Saint Peter the Apostle: Model for Priests of the New Evangelization Author: Daniel F. Hennessey Persistent link: http://hdl.handle.net/2345/bc-ir:104222 This work is posted on eScholarship@BC, Boston College University Libraries. Boston College Electronic Thesis or Dissertation, 2014 Copyright is held by the author, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise noted. Saint Peter the Apostle: Model for Priests of the New Evangelization By Rev. Daniel F. Hennessey A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the S.T.L. Degree of Weston Jesuit School of Theology August 2014 Director: Sister Margaret E. Guider, O.S.F. Associate Professor of Missiology Weston Jesuit School of Theology Reader: Rev. Thomas D. Stegman, S.J. Associate Professor of New Testament Weston Jesuit School of Theology ii Acknowledgements I would like to acknowledge and thank all those who have encouraged and supported me in my effort to write this thesis. First, of course, I thank God for the gifts of life and faith and my parents through whom I received these gifts. I thank God for the gift of the vocation to the priesthood and the opportunity to reflect and write about this topic. I ask the Holy Spirit to inspire me in a particular way to be an effective minister of the New Evangelization. I thank the Blessed Virgin Mary, especially under the title of Our Lady Untier of Knots, Saint Peter and Pope Saint John Paul II and Pope Saint John XXIII, who have been interceding for me. I also thank my brother priests and spiritual friends, siblings, and friends, especially those who have encouraged me by their support and prayers. It is not possible to acknowledge each person by name here but please know of my sincere appreciation. In addition to Boston College, whose generosity made this project possible, I am very appreciative of Sister Margaret Guider, O.S.F. and Father Thomas Stegman, S.J. for their willingness to direct me in the research, writing and editing of this thesis, and for their encouragement, witness, generosity with time and expertise. The monks of Portsmouth Abbey, Rhode Island, with their Benedictine hospitality, gave me the opportunity to research, reflect, write and pray, while staying at their Monastery from time to time. I thank God for their witness to monastic life and for their personal support and prayers. To the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry Library staff and librarians, especially Steve Dalton, I also owe a debt of gratitude. Lastly, I thank Cardinal Seán Patrick O‘Malley, Archbishop of Boston, and my brother priests with whom I made pilgrimage to the Holy Land in April 2013 for inspiring me to want to learn more and become closer to Saint Peter the Apostle, as a model for priests of the New Evangelization. iii CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 1 CHAPTER 1: Evolving Understanding of Mission: 3 On the Way to the New Evangelization The First Period: From 1914-1963 5 Benedict XV 5 Pius XI 6 Pius XII 8 John XXIII 10 The Second Period: The Second Vatican Council 11 The Four Constitutions 12 Ad Gentes: On the Missionary Activity of the Church 15 The Third Period: From 1965-2005 18 Paul VI 18 John Paul I 21 John Paul II 22 Homily at Inauguration of Pontificate 23 Homily at Cistercian Monastery, Moglia, Poland 24 Address to the Episcopal Conference of Latin America (CELAM) 25 Christifideles Laici 27 Redemptoris Missio 28 Tertio Millennio Ineunte and Special Assemblies 29 Summary 34 CHAPTER 2: New Times Call for New Approaches: 36 The New Evangelization More Deeply Understood Benedict XVI 36 Homily at Inauguration of Pontificate 37 Address to Roman Curia Christmas 2005 38 Doctrinal Note on Some Aspects of the New Evangelization 40 Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization 42 and the Year of Faith Meditation on Evangelization, First General Session 43 of the Synod of the New Evangelization Synod of the New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Faith 47 Synod Process in General 48 Synodal Structure 49 Lineamenta 50 Instrumentum Laboris 53 List of Propositions 56 Message to the People of God 59 Summary 62 iv Chapter Three: Chart of Themes and Lessons by Passage 64 CHAPTER 3: Peter the Apostle, Disciple and Evangelizer: 65 Revealed Through Encounters with Christ Luke 5:1-11: Foundational Identity of Peter 66 Analysis and Themes 66 Lessons for Priests of the New Evangelization 69 Matthew 16:13-20: Deepening of the Call 71 Analysis and Themes 71 Lessons for Priests of the New Evangelization 74 Luke 22:31-34: A Unique Grace Given 76 Analysis and Themes 76 Lessons for Priests of the New Evangelization 78 Mark 14:26-31, 66-72: Loved Sinner in Need of Redemption 79 Analysis and Themes 79 Lessons for Priests of the New Evangelization 82 John 21:1-19: Peter in the Light of the Resurrection 85 Analysis and Themes 85 Lessons for Priests of the New Evangelization 90 Summary 93 CONCLUSION 94 BIBLIOGRAPHY 95 v Introduction Since the Second Vatican Council, there have existed numerous opportunities for self- reflection on the part of the Church and her members as to how to heed the command of Christ as found at the conclusion of the Gospel according to Matthew: ―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” (Matthew 28:19-20a).1 One particular fruit of this reflection is the New Evangelization, where appropriate new ardor, methods and expression of the faith mark the proclamation of the Gospel and inform the Church‘s missionary dimension. In the local Church of Boston, the theme has recently taken on particular importance in light of an increased mindfulness of the need for new approaches to proclamation of the Gospel and reassessment of parish structures. The recent Disciples in Mission Initiative,2 in which multiple parishes are configured with a single pastoral staff, has hastened the need for new approaches even amidst the lessening number of clergy and growth in lay ministers. If the Archdiocese of Boston is to effectively implement the New Evangelization, her priests will need to have a more than cursory understanding of the initiative and its implications for ministry today. The purpose of this thesis is to present the theme of the New Evangelization from an historical perspective and to propose the Apostle Peter is a good example for priests who are intent on advancing the New Evangelization. The thesis, whose primary audience is the priest, consists of three chapters. The first chapter, ―Evolving Understanding of Mission: On the Way 1 All Sacred Scripture passages are taken from the New American Bible. 