G o o d N e w s F r o m C a t h o l i C C h r i s t i a n o u t r e a C h

F a l l 2 0 1 1C o n t e n t s

univeral Call to mission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

animer Découverte . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

leading Discovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

avec Dieu, il n’y a rien à craindre . . . . . . 4

leaving Fear Behind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

CCo at home and abroad . . . . . . . . . 6-7

l’appel universel à mission . . . . . . . . . . 8

special insert: annual report

making a lasting impact . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

les olympiques pour le renouveau de monde . . . . . . . . . . 10

olypmics for the renewal of the World . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

missionary identity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

missionary by nature, not nurture . . . 14

newest members of the CCo missionary staff . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

ReachiNG FutuRe leadeRsT oday

When opportunity comes it is too late to prepare. This has always been a guiding

principle in the movement. Over the last few months an idea has been stirring up within me that I see as a great opportunity. This idea is going to take planning and preparation.

What is this opportunity? In 2013 we will be celebrating CCO’s 25th anniversary. When I reflected on what God has accomplished over the years my heart was filled with wonder and awe. The only appropriate response I could think of was to give thanks and praise back to Him. What is the best way to thank Him? What came clearly to my mind was that although we could certainly throw a year long party, we should do more: we must continue to do what we have always been doing—seeking out those who have wandered and bring them back. It was at this point that my heart exploded with a sense of opportunity. In 2013, our anniversary year, let us invite the thousands of our students, alumni, prayer partners and supporters spread out across the country to join with us in our mission!

What is it that I mean when I say join with us in the mission? We recognize

that through your support of CCO missionaries, you are making a significant contribution to the work of evangelization on campuses across Canada. In 2013, our 25th anniversary year, we want to provide an opportunity for people to take part in one special way that we use on campus: by using the Discovery faith study to bring the people you know and love who have wandered away back to the Church.

Discovery, which is the first of five studies that CCO missionaries and students lead on campus and in parishes, is very transferable—anyone can learn how to lead it. It’s very effective at bringing someone who is far away from their faith to a place of significant conversion.

For those who are thinking they might not ready to take up this invitation, this is a great opportunity for them to become more aware of our methods, strategies and material. It’s a unique anniversary project, preparing thousands of people to lead a faith study. To seize this opportunity we want to begin to prepare now. So for the next two years we will focus on providing a broad basis of training

Universal Call to Mission:An Invitation to All Our Supporters

by André Regnier, Founder of Catholic Christian Outreach

(Continued on page 8)

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La paroisse Saint-Isidore était une des dix paroisses qui a été bénie par la présence d’une

équipe d’Impact durant l’été. Nous continuons à recevoir des bénédictions par l’entremise des études de foi de Découverte que nous avons continuées durant l’automne. Ceci a été possible grâce au travail d’un des étudiants de l’équipe d’Impact de Saint-Isidore, qui avec une équipe de paroissiens a établi un groupe de leaders incroyables.

Le Saint-Esprit a accompli de grandes choses dans le cœur du groupe de leaders. Si quelqu’un nous avait dit avant le début de l’été que nous animerions des études de foi à l’automne, personne d’entre nous ne l’aurait cru. À la fin de l’été, trois d’entre nous, nous sommes rencontrés pour organiser des études de foi. Après bien des prières, nous avons approché des personnes de la paroisse qui avaient exprimé de l’intérêt pour continuer les études de foi. Nous nous sommes retrouvés avec plus de cinq autres leaders qui étaient prêts à relever le défi d’animer une étude de foi pour un petit groupe de personnes.

La prochaine étape était de présenter cela à la paroisse et d’inviter les paroissiens à se joindre aux études de foi. Par l’entremise de témoignages et d’annonces, mais en grande partie en parlant personnellement aux gens, nous avons invité plusieurs personnes à se joindre à nous. Les leaders avaient reçu le défi d’inviter au moins cinq personnes que le Seigneur leur avait inspiré d’inviter. Moi bien sûr, j’ai accepté de faire la même chose, mais j’avais toujours été un peu timide. Heureusement, après bien des prières et beaucoup de grâces c’était comme si j’avais été libérée d’une partie de cette peur et cela m’a permis d’inviter plus de dix personnes. Des gens que le Seigneur m’avait inspiré d’inviter personnellement. J’étais surprise de ce changement radical en moi! J’ai remercié et rendu grâce à Dieu pour cette libération!

