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PISCATAWAY – Religious educators in the diocese learned valuable methods to restart in-person, faith-based conversations at a workshop, “See you in the Eucharist: Evangelization Post Pandemic,” Oct. 29 at the St. John Neumann Pastoral Center.
The daylong event, sponsored by the diocesan Office of Discipleship Formation for Children, featured a Mass celebrated by Bishop James F. Checchio and a keynote presentation by Father Paul Manning of the Diocese of Paterson.
“Be someone deeply in love with Jesus Christ, primarily through the Eucharist,” Bishop Checchio exhorted the catechists seated in the congregation during his homily.
Noting the restrictions on public gatherings and other activities because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the bishop noted, “We have faced insurmountable challenges… You inspire the children, and they catechize the parents. I am so grateful for your dedication to the faith. I hope today lights a fire in your heart.”
In his keynote entitled “Looking into You: Beholding and Being Held by Jesus in the Eucharist,” Father Manning used classic and contemporary art, Church documents and even popular song lyrics as springboards to conversation about the Eucharist and how to restart the New Evangelization.
Ordained in 1985 for the Diocese of Paterson, in June, 2012, Father Manning was appointed Vicar for Evangelization and Executive Director of St. Paul Inside the Walls, the Catholic Center for Evangelization, by Bishop Emeritus Arthur J. Serratelli.
He completed undergraduate studies in philosophy at Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va., then earned a Bachelor of Sacred Theology and Masters of Divinity degrees at St. Mary’s Seminary and University, Baltimore.
As diocesan vocation director for 10 years, Father Manning worked with men and women in discernment and formation; in the field of education for 19 years, he has served as a chaplain, theology teacher, president of a Catholic high school, and Vicar for Education.
Father Manning echoed the question by the U.S. Bishops: Why a eucharistic revival now? The USCCB website explains, “Scandal, division, disease, doubt -- the Church has withstood held each of us in our history, but today we confront all of these at once. Our response is pivotal.”
He added, “Together we can cultivate our eucharistic imagination.”
The faithful must shift its focus to become missionary, interpersonal, and focus on the next generation and be creative “by the way we do Church,” Father Manning said.
Quoting Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, he said, “Millennials and Gen Z are digital natives, they grew up in a digital world. The Church needs to create digital missionaries who evangelize in the eighth continent, the continent of the digital world.
“Jesus desired to be totally present to us, give us his time and attention, his life, his saving grace to you and me.”
Then reminding the catechists of Jesus’ supreme sacrifice, he said, “On the night before he died, he took bread, broke his heart into that bread, changed that bread into himself. ‘This is my body for you,’ he said. And then, he made the wine into himself, flooded his love into the cup. ‘This is my blood, the new covenant for you,’ he said.”
Father Manning concluded, “What we can only do partially and symbolically and imperfectly, share with one another ourselves and all the life and love we can muster, Jesus can do and does: fully, really, perfectly, in the sacrament of his body and blood, soul and divinity. Jesus is always and really and truly ‘I am.’”
After Father Manning’s keynote address, participants were offered the choice of attending workshops in English covering such topics as the importance of the Eucharist and coming out of the pandemic; evangelization ministry with youth and college students; theology of the body; catechesis for children using song and movement; bringing the Eucharistic Revival into the classroom, and Mass-centered family faith formation.
Workshops presented by Spanish-speaking presenters included discussions on catechesis, spirituality and the future of the Church.
