Express hope in a world in crisis – Synod of Bishops

October 20, 2012: Express hope in a world in crisis: the aim of the new evangelization, reminded the Synod of Bishops at the Vatican on its 17^th General Congregation on Friday. The report of the Working Groups presented on the day had some concrete proposals for the final documents of the meeting. It also announced the opening of a bank account to which the Synod Fathers will pay their offers of solidarity for Syria.

Though following different methods, the Working Groups, aim at the same result: to bring hope to a world in crisis. First, an examination of conscience when it comes to the new evangelization, the bishops said, maybe it's because Christians have lost something, something that the Church has not been able to offer. Besides, in order to evangelize we must first be evangelized. Hence, the reminder of the sacrament of penance.

Another focal point was the ecumenical interfaith dialogue: the first makes it believable the proclamation of the Gospel, and the second, with the testimonies of life - lets spread the Word of God even in countries where the majority is not Christians.

Bishops also said that one cannot ignore the profound crisis of the family, the core of evangelization. Still open, however, is the proposal of a ministry for catechists.
Even the media are called into question by the Synod: the loss of the sense of the sacred that is recorded in them, say the bishops, leads to a distorted view of the Christian life.