Once again this year, the Catholic Apostolate Center is significantly involved in the Mid-Atlantic Congress for Pastoral Leadership.  Over 1200 participants are expected.  We look forward to meeting many of them in our exhibit booth (210) or at one of three sessions where we are presenting, or in our unique contribution to MAC, the Collaborative Conversations.  Why do we participate in, sponsor, and now work on the Steering Committee of MAC?  We believe that MAC offers an important opportunity not only for pastoral leaders in the Mid-Atlantic region, but across the country, to have important access to resources that aid in greater collaboration among them.  This year, the focus for MAC is on the work of the New Evangelization and the intrinsic link between faith, worship, and witness. 

One of the presentations that I will be participating in is a "boot camp" on the Implementation of the New Evangelization Toolkit.  The Toolkit, a project of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, has been developed in collaboration with the Catholic Apostolate Center. While the word, "boot camp", for a morning seminar might seem a bit extreme, the use of the term is simply a call to the participants to be ready to engage in a lively exchange of ideas.  This exchange and good co-responsible and collaborative planning by all will aid in growing a "new ardor" among baptized "missionary disciples" which develops "new methods" and "new expressions" as Blessed John Paul II hoped the New Evangelization would do.  The Synod on the New Evangelization which was held by Pope Benedict XVI and the apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium by Pope Francis have indicated that our work as baptized, as Church, calls for moving from maintenance to mission,

"Pastoral ministry in a missionary key seeks to abandon the complacent attitude that says: "We have always done it this way". I invite everyone to be bold and creative in this task of rethinking the goals, structures, style and methods of evangelization in their respective communities" (Evangelii Gaudium, n. 33).

Whether we attend MAC or not, all of us are challenged by the leadership of the Church to work toward "changing business as usual" through good collaboration in the work of the New Evangelization.

May the Charity of Christ urge us on!

In God, the Infinite Love,

Fr. Frank