Finalement, approximativement 25 personnes se sont jointes à nos études de foi. Jusqu’à maintenant, c’est une expérience extraordinaire de voir Dieu à l’œuvre dans la vie des paroissiens. Dans notre groupe, plusieurs personnes ont

partagé comment leurs vies ont été transformées, comment le Saint-Esprit leur a donné les forces nécessaires pour faire face aux différents défis. Un paroissien a mentionné que durant ces vacances, il parlait à quelqu’un de l’Église Catholique; cette personne avait seulement entendu de mauvaises choses concernant l’Église. Il a été capable de témoigner qu’il avait une relation personnelle avec Jésus-Christ et que c’était l’aspect le plus important de sa foi! Nous savons que cette conversation peut porter beaucoup de fruits, et que c’est l’Esprit Saint qui lui a donné le courage de témoigner de sa foi!

Nous sommes très reconnaissants, en tant que groupe, que l’équipe d’Impact de CCO: Mission-Campus nous ait visités cet été. Notre paroisse a vraiment été bénie par les nombreux cadeaux de l’Esprit Saint! L’équipe d’Impact nous a permis de nous multiplier en paroisse en allant vers les autres et qu’à leur tour, ces autres invitent Jésus à venir au centre de leurs vies. Nous rendons grâce et remercions Dieu pour son amour et sa miséricorde sans fin.

Patricia stewart, bienfaitrice d’ottawa, partage sa propre expérience en animer l’étude de foi Découverte:

“animer l’étude de foi Découverte a été une très belle expérience qui m’a apporté beaucoup de joie et m’a permis de relever un défi . après avoir terminé le programme Catholique Courageux (Courageous Catholic) avec les jeunes adultes d’impact, j’ai relevé le défi d’animer Découverte . malgré le fait que j’étais très enthousiaste, orienté vers la mission, j’étais quand même un peu nerveux . À la fin de la première soirée, j’ai commencé à voir la simplicité et la joie d’animer Découverte . le contenu présenté dans le livret de l’étude de foi est très clair et complet et que la seule autre ressource nécessaire c’est Dieu . De plus, son esprit-saint était présent chaque semaine pour ouvrir les cœurs et inspirer les discussions . mon travail fut donc très facile . “

RencontReR un bienfaiteuR

Animer Découvertepar Chantal Balthazar, paroissienne de la paroisse St. Isidore

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St. Isidore’s Parish was one of ten Ottawa parishes blessed with an Impact team over the summer.

We have furthermore been blessed by the Discovery faith studies that we have been able to continue throughout the fall. This is due in part to one of the students of the St. Isidore’s Impact team, who has been able to work with a team from the parish to establish a wonderful group of leaders.

The Holy Spirit has worked wonders in the hearts of our group of leaders. If you would have told any one of us prior to the summer that we would be leading faith studies in the fall, none of us would have believed it. At the end of the summer, three of us met several times to begin the initial phase of setting up the studies. After much prayer, we approached people in the parish who had expressed their interest in continuing with the faith studies, and we ended up with a group of five other leaders who were willing to take on the task of leading a group.

The next task was to present this to the parish and invite people to join. Through testimonies, announcements, and simply approaching people face-to-face, we were able to invite many people to join us. The leaders had been

given a challenge to invite at least five people whom the Lord had put on their heart to invite. I myself agreed to do so, but have always been somewhat shy. After much prayer – and a lot of grace – it was as if I had been freed from some fear, and I was able to invite over ten people personally that the Lord had put on my heart. I was amazed at this change in myself! I praise and thank God for this freedom!

We ended up with approximately twenty-five people in our faith studies. It has been a wonderful experience seeing God work in the lives of the people at the parish. In our group, people have shared so much about how their lives are being affected, how the Holy Spirit has worked to give them the strength to face different challenges. One parishioner was

mentioning how he was talking to someone about the Catholic Church, and this person only had negative things to say about the Church. He was able to witness to her that he had a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and that was the most important aspect of his faith! We do not know what fruits this may bring, but the Holy Spirit gave him the courage to speak out!

We are so thankful as a group that the CCO Impact team visited us this summer. Our parish has been truly blessed by so many gifts of the Holy Spirit! The Impact team has multiplied into our parish as more and more people are placing Jesus at the centre of our lives. We praise and thank God for his unending love and mercy.

ottawa supporter Patricia stewart was involved in Courageous Catholic, a similar program run concurrently with impact . she shares about her own experience leading the Discovery study:

“leading the Discovery faith study was a wonderful experience, both a pleasure and a welcome challenge . having just completed the Courageous Catholic program with those wonderful young people from CCo impact, i took on the task of leading Discovery feeling exhilarated and mission-oriented but also a little nervous . But by the end of the first evening i was beginning to see just how simple and pleasant it is to lead Discovery . the material presented in the faith study booklet is so clear and complete that the only other resource you need is God, and his holy spirit showed up every week to open hearts and inspire discussion . so my job was made easy .”

