SALESIAN LITERATURE

SFS and New Evangelization: Witness Through Devotion and Practice of Virtues in the Introduction to the Devout Life

Fr. Johnson Pathiyil MSFS

This is a PhD Theis by Fr. Johnson Pathiyil MSFS and it is not on the mission of the Church from the viewpoint of missiology, but it tries to shed some light on the fact that the role of the laity is an important factor in the evangelizing work of the Church as they live among the non-Christians. This work tries to answer these fundamental questions such as: How are the laity, the ordinary Christians, living in this busy world with their busy schedule of life, able to participate in the new evangelization process? How can a Christian witness Christ in one’s day-to-day life, as there is no possibility of going around preaching the Gospel like the missionaries and preachers? What are the means for them to engage in the mission of New Evangelization while fulfilling their duties in the world? Besides answering such questions, this work also explains how an individual Christian, without referring to his particular lifestyle, but with his general vocation as a Christian, can be an agent of New Evangelization with the help of the teachings of St. Francis de Sales who taught that everyone could become holy with his unique vocation and lifestyle in the Church and the society.

St. Francis de Sales is a person who has attracted millions of people, both Catholics and non-Catholics, and people of different languages and cultures. More than two thousand and five hundred editions of the renowned spiritual classic Introduction to the Devout Life in various languages are being published worldwide. It is an indication that his spirituality is still relevant in the Church of today. This work is an attempt to dive deep into the personality and the spirituality of St. Francis de Sales and to initiate further discussions on the need to invigorate the concept of New Evangelization from a different perspective of taking inspiration from the pastoral approach of St. Francis de Sales, seeking after Protestants in his diocese to bring them back to the sheepfold of the Lord, as well as renewing the spiritual lives of the faithful. It is also an attempt to see how spirituality can be triggered to be a mission of aggiornamento and proclamation of the Gospel.


Table of Contents

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ABBREVIATIONS

CHAPTER ONE: BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF ST. FRANCIS DE SALES

