I do recommend that you purchase a copy of
the Apostolic Letter Tertio Millennio Adveniente ( referred to as TMA throughout this
Formation Programme) of His Holiness, Pope John Paul II, which is readily available
in Catholic Bookshops. Summaries of the Papal document are also on sale at the present
time and will provide you with a more readable presentation of the mind of Our Holy
Father.
Other relevant publications are also coming
on to the market. Well informed Catholic laity do well to make use of such opportunities
for a deeper understanding of where the Holy Spirit is moving us at the present time.
The papal document will provide you with much
food for thought and prayer. It will also assist you to appreciate the biblical concept of
‘Jubilee’. The Pope wishes to make the time of preparation for the Great Jubilee
a moment of grace for the whole Christian Church when a new evangelisation of the whole
world will be put into effect.
Here in Australia, a national committee under
the chairmanship of Bishop Michael Putney of Brisbane has been coordinating the response
to the call of the Holy Father. Every diocese has been asked to appoint a contact person
and I expect that, in accordance with a long established custom, the Knights of the
Southern Cross will be among the first to cooperate with what is planned for the local
diocese.
Our Holy Father reminds us that entry into
any mystery must pass by way of the most Holy Trinity, the mystery of all mysteries. Hence
our immediate preparation over the next three years is to be Trinitarian.
In particular it is envisaged that all
dioceses will adapt their many activities and programmes to take into consideration the
topic chosen by the Pope for 1997, a ‘reflection on Christ, the Word of God made man
by the power of the Holy Spirit.’ The Pope then goes on to ask that in the course of
this year, Christians ‘should turn with renewed interest to the Bible.’ So that
the mystery of salvation can be made present sacramentally, the Pope also calls for
‘a renewed appreciation of Baptism as the basis of Christian living.’
The eight themes which I have chosen for
discussion and reflection this year take up these very important issues. As usual I have
chosen a passage from Sacred Scripture to set the context. The material for the Message
section is taken for the most part from the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
I trust and pray that the Formation programme
will be an essential and well planned agenda item for every meeting of the Order and at
all levels of its organisation. It is not particularly important that the programme as set
out in this material is used. If your Diocese has prepared its own material in accordance
with the call of the Pope, feel free to use it.
Once again I wish to assure you that I am
always happy to receive comments or advice on how the Formation Programme can be improved
or made more relevant to the needs of the Members of the Order. In the words of Saint
Paul, ‘I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give
you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of
your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are
the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable
greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great
power’ (Ephesians 1:17-19).
The Scripture quotations contained herein
are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition copyright © 1993 and
1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ
in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Reflections on
1997 the Year of Jesus Christ
in preparation for the Jubilee of
the year 2000
A Catholic Awareness Programme