Meet a suppoRteR

Leading Discoveryby Chantal Balthazar, Parishioner at St. Isidore’s

44

Je me suis familiarisée avec la peur à un jeune âge. Mais avant que cela n’arrive, je

priais en public et avant mes repas sans me préoccuper du regard des autres. La peur s’est installée quand mes pairs ont commencé à me ridiculiser en raison de ma foi. En réaction à cette intimidation, je me suis éloignée de ces gens le plus possible. J’ai tout fais pour rester fidèle à Dieu mais les épreuves que je vivais devenaient de plus en plus difficiles à assumer et j’ai fini par blâmer Dieu.

C’est lors d’une retraite que ma relation avec Dieu a été renouvelée. La retraite m’a aidé à approfondir ma relation avec Dieu

et mes amitiés se sont améliorées en conséquence. J’ai cependant demeuré craintif face au regard des autres. En 2009, j’ai commencé mes études à l’Université de la Saskatchewan et j’ai me suis inscrite à une étude de foi avec CCO : Mission Campus. Malgré l’accueil chaleureux du groupe, j’avais encore honte de partager ma foi. Je souhaitais approfondir ma relation avec Dieu alors j’ai commencé à participer davantage aux évènements et sous peu j’ai découvert un nouveau bonheur dans ma foi. J’ai appris comment prier et mettre Dieu au centre de ma vie. J’étais cependant toujours peur qu’on se moque de moi. Mais tout cela a changé lorsque j’ai participé à la conférence

nationale de CCO : Mission Campus, Rise Up. Pendant cette semaine, j’ai mis Dieu au centre de ma vie.

Pendant la soirée d’adoration eucharistique, j’ai eu l’occasion de renouveler les promesses de mon baptême. J’ai aussitôt

répondu à l’appel de participer au sacrement de réconciliation (ou de pénitence). J’ai enfin compris ce que ça voulait dire être enfant de Dieu. Je n’étais plus peur comme par le passé et j’étais soulagé par ceci.

La soirée d’après, toujours à Rise Up, le conférencier parlait de comment il était important que chacun devient missionnaire et proclame l’Évangile. Je sentais que Dieu me demandait de laisser ma peur derrière moi et de devenir missionnaire dans ma vie. Quand le conférencier a terminé son discours, les participants sont avancés pour une bénédiction. J’étais prête à me débarrasser de ma peur. Il était temps d’être courageuse et missionnaire. Pendant la bénédiction, j’ai ressenti le Saint Esprit et le poids de ma peur n’était plus. J’étais remplie de joie et j’ai remercié Dieu pour ce cadeau.

Quand j’ai retourné aux études, je me sentais prête à partager ma foi. J’ai animé une étude de foi avec mes amis croyants et non croyants. C’est parce que j’ai invité Dieu dans ma vie que je n’avais plus peur. Si vous avez peur de partager votre foi, demandez à Dieu de vous guérir et permettez lui d’être au centre de votre vie. Car avec Dieu, il n’y a rien à craindre.

Avec Dieu, il n’y a rien à craindrepar Desiree Nieckar, étudiante de l’Université de Saskatchewan

tÉMoiGnaGe D’une ÉtuDiante

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Fear was something I became very familiar with at an early age. Before that fear set

in I was not afraid to pray before meals and cross myself without looking at others’ reactions. But with people criticizing and bullying me in school, I began to be fearful and hide my faith. I started to separate myself from my classmates whenever possible. I tried to stick close to God but that was difficult because I hated everything that was coming my way. I’d blame God and always wonder why He put me in those situations.

At age 17 my relationship with God was renewed when I went to a retreat. The retreat helped me get to know God in a deeper way and my relationship with others got better, but I was still fearful.

In 2009 I began university and joined CCO in Saskatoon. CCO members opened their arms wide to me and I thank them for that but I was still fearful of sharing my faith with others. I desired to grow in my relationship with God so I began going to CCO events. I found joy in participating in a faith environment with peers. I soon learned more about the Bible, how to pray, and how to open my heart and surrender to God during those times of prayer, but the fear of expressing my faith

in various ways with others was still there. What I really feared was being rejected and ridiculed.

