people of North Korea. • The humble steadfastness of the Church in Vietnam. • The isolation of Christians in such places as Laos and Myanmar. • The difficult co-existence with the majority in some predominantly Islamic states.

44. Discussion Questions: What does it mean for your faith that Jesus is Asian? What challenges do you encounter as a Chinese Catholic in living your faith? As a young adult? What support is there for you? What elements of your culture and family traditions are difficult to incorporate into your faith? Easy to incorporate?

45. Discernment and Spiritual Obedience: • What do you like to do? • How do you spend your time? Your free time? What are you passionate about? What brings you joy? What energizes you? Why? • What are you good at? • What talents do you have? How do you use these talents? Do others recognize these talents in you? • What is possible for you? • Do you have the time for these activities? Do you need special training or equipment for this activity? Do you have the necessary finances to carry this out? What obstacles do you face in this task? How does this activity glorify God? Build up His Kingdom? Make you a better person? Make you a better Christian, a better disciple?

46. Holy Mass on Sunday—22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time—Year A • “Discernment & Discipleship: Offering Ourselves as a Holy and Pleasing Sacrifice to the LORD” • 1st Reading Jeremiah 20:7-9 • “You duped me, O LORD, and I let myself be duped; you were too strong for me, and you triumphed.” • The Spanish translation of “duped” is “seduced.” • “All the day I am an object of laughter; everyone mocks me.” • What do the Beatitudes guarantee us: that we will suffer and be persecuted for our faith. • “I say to myself, I will not mention him. I will speak in his name no more. But then it becomes like fire burning in my heart, imprisoned in my bones; I grow weary holding it in, I cannot endure it.” • We try to run away, to flee from God. • But God is persistent, gentle but persistent. Wooing us. Enticing us. Duping us in our foolishness. Seducing us with His grace and mercy. • In the end, will we let Him triumph, to win our affections, our hearts, our lives? • Psalm 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9 (2b) • “My soul is thirsting for you, O LORD my God.”

47. 2nd Reading Romans 12:1-2 • Perfect spiritual worship: “to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God… • “Do not be conformed to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind… • “that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.” • Gospel Matthew 16:21-27 • 1stPrediction of the Passion, Peter is rebuked, & Conditions of Discipleship • Context: Peter has just confessed Jesus as the Messiah and has his named changed, received the Keys of the Kingdom, and the power to forgive sins. • Jesus now tells the Apostles what will happen to him in Jerusalem—His Passion, Death, and Resurrection. • Peter challenges Jesus and is sharply rebuked! • Jesus sets out the “Conditions of Discipleship”. • The decisive question: “What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?”

48. Conference #4 Ever Relevant? Part II: Making a Choice for Jesus and His Church

50. C.S Lewis is the great 20th Century Christian (Anglican) Convert, Apologist & Professor of English Literature. Best known popularly as the author of the Chronicles of Naria. • From “What are we to make of Jesus Christ?” in God in the Dock. • On the one side clear, definite moral teaching. On the other, claims which, if not true, are those of a megalomaniac, compared with whom Hitler was the most sane and humble of men. There is no half-way house and there is no parallel in other religions. If you had gone to Buddha and asked him “Are you the son of Bramah?” he would have said, “My son you are still in the vale of illusion.” If you had gone to Socrates and asked, “Are you Zeus?” he would have laughed at you. If you would have gone to Mohammed and asked, “Are you Allah?” he would first have rent his clothes and then cut your head off. If you had asked Confucius, “Are you Heaven?”, I think he would have probably replied, “Remarks which are not in accordance with nature are in bad taste.” The idea of a great moral teacher saying what Christ said is out of the question. In my opinion, the only person who can say that sort of thing is either God or a complete lunatic suffering from that form of delusion which undermines the whole mind of man. If you think you are a poached egg, when you are looking for a piece of toast to suit you, you may be sane, but if you think you are God, there is no chance for you. We may note in passing that He was never regarded as a mere moral teacher. He did not produce that effect on any of the people who actually met Him. He produced mainly three effects—Hatred—Terror—Adoration. There was no trace of people expressing mild approval.