October 18, 2011. (Romereports.com) More than eight thousand people from every part of the world gathered in Rome for the first official act by the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelization.
 
The Vatican made an invitation for reflection by those engaged in the re-evangelization of the West. It began with Mother Veronica Berzosa, founder of Iesu Communio, an order dedicated to the evangelization of young people, which already has two hundred nuns between the ages of 18 and 35.


The Italian writer Vittorio Messori spoke about the reasons to believe, the scientist Marco Bersanelli spoke on about the dialogue between science and faith, and the Colombian bishop Fabio Suescun, on experiences of the New Evangelization in Latin America.

Something that caught everyone's attention were the words of the tenor Andrea Bocelli.

Andrea Bocelli
“I think I owe my faith to an internal search, the rejection of the idea of feeling like I was the product of coincidence. I followed my road, I hope to do so consistently, even when certain episodes of life make us tremble and feel weak before our convictions.”

Benedict XVI personally closed the meeting to show his overwhelming support for the project on the New Evangelization of the West.

Arch. Rino Fisichella
President, Pontifical Council for the New Evangelization
“The New Evangelization is for a true vocation for all these people. They practice it in all areas of their lives: from the parish to the family, from school to university, and from work to free time.”

Benedict XVI
“The world today needs people who proclaim and witness that Christ is the one who teaches us the art of living, the way of true happiness, because He himself is the way of life.”

The next big project for the New Evangelization is called 'Mission Metropolis'. It will take place in 12 European cities during Lent of 2012.

During those 40 days, spiritual meetings will be organized in cathedrals, they will include continued readings from the Bible and the Confessions of St. Augustine, as well as ceremonies to teach about confession.


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-PR