When I went to the CCO Rise Up Conference, this all changed. During that week it felt amazing to dedicate time to God and solely put him first. During Eucharistic adoration one night we were able to go up to the front and renew our baptismal promises. When I went up to the front I was reminded of just how God accepts me as his child. Immediately I felt God invite me to go to confession. I was not fearful like I had been other times, and after receiving this Sacrament I felt such a relief.

One evening, a speaker talked about how important it is for each of us to be missionaries for Christ and to proclaim God’s message. I had been fearful to share my faith but I could hear God calling me, telling me it was now time to heal and move on. When the speaker was done, I was one of hundreds of people went up to the front to receive the blessing of a missionary heart. I was extremely excited to get rid of my fear. It was time for me to be fearless and begin my missionary way of life. During the prayer, I felt something amazing come over me and a weight lifted off. l was filled with joy as I knelt down, thanking God for his gift.

When I went back to university in January I was up for the challenge to share my faith. I started my own faith study and invited others, even friends of mine who did not believe. Since I allowed God to wipe away my fears I have seen growth in myself. If you are fearful, consider asking God for healing, and allow him to be at the centre of your life. With God you have nothing to fear!

Leaving Fear Behindby Desiree Nieckar, student at the University of Saskatchewan

s t u D e n t t e s t i M o n y

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CCOat home and abroad

university of British columbia

carleton university

Youth arise international

uganda

university of calgary

Queen’s university

Attendees at the UBC Fall Retreat proudly represent “West Coast” on their hands. The Fall Retreat gives students a chance to have fun and get to know each other interspersed with powerful times of sharing, engaging talks and Eucharistic Adoration

Students gather for the monthly Cornerstone event on Carleton campus. Carleton and U of Ottawa now take turns hosting a regional event, creating more opportunity for students and staff at one university to get to know people beyond their own campus community.

Students serving on CCO’s World Youth Day mission also partook in Youth Arise International in Gibraltar, a gathering of Catholic movements in the weeks leading up to the WYD gathering. Student missionaries had the opportunity to share the Gospel with CCO’s clear and simple materials as part of their pilgrimage before gathering in Madrid.

Students in Uganda gather for CCO faith study training. Since CCO’s first mission to Africa just over a year ago, faith studies have been running on a number of campuses.

CCO staff member Jennea Grison gives her testimony before 90 students at Calgary’s first Cornerstone event of the year.

Pictured here are the attendees of the Queen’s CCO Fall Retreat. The retreat is an opportunity for returning student leaders to be renewed in their work alongside the staff missionaries, as well as for newcomers to the university to get a taste of CCO in a powerful way!

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courageous catholic

university of saskatchewan

impact ottawa

dalhousie & saint Mary’s universities

university of ottawa université laval

Rise up Vancouver

IMPACT 2011 served the Ottawa diocese for 14 weeks. 57 students worked in 10 parishes and led 600 people through faith studies over the course the summer.

simon Fraser university

Students volunteer along with staff at an outreach event during Catholic Week. Fall is an important time for bringing new students into Catholic community and faith studies.

In conjunction with the IMPACT mission in Ottawa, CCO ran a Courageous Catholic program for leaders from each of the parishes with an Impact team. Participants were taught how to lead CCO’s faith studies and the importance of having a missionary disposition. Pictured here is one of the participants giving a testimony at a reunion event held in November.

CCO staff and students in Halifax gather after the CCO Commissioning Mass. Each year staff and student leaders are commissioned by their city’s local bishop to go out and spread the Gospel on university campuses. The Halifax team uniquely serves two campuses, which are within walking distance of each other.

world Youth day Madrid

The WYD team travelled throughout Europe for 4 weeks, visiting many religious sites, shared their faith through the Ultimate Relationship booklet with the Spanish people. At WYD they animated a catechesis site and led an Eucharistic Adoration event with 400 people in attendance

Ste Thérèse School of Faith and Mission in Bruno, Saskatch-ewan hosted the U of S’s Fall Retreat this year. Students from schools in Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba participated at the weekend retreat.

Students at the U of Ottawa pose for a group picture during a Photo Scavenger Hunt event. We welcomed 22 new students at this one event!

The Laval University CCO team poses at their Commissioning Mass. The Laval team represents the efforts of CCO : Mission Campus, our French-language branch, which is also active at the University of Ottawa.

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Quand l’opportunité se présente, c’est trop tard pour planifier. C’est cela un des principes qui

guident notre mouvement. Pendant ces derniers mois une idée a germiné dans mes pensées que je vois comme une grande opportunité. Cette idée prendra également la planification et la préparation.