Introduction

1.1. The Life of Francis de Sales

1.1.1. The Diocese of Geneva: Historical context before the birth of Francis de Sales

1.2. The Reformation in General

1.2.1. Causes of Reformation

1.2.2. Martin Luther

1.2.3. The Immediate Cause of Reformation

1.2.4. The Council of Trent

1.3. Childhood of Francis de Sales

1.3.1. Formation at Home

1.3.2. The Challenges in Paris

1.3.3. Theological Studies and the Crisis

1.3.4. Life and Study in Padua

1.3.5. Vocation to Priesthood

1.4. His Influences

1.4.1. St. Ignatius of Loyola

1.4.2. St. Teresa of Avila

1.4.3. Charles Borromeo

1.4.4. Lorenzo Scupoli

1.5. His Life as a Priest: A Zealous Missionary in Chablais

1.5.1. The Background of Chablais Mission

1.6. His life as a Bishop and His Contributions

1.7. His Personality as Described by his Close Associates

1.7.1. Jane de Chantal

1.7.2. Vincent de Paul

1.7.3. Peter Camus

1.8. His Spirituality: A Simple Means of Holiness for Everyone

Conclusion

CHAPTER TWO: THE INTRODUCTION TO THE DEVOUT LIFE: A MANUAL FOR THE EVANGELIZER

Introduction

2.1. The Works of Francis de Sales

2.1.1. The Catholic Controversies (Les Controverses)

2.1.2. The Defence of the Standard of the Cross

2.1.3. Spiritual Conferences

2.1.4. The Introduction to the Devout Life

2.1.5. The Structure of the Introduction to the Devout Life

2.1.6. Treatise on the Love of God

2.2. The Origin of the Introduction

2.2.1. The Background of the Introduction

2.2.2. The Special Features of the Philothea

2.2.3. The Fatherly Heart of Francis de Sales behind the Introduction.

2.2.4. A Call to Synchronisation

2.2.5. Personal Responsibility and Personal Initiative

2.3. The Special Characteristics of the Introduction - its Style and Content

2.3.2. Different in the Mode of Presentation

2.3.3. The Difference in the Purpose of the Book

2.4. The Theology of Laity

2.5. The Universal Call to Holiness

2.5.1. Biblical Foundation of the Call to Holiness

2.5.2. Teaching of the Church on Holiness

2.6. Devotion According to St. Francis de Sales

2.6.1. Three Degrees of Devotion

2.6.2. The difference between Devotion and Piety

2.7. Call to Conversion and Renewal

2.8. Virtues: Essential Part of Christian Perfection

2.8.1. A Clarification on What is Not Virtue

2.8.2. The Things that Precede the Practice of Virtues

2.9. The Foreshadowing of the New Evangelization

2.10. The “Three Stages” of Spiritual Life

2.10.1. The Purgative Stage

2.10.2. The Illuminative Stage

2.10.3. The Unitive Stage

Conclusion

CHAPTER THREE: THE CONCEPT OF THE NEW EVANGELIZATION IN THE CHURCH

Introduction

3.1. Historical Development of the Concept of Evangelization

3.1.1. The Evolution of the Term ‘Evangelization’

3.1.2. The Components of the Evangelizing Activity of Jesus

3.1.3. Historical Developments that Prompted the Idea of New Evangelization

3.2. Human Dignity and Evangelization

3.3. The Role of Dialogue in Evangelization

3.4. Evangelization: A Universal Mission

3.5. The Progressive Secularization of European and American Culture

3.6. The Present Scenario and the Challenges

3.7. Evangelization, Re-Evangelization and New Evangelization

3.7.1. Evangelization

3.7.2. Re-evangelization or New Evangelization

3.8. Francis de Sales and New Evangelization

3.9. The Personality of an Evangelizer

3.10. The Necessity of Constant Renewal

3.11. The Teachings of the Church on New Evangelization

3.10.1. The Touchstone of Evangelization

3.11. Trinitarian Dimension of Evangelization

3.11.2. Eschatological Dimension

3.11.3. Sociological Dimension

3.13. The Teachings of Popes on New Evangelization

3.13.1. Pope Paul VI

3.13.2. Pope John Paul II

3.13.3. Pope Benedict XVI and his Contributions

3.13.4. Pope Francis

3.14. The New Methods of Evangelization in the Church

3.14.1. The Witness of Christian Life

3.14.2. The Forms of Witness

3.14.3. The Prophetic Role of the Laity in the Work of Evangelization

3.14.4. Witnessing Accompanied by Sanctity

3.14.5. The Role of the Eucharist and Witnessing

Conclusion

CHAPTER FOUR: NEW EVANGELIZATION AND THE LAITY

Introduction

4.1. Francis de Sales and his Methods of Evangelization

4.1.1. The Background of Chablais Mission

4.1.2. The Challenges During the Mission

4.2. The Prefigurement of the New Evangelization

4.3. His Approaches to Missionary Activities

4.3.1. The Individual Acquaintances

4.4. The Paradigm Shift in the Traditional Missionary Activity

4.5. His Influence on Evangelization today: Commitment and Love for the Mission

4.6. The Renewal Mission Preached by Fr. Mermier, the Founder of the Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales

4.6.1. The Triple Task of the Congregation

4.7. The Role of the Laity in the New Evangelization

4.7.1. The Parish Community as the Cradle of New Evangelization

4.7.2. The Little Virtues

4.8. The Qualities Necessary for an Evangelizer in the Church Today

4.8.1. The Personal Witness as the First Quality and Requirement

4.8.2. The Example of Francis de Sales

4.8.3. Courage

4.8.4. The Fidelity to the Church

4.8.5. The Spirit of Earnestness

4.8.6. Evangelizer Full of Joy

4.8.7. Faithfulness in Great and Small