Making disciples in a change of age

The first guest speaker was Daniel Ang, Director, Sydney Centre for Evangelisation, who spoke on Making Disciples in a Change of Age.

Sep 05, 2020

The first guest speaker was Daniel Ang, Director, Sydney Centre for Evangelisation, who spoke on Making Disciples in a Change of Age. He described the conference as a statement of faith and hope, a recognition that parishes can be transformed when people are transformed.

“This is when our parishes live out the great commission of Jesus to go make disciples of all nations. Our Parishes are called not to be vestiges or remnants of the past, not comfortable museums or monuments to better days. We are not called to be content with the select few, and breathe the stale air of closed rooms.

“As Pope Francis points out, the parish is called to open itself as the true sign and presence of the Risen Lord among us. Our Parishes are called to serve both as the doorway and the destination where Christ is truly present today. He seeks out every human heart, through every one of our parishes where the Word is proclaimed and his Eucharist is  celebrated. Christ is alive and dwells in each of our parishes, a reality we sometimes overlook,” he added.

He stressed that we are not experiencing an age of change, but a change of age. Ang said it was not programmes and courses that made disciples, but disciples that make disciples. 

“St Paul didn’t have the four Gospels as he embarked on his apostolic mission across the Mediterranean, but he had disciples making disciples. Right now, thanks to the disciples, we may have materials to use as a crutch, but we need to be careful not to allow them to replace the relationships,” he added, saying Alpha is one of the stand-out resources that can be a genuine catalyst for parish renewal. He said it would also depend on the right people, welcoming people and open people. The church need witnesses more than teachers, he added.

Ang said that despite transforming our parishes, resources can never substitute the relationships. Without the fundamental bridge of trust and the personalised approach to evangelisation in our community, even the best programmes and structures will not work.

His parting advice to the participants was: “If you build the church, you rarely get disciples, but if you make disciples you will always get the Church.”

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