C’est quoi cet opportunité ? En 2013 nous célébrerons le 25ième anniversaire de CCO : Mission Campus. Quand j’ai réfléchi sur tout ce que Dieu a accompli pendant ce temps mon coeur s’est remplit d’émerveillement. La seule réponse acceptable dont je pourrais penser c’était de Lui donner la grâce et les louanges. Et comment meilleur Lui remercier ? Ce qui m’est venu clairement c’est que nous pouvons faire plus qu’organiser une grande fête toute l’année; nous devons continuer de chercher les brebis perdus et les ramener à l’Église. C’est à ce moment que mon coeur a explosé avec une sens d’opportunité. Invitons les milliers d’alumni, partenaires en prière et bienfaiteurs éparpillés à travers le pays à nous joindre dans notre mission !

Qu’est-ce que ça veut dire, nous joindre dans notre mission ? Nous reconnaîtrons que vous faites

une contribution importante à l’évangélisation sur les campus canadiens par votre bienfaisance des missionnaires de CCO : Mission Campus. Avec notre 25ième anniversaire, nous ouvrons la porte pour vous offrir l’opportunité de faire la même chose que nous faisons sur campus, en utilisant l’étude de foi Découverte pour ramener les gens que vous connaissez et aimez à leur foi et à l’Église.

Découverte est la première d’une série de cinq études de foi que les missionnaires de CCO: Mission-Campus utilisent sur les différents campus et dans des paroisses. Animer Découverte c’est simple, ça s’apprend très rapidement ; n’importe qui pourrait l’animer. L’étude est aussi très efficace pour amener une personne qui est éloignée de sa foi à une conversion profonde.

Pour ceux et celles qui se pensent incapables ou mal préparés à accepter défi, c’est une merveilleuse opportunité de grandir sa connaissance de nos méthodes, stratégies et matériaux. Ce défi de préparer des milliers de personnes à animer une étude de foi est unique; toute chance de succès nous exige à commencer les préparations maintenant. Alors

les deux prochaines années, nous offrirons la formation nécessaire à nos bienfaiteurs, par l’entremise de la formation dans le Grapevine, sur des vidéos en ligne, et à travers les missionnaires qui vous relanceront le défi et vous guideront.

Ma joie et mon enthousiasme sont énormes lorsque je considère que nous avons bien plus que 4000 personnes comme bienfaiteurs de CCO : Mission Campus. Si chaque groupe qui se rejoint pour une étude de foi qui compte environs quatre personnes, ça fait 16 000 personnes évangélisées ! Quand je réfléchis sur les conversions et sur les nombreux co-travailleurs—vous—qui vont labourer avec nous dans le champ de mission, il y en a beaucoup auquel être excité !

Le pape Jean Paul II a dit que « la nécessité pour tous les fidèles de partager une telle responsabilité [à évangéliser] est un devoir et un droit fondés sur la dignité conférée par le baptême. » Au lieu de voir cela comme une tâche intimidante, pourquoi ne pas prendre cette opportunité pour vivre dans la plénitude de notre foi catholique— en la partageant avec les autres ?

L’appel universel à mission :Une invitation à tous nos bienfaiteurs

par André Regnier, fondateur de CCO : Mission Campus

Universal Call to Misson (Continued from page 1)

and encouragement through the Grapevine, online training videos, and individual CCO missionaries’ correspondence.

My hope and excitement grows as I consider the potential. For example, we have well over 4000 people that are supporting the movement today. If everyone was able to get involved and on average invited four others to their faith study group,,16,000 people would be evangelized! When I reflect on the conversions and the many co-labourers (that is, you) who could join us in this mission, there is plenty to be excited about and hopeful for.

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When the Archdiocese of Halifax was discerning whether to host Impact

Canada 2012, the decision-making was being done with the backdrop of a new vision for the diocese being introduced at Pentecost 2011. Archbishop Mancini was very clear that the mission project would need to be at the service of this new vision, not something tacked on as simply another thing to do. Bringing together the missionary charism of Catholic Christian Outreach with the Archbishop’s vision for a New Evangelization is bringing together means and opportunity.

The Holy Father has commented on the need for a New Evangelization in those countries that have deep Christian roots but that are currently experiencing an eclipse of God. Ours is no exception. In speaking of the Archdiocese of Halifax and the Diocese of Yarmouth, Archbishop Mancini notes that “for too many,

being a Catholic has been more about customs, local traditions and family practices than about the personal encounter with Jesus Christ and the decision to turn one’s life over to him.” While an eclipse of God may highlight what is lacking, it also presents an opportunity to offer others this personal encounter again, perhaps for the first time.

The Archbishop’s vision for the New Evangelization brings with it an opportunity to propose Christ anew. We also need the means to pursue this opportunity. Impact brings these means to the local church. The first means are the student missionaries themselves. By their enthusiasm, contagious faith, and personal witness they can enliven and inspire. However, as Mancini notes, “transforming lukewarm believers into more mature adults in the faith will necessitate good user-friendly, effective instruments for faith development.” The biggest contribution Impact makes to jump-starting the New Evangelization in the local Church is the clear and simple tools used to communicate the Gospel message: tools that can be given to the local church and used again and again well after the mission has ended.

Both the Discovery faith study and Courageous Catholic leadership training program first help people to encounter Christ personally, and then equip them to share Christ with others. It is this dual focus of Christ-centred formation and strong missionary identity that makes the Impact

project an excellent means to seize the opportunity presented by the challenge of the New Evangelization. In his address The Response of the Holy Spirit to Today’s Challenge of Evangelization, Archbishop Stanislaw Rylko, President of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, highlights these elements of Christ-centred formation and strong personal witness as they key ways the Spirit promotes evangelization through movements like CCO and gives their members a missionary mindset for service of the Church and of the world.

By using Courageous Catholic to help develop a missionary mindset in key leaders from parishes across the Archdiocese, the Impact mission is sharing the work of the Spirit found in movements and breathing it into the local Church. If sixty missionaries come to the diocese and share faith for four months, many people will encounter Christ and God will be glorified. If sixty missionaries come to the diocese and imbue this charism upon leaders in the diocese, many more people will encounter Christ and God will be greatly glorified – well after the missionaries go home.

Making a Lasting Impactby John Stevens, Coordinator of Youth Ministry in Halifax-Yarmouth

University students at CCO’s Fall Retreat in Halifax

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Tous les quatre ans, le monde entier se regroupe autour de leurs télévisions, certains voyagent même dans le pays hôte, pour regarder les olympiques. Cette compétition intense crée un momentum qui est ressentie à travers le monde entier.

J’aime les olympiques et l’intensité qu’ils créent! J’aime comment notre monde travaille ensemble avant et pendant ces compétitions. Les athlètes passent des années à se préparer. J’aime l’importance qui est mise sur le sport international.

C’est avec ce même enthousiasme et attente que j’entrevois l’événement significatif qui se déroulera dans l’Église Catholique. En effet, du 7 au

28 octobre 2012, le Synode des évêques se réunira à Rome. Durant ce temps, les évêques discuteront ensemble de la nouvelle évangélisation. Leur mission reposera sur le fait que l’Évangile n’a pas été suffisamment accepté parmi les personnes, les familles et la société comme cela a été le cas pendant les derniers siècles. Le thème de leur discussion sera «La nouvelle évangélisation pour la transmission de la foi chrétienne». Nous croyons que ce synode apportera une parole directrice, des conseils judicieux, pour l’évangélisation du monde entier!

Au printemps 2011, l’Église a publié un document qui s’appelle Lineamenta. Le but de ce document était de préparer les évêques au synode. Comme mouvement, quand nous avons entendu parler de ce document nous savions que nous devions prendre part à ce débat.

CCO : Mission-Campus voit ces rencontres de 2012 comme un événement significatif pour l’Église, comme les olympiques le sont pour le monde. Nous anticipons ce qui sera discuté et les conseils judicieux qui seront publiés à la fin de ces rencontres. Nous nous préparons en priant, par notre oui quotidien de partager le message de l’Évangile aux étudiants, amis et voisins. «Dieu

ouvre à l’Église les horizons d’une humanité plus disposée à recevoir la semence évangélique. Je sens que le moment est venu d’engager toutes les forces ecclésiales dans la nouvelle évangélisation. Aucun de ceux qui croient au Christ, aucune institution de l’Église ne peut se soustraire à ce devoir suprême : celui d’annoncer le Christ à tous les peuples.» —Redemptoris missio

Nous devons sonner les cloches et faire conscient du synode chaque Catholique, et les engager dans son travail. L’Église voit l’importance de partager sa foi et met tout son effort afin que cela se produise. Nous croyons que ce synode va produire la direction et la grace pour la mission de l’Église. Elle voit que le monde a soif d’entendre la Vérité ; qu’uniquement une belle relation avec Jésus peut apporter. Je vous encourage — bienfaiteurs, étudiants, missionnaires et anciens — à répondre à l’appel de l’Église à l’évangélization, et à l’initiative du 25ième anniversaire soit d’animer une étude de Découverte.

