Archbishop Fisichella on Evangelii Gaudium meeting

(Vatican Radio) A meeting on Pope Francis’ apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium or the Joy of the Gospel gets underway this afternoon in the Vatican. The three day international gathering entitled “The Pastoral Project of Evangelii Gaudium” is being organized by the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization.

Listen to Lydia O'Kane's interview with the  President of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization, Archbishop Rino Fisichella 

The aim of the meeting, which brings together two thousand people from 60 countries including pastoral workers, priests, deacons, religious, and laypeople, is to reflect upon the central themes of the document in view of the pastoral renewal of the Church.

“This is a very unique experience”, says the President of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization, Archbishop Rino Fisichella “because gathered together (are) people responsible for pastoral work in the different dioceses, it is a richness also for our dicastery because the New Evangelisation in the light of Pope Francis, it means to realize and to have a new consciousness of our necessity to go out of our communities and reach people where they live and where they desire to have an encounter with Jesus Christ.”

He goes on to say that just like in the apostolic exhortation, “…day by day Pope Francis challenges us to find a new language, not only to be able to understand people in our days but also to reach people in their own condition and I think this is a true challenge for the Church…”

The meeting, which runs from the 18-20 September includes speaker Jean Vanier founder, of the L’Arche, and Faith & Light, communities which offer help to people with intellectual disabilities.