Coraggio Members Learn More About 'The Joy Of The Gospel'

Evansville’s Coraggio group met Jan. 10 for a Holy Hour, and members heard from Father Tony Ernst – pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul in Haubstadt, Holy Cross in Fort Branch and St. Bernard in Snake Run. Father Ernst spoke about Pope Francis’s recent apostolic exhortation “Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel).” The letter discusses the mission of all Catholics to evangelize.

“His whole spirit is that way,” Father Ernst said about Pope Francis, noting that he uses an engaging style to spread the Gospel in his role as the head of the Church. Father Ernst also mentioned that Pope Francis calls Christian joy something that “is constantly born anew” and something we must share with others. This is because many Christians lead lives that are like Lent without the Easter celebration that follows it. Pope Francis further states that advances in technology result in more opportunities for pleasure. These technological improvements, however, cannot engender joy.

According to Father Ernst, there are five main points to the letter. First, Pope Francis says that the Church is missionary. This means we must reach out to everyone in need, like Jesus did when he washed the feet of his disciples at the Last Supper. “Shepherds should smell like the sheep,” Father Ernst said about the role of priests in the lives of their parishioners. He also added that the people in the pews should also smell like the sheep. We must reach out to the sick and forgotten the way Pope Francis has. “He’s right there to embrace them,” Father Ernst explained. “We’ve got to get out of our comfort zone, and that’s not always easy,” he continued.

The second point of the letter is the crisis of communal commitment. Father Ernst said this means we need to move away from individualization and realize that the Church is communal and we need to share it. Pope Francis used this part of the letter to reiterate what other popes like John Paul II and Benedict XVI said about economics: money must serve humanity and not rule it; economics and finance need to be ethical and support human beings; and the obsession that many people today have with wanting immediate results goes against Christianity’s beliefs.

Third, we must proclaim the Gospel. All baptized Christians are missionary disciples. Additionally, we must allow ourselves to be evangelized by others. Father Ernst said this can often come from poor people. After we receive evangelization, we need to bring Christ to others through sharing the message humbly. According to Father Ernst, this powerful message can lead people to the beauty of the Church.

The fourth idea concerns the social dimensions of evangelization. Father Ernst noted that faith always desires to change the world, make it better and love the human family. He said that Pope Francis pointed out that the Church cannot sit on the sidelines in the fight for justice. Pope Francis also said that when “a spark of sin flares up” in our lives, we can extinguish it by performing a work of mercy.

The final proposal of the letter is that evangelizers should be filled with the Holy Spirit. Pope Francis explained that without prayer, our works are meaningless. Father Ernst said the faithful must find a balance in their work and prayer lives. Pope Francis also said that in order to grow closer to Christ, it is good to spend time either praying with a crucifix or in front of the Blessed Sacrament. Finally, Pope Francis explained that without conviction, enthusiasm and love, we will not convince anyone of the joy of the Gospel.

Coraggio meets the second Friday of each month at Holy Trinity Pro-Cathedral. It is open to all Catholics in the Evansville area ages 18-35. The next meeting is on Feb. 14. For more information, email coraggioevansville@gmail.com or visit the group’s Facebook page at facebook.com/coraggioevansville.