Les Olympiques pour le renouveau de monde

par Kelly Rude, missionaire avec CCO : Mission Campus

On peut trouver le Lineamenta enligne à http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/synod/documents/rc_synod_doc_20110202_lineamenta-xiii-assembly_fr.html et la réponse de CCO (en anglais) à

http://www.ccocanada.ca/uploads/lineamenta%20cco%20response%20-%20final.pdf

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Every four years the world gathers around their televisions, some even travel to the host country, to watch the Olympics. This intense competition creates a momentum that is felt throughout the world as countries rally together!

I love the Olympics and the intensity it brings! I love how our world rallies together, athletes spending years in preparation, and the focus it gives to international sports!

It is with this same excitement and anticipation that I look to a significant event that is happening in our Catholic Church. On October 7-28, 2012, the Synod of Bishops will gather in Rome. During this time, vigourous discussion will take place around the topic of the New Evangelization. Their mission is a response to the rallying cry in seeing that the Gospel has not been sufficiently accepted among people, families, and society as it was in recent centuries. Their topic of discussion is “The new evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith.” We feel that there will be a directional word

released for the world, from these meetings, in evangelization!

In the spring of 2011, the Church released a document called the Lineamenta. This document’s purpose was for Bishops to prepare for the Synod. As a movement, when we heard about this document our sense was that this gathering of bishops was of great significance. This is an opportunity to create a momentum in evangelization that is felt throughout the world!

CCO sees the 2012 meetings as a significant event in the Church, like the Olympics are to the world. We rally around in anticipation of what will be said and the word that will be released at these meetings. We prepare through prayer, through our daily ‘yes’ of sharing the message of the Gospel to students, friends, and neighbours. “God is opening before the Church the horizon of a humanity more fully prepared for the sowing of the Gospel. I sense that the moment has come to commit all of the Church’s energies to a new evangelization. No believer in

Christ, no institution of the Church can avoid this supreme duty; to proclaim Christ to all people.” —Redemptoris Missio

We need to ring the bells and make every Catholic aware of the synod, and engaged in its work. The Church sees the importance of sharing your faith and is focusing all her efforts to make this happen. We believe that this synod will provide direction and grace for the mission of the Church. She sees that the world is hungry to hear the truth that only a relationship with Jesus can bring. I encourage you—supporters, students, staff, and alumni—to respond to the Church’s call to evangelization, and to CCO’s call to lead a Discovery study.

Olympics for the Renewal of the World

by Kelly Rude, Missionary with Catholic Christian Outreach

Lineamenta online at http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/synod/documents/rc_synod_doc_20110202_lineamenta-xiii-assembly_en.html and CCO’s response to the Lineamenta at

http://www.ccocanada.ca/uploads/lineamenta%20cco%20response%20-%20final.pdf

Bishops from across the world gather in Rome for a synod with Pope Benedict XVI

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As a part of CCO’s mission, we seek to form leaders for the renewal of the

world. Our work on campus serves this purpose by providing our students with vision, training and hands-on experience in the work of evangelization. It is our hope that as CCO alumni they will continue with the same missionary zeal in their parishes and the world around them.

Three years ago we asked ourselves the question, “How effective have our alumni been in bringing about the renewal of the world”? We found that one of the challenges for them was to continue with the same evangelistic zeal and motivation they had as students. This realization stirred up much discussion amongst the staff across the

country. What can we do to even better prepare our alumni for the challenge of continuing these missionary ideals they experienced on campus with CCO? It was in the context of these discussions that the term “missionary identity” emerged. The thinking was that mission is not simply an activity, something we do or are involved in for only a period of our lives, but rather it is who we are as Catholics. Mission is not unique to CCO; the Church teaches that our common identity is rooted in the call to evangelization:

Evangelizing is in fact the grace and vocation proper to the Church, her deepest identity. She exists in order

to evangelize. ~ Pope Paul VI, Evangelii Nuntiandi)

The missionary thrust…belongs to the very nature of the

Christian life. ~ Pope John Paul II, Redemptoris Missio

Although the need to bring people back to the Church is clearly understood by most, the idea that each Catholic’s deepest identity is found in evangelization is surprising to many.

On campus it is understood what it means to be missionary: a natural desire and joy in making Jesus known to all people. Students are aware that it will take courage, sacrifice and commitment to bring about the renewal of the world.

To help our alumni transition from campus to the world they needed to understand where this missionary nature comes from. As we learn from the Church, it is first infused in us through the Holy Spirit at baptism.

“Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel.” (Mk 16:15). These words concern every baptized person. The same Spirit who made us children of God compels us to evangelize.

It is vital for our alumni to understand that it is the Church, not CCO, that has entrusted them to evangelize.

Through his Church Christ entrusts you with the fundamental mission of sharing with others the gift of salvation, and he invites you to participate in building his kingdom...You must have the courage to speak about Christ in your families and in places where you study, work or recreate.

(from the Vatican, 24 November 1991, the Solemnity of Jesus Christ the King)

It was also important to make known to all Catholics how vital missionary activity is to their spiritual life. History teaches how the strength of our faith and much-needed enthusiasm and vitality are dependent on our missionary activity:

Missionary Identity

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For in the Church’s history, missionary drive has always been a sign of vitality just as its lessening is a sign of crisis of faith… missionary activity renews the

church, revitalizes faith and Christian identity, and offers fresh enthusiasm and new incentive. Faith is

strengthened when it is given to others! ~ Redemptoris Missio

The evangelizing activity… is the clearest sign of a mature faith...

~ Redemptoris Missio

It is our hope that students understand that the call to evangelization is not specific to CCO. It is a mandate of the Church and in fact the very nature of the Christian life. Through this understanding their missionary zeal will continue to increase. The Church speaks boldly of the need for all Catholics to place evangelization as a priority.

God is opening before the Church the horizon of a humanity more fully prepared for the sowing of the Gospel… the moment has come to commit all of the

Church’s energies to a new evangelization. No believer in Christ, no institution of the Church can avoid this supreme

duty; to proclaim Christ to all people. ~ Redemptoris Missio

Over the past number of years we have invested special time and energy preparing our alumni to be missionary for the long haul. As we approach our 25th anniversary, we hope to invite many others to courageously respond to the Church’s challenge to be missionary and to be part of the renewal of the world.

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s t u D e n t t e s t i M o n y

The Church by her nature is missionary.” For anybody who has been involved

with CCO for any length of time, these words are probably familiar. Before this summer, they certainly were familiar to me, but over time I had partially forgotten their importance.

I grew up in a Catholic family in Halifax, and my faith was always important to me. I became involved with CCO as soon as I started studying at Dalhousie University in Halifax, even before I attended my first class. I took faith studies and participated in mission projects, and eventually had bought into their message: the Catholic Church, and CCO by association, is missionary. Missionary activity has always been a sign of vitality in the Church, and for 2,000 years the Church has survived because God has impelled his people to bring the Gospel to others. This was something we’d been taught, and I experienced that my faith was strengthened when shared with others. If I am a Catholic, then I must be reaching out to others with the truth about Jesus Christ because that is what Catholics do, and I believed that it was an important part of the Catholic faith.

I decided to participate in the Impact mission this past summer in Ottawa, and while I believed that being missionary was one of the most important parts of the Catholic faith, I had forgotten the full impact of this dimension of the Church. When I was reading some of the writings of Blessed John Paul II on the New Evangelization, I was struck by some of the content in a fresh way. He writes that “The mission of evangelization is an essential part of the Church”, which did not surprise me one bit, but what struck me was what followed. “The Church by her nature is missionary.” This is something I’d heard the CCO staff members say many times, and although I did not disagree with them, I had always assumed that it was the way that CCO interpreted John Paul II’s writings about the New Evangelization; I did not realize that it was word for word, directly from the Pope’s mouth! When I read those words, “The Church by her

nature is missionary”, I heard it with fresh ears, and it was like hearing it for the first time, like he was saying it directly to me, “Chris, your nature is missionary. It is not something that you do on just the evenings and weekends; it is something that you are by your very nature.” The deep desire that I have to share the Lord with others does not come from my experience with CCO. It comes from the very fact that I am Catholic and that evangelization is a fundamental part of my identity, and CCO has helped me to discover that identity. Pope Paul VI writes that evangelization is the ‘deepest identity of the Church’; by virtue

Missionary by Nature, Not Nurtureby Chris O’Hara, student at Dalhousie University

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of my Baptism I have been welcomed into that identity, and my deepest identity as a Catholic and as a Christian becomes to evangelize.

Is the mission of evangelization something that I do perfectly everyday? Certainly not! But my disposition has now changed from that of a part-time missionary to that of a person whose missionary consciousness flows naturally from who I am: an adopted Son of God.

My hope and prayer for all of us is that living out our missionary identity as Catholics will stop being something that we do for God—that we discover that being a missionary is something that we are by virtue of our Baptism into the Church.

Chris and fellow students lead praise and worship music at the Fall Retreat in Halifax.

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