2 The Disciples in Mission Plan can be found at http://www.disciplesinmission.com/wp- content/uploads/2012/11/Disciples-in-Mission.pdf (accessed May 15, 2014). 1 to the New Evangelization‖, focuses on the Church‘s development of understanding of mission and evangelization from the early 20th century to the early 21st century. It draws insights from three major periods in the life of the Church, including the pontificates of Pope Benedict XV, Pope Pius XI, Pope Pius XII, and Pope Saint John XXIII (1914-1963), the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), and the pontificates of Pope Paul VI, Pope John Paul I and Pope Saint John Paul II (1963-2005). The second chapter, ―New Times Call for New Approaches: The New Evangelization More Deeply Understood‖, continues by presenting insights about the New Evangelization as gained from Benedict XVI and the Synod for the New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Faith. The third and final chapter, ―Peter the Apostle, Disciple and Evangelist: Revealed through Encounters with Christ‖ focuses on the specific theme of how the apostle Peter serves as an exemplary model for priests as disciples and evangelizers. This chapter analyzes five Scripture passages that describe Peter‘s encounters with Jesus Christ and his evolving self-understanding as disciple and evangelizer. It will also presents reflections on the implications of these passages for priests committed to the New Evangelization. While this thesis does not aim to propose each and every aspect of the evolution of the theme of Evangelization in the life of the Church, it will provide ample insights for priests regarding their essential role in the New Evangelization in terms of historical background and expectations today. It is my hope that the priests who read this thesis will be inspired to reflect upon their own encounter with Christ in light of what they learn about the New Evangelization. 2 Chapter One Evolving Understanding of Mission: On the Way to the New Evangelization ―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.‖ (Matthew 28:19-20) The Church, throughout her history, has heeded the words of the Savior to ―go out to all the world and preach the Good News‖ (Mark 16:16). Certainly, the command to proclaim the kerygma, that Jesus Christ is Savior of the world and has invited all people into His life through participation in his Church, is rightly seen as the beginning of the missionary impulse of the Church.3 This proclamation, inaugurated at Pentecost, is the foundation upon which all evangelization is based. 4 This chapter surveys the Church‘s evolving understanding of evangelization in general and the more recent development of the particular term ―New Evangelization‖ from an historical perspective. It will draw upon insights from three major periods in the recent life of the church: (1) from 1914-1963, including the pontificates of Pope Benedict XV, Pope Pius XI, Pope Pius XII, and Pope Saint John XXIII; (2) the Second Vatican Council; and (3) from 1963-1978, including the pontificates of Pope Paul VI, Pope John Paul I and Pope Saint John Paul II. 3 Almost every mission letter and serious address on evangelization makes recourse to this mandate of our Lord as the beginning of missionary activity. 4 The scope of this thesis will not include missiology from the first moment of mission onwards, but will begin in the 20th Century, in 1919 and finish with the conclusion of the Synod of the New Evangelization in 2012. Note also that although Ecumenism is an important part of the topic of mission and evangelization, it is not within the scope of this thesis to address, per se. For a survey of missiology from Apostolic times see Roger Schroeder and Stephen Bevans, Constants in Context: A Theology of Mission for Today (Maryknoll, N.Y.: Orbis, 2004). ; George Weigel, Evangelical Catholicism: Deep Reform in the 21st Century Church (New York: Basic, 2013). 3 During the period from Benedict XV through John XXIII, the Church understood and expressed evangelization primarily in terms of the missio ad gentes, where the mission- mindedness of the Church and her ministers focuses primarily on the importance of evangelization as an aspect of mission to people of foreign lands who have yet to hear the Gospel. Magisterial documents during this period focus primarily on the importance of following the command of the Lord to preach to all the nations by providing for missions and missionaries the resources (material and spiritual) necessary for their work. During the Second Vatican Council, the search for a more theologically nuanced understanding of mission emerged whereby the focus began to shift from ―missions‖ to mission and the Trinitarian ―missio Dei.‖ Mission and evangelization began to be recognized as essential parts of the life of the Church because they flow from the Church‘s very nature. During the post-conciliar period and throughout the pontificate of John Paul II, the Church continued to unpack, develop, and implement her understanding of evangelization and engagement with the modern world in light of the Second Vatican Council and the teachings of John Paul II. A newer approach using ―new ardor, methods and expression‖5 began to take shape: a New Evangelization. This chapter shows primarily through magisterial documents, how the Church‘s understanding of mission and evangelization evolved into the New Evangelization by answering the question: ―In what way has the Church‘s self-understanding as regards mission and evangelization evolved over the period of time from Benedict XV to the end of the pontificate of John Paul II?‖ 5 John Paul II, “Address to the Assembly of C.E.L.A.M., Port-au-Prince, Haiti”, Vatican Website, March 9, 1983, In Spanish, http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/speeches/1983/march/documents/hf_jp- ii_spe_19830309_assemblea-celam_sp.html, sec. III (accessed March 20, 2014). 4