What are the Council for the New Evangelization and its working groups?
The Council for the New Evangelization consists of more than twenty working groups. Each working group has its own function, closely connected to evangelization, that is, to passing on the Good News in the social context in which we live. The working groups are divided into the following categories:
- proclamation of the faith
- catechesis
- formation
- liturgical life
- communications
- social dialogue
Each category includes several working groups. For example, the proclamation of the faith includes three working groups: one works with initial proclamation, reaching people who are not very familiar with the Church; another organizes an introductory course for Christians; and a third organizes an introductory course for the unbaptized.
The communications category, for its part, encompasses the broad dissemination of information in the local Church through various channels. Its working groups include Fides magazine and the Church’s website, TV and radio, publishing activities, and social media.
Within the category of social dialogue, the working groups include bioethics and ecumenism, among others.
Through the structure of the Council for the New Evangelization, the primary aim is to promote synodality in our local Church, that is, a culture of working together. In this context, lay people are encouraged to take a more active role and greater participation in proclaiming the Good News of the Church from their own personal starting points, for example through their professional competence or life experience.
What have they done so far?
Thus far, the working groups have been formed, and discussions have been held with them about goals for the years 2025–2027 that would support the implementation of the pastoral plan published by the bishop (Visit an external site. The link opens in a new tab.)for the same period.
The goals are set by the working groups in cooperation with the leadership of the Council for the New Evangelization, which consists of the bishop and the vicar general.
The work is coordinated and prepared by a three-member secretariat consisting of Fr. Tuomas Nyyssölä, Meisa Dano, and Siyan Zhuang.
What is planned from here onward?
The working groups are scheduled to meet online in February and later in the summer in person. The purpose of these meetings is to share information about the projects of the various working groups, to monitor their progress, and to strengthen the flow of information between the different groups.
What is the role of the coordinators?
The secretariat describes its role as follows:
“We serve as contact persons for the working groups and pass on information to the leadership and to one another regarding the status of the various projects. By gathering information, it becomes possible to identify what kind of support and guidance the different working groups may need, and, where possible, resources can then be offered to help them achieve their goals.”
Fides