The Synod Fathers and Curtis Martin

While we were in Rome for the FOCUS Team Director training, we had the privilege of meeting with four Synod Fathers, (Cardinals and Bishops who were with Pope Benedict for the Synod Promoting the New Evangelization) who spoke to us about their thoughts on the Synod.

There were about 100 of us missionaries and it was such an honor to meet with the Synod Fathers because they took time out of their schedule of the Synod to talk with us personally. All of them knew about FOCUS and our efforts in inviting college students into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and it was very inspiring to hear them talk about their work with evangelization.

Missionaries walking to chapel to meet with Synod Fathers

We first heard from Cardinal Wuerl, the Archbishop of Washington D.C. He encouraged us to pray for everyone, especially those whose hearts are yet to be touched by the message of the Synod. He explained the New Evangelization in terms of first we all need to deepen our own faith and relationship with Jesus, then we need to have confidence in the words of Christ as we share Him with others.

The next evening Cardinal Schonborn, the Archbishop of Vienna and Editor of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, talked to us and then joined us for dinner. He was very inspiring and highlighted the need for personal prayer, to "be with Jesus and to stay with him."

The following day Archbishop Gomez of Los Angeles met with us. He said this was a very special time in the Church and this was the "Synod of Saints" because it is the 50th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council which highlighted the universal call to holiness, at the beginning of the Synod Pope Benedict XVI declared two saints Doctors of the Church, and on Sunday Oct. 21 seven saints were canonized. In the question and answer section, Tyler asked Archbishop Gomez how sports fit into the New Evangelization. But the first question he asked him was who he liked better, the Lakers or the Clippers. Archbishop Gomez apparently likes sports, because he talked for five minutes about his different teams (he is a Packers fan and had a "conversion" to the Lakers when he was appointed Archbishop of Los Angeles because five million people were praying for him!) and then talked about how excellence in sports can carry over to excellence in daily life.

Curtis Martin introducing Archbishop Gomez

On the last day the President of the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelization, Archbishop Salvatore Fisichella, talked with us. Something he said that really stood out to me was that we are responsible for everyone we come in contact with (in regards to sharing our faith.) He talked about how the Greek word for witness is "martyr" and we are all called to witness to Jesus Christ.

Curtis talking to missionaries

It was exciting to see Curtis at different times when we were in Rome since we knew he was at the synod meetings everyday and getting to be with Pope Benedict. Curtis spoke to us one night after dinner about his experiences the last few weeks as well as how the synod affects us as missionaries. He is a very dynamic speaker and shared stories of meeting different Bishops from around the world. He said that out of the three weeks of the synod, the Pope was there everyday except three and was very involved.

Curtis meeting Pope Benedict XVI (photo from Curtis)

"I find it helpful to understand the New Evangelization as a means to fulfilling the central theme of Vatican II, the universal call to holiness." Curtis Martin