The New Evangelization: Issues and Challenges for Catholic Schools / Richard Rymarz

This book explores Pope John Paul II concept of the New Evangelization and examines some of the implications that this has for Catholic schools. For John Paul II the New Evangelization arose out of the deliberations of the Second Vatican Council and its aftermath. At its core it sees a relationship between believers and Christ, through the ministry of the Church, as the key for an authentic Christian life in the third millennium. The New Evangelization recognizes that the cultural milieu in which Catholic schools operate is very different from even a few decades ago and as such schools need to reconfigure themselves to meet new challenges. Catholic Schools can no longer rely on passive socialization as a primary means of catechesis. It needs to better articulate their message in an era when religious beliefs and practises are increasing marginalized, often seen as a private concern or one option amongst many. By emphasizing, amongst other things, an engaged and responsive mentality, cultivation of supportive groups and the need for a reconceptualization of religious education, Catholic schools can address the significant challenges the New Evangelization puts before them. 

Richard Rymarz holds the Peter and Doris Kule Chair in Catholic Religious Education at St Joseph's College, University of Alberta and is a Visiting Research Professor at Australian Catholic University. He has a long standing interest in the interaction between the wider culture and the Catholic schools, especially as this relates to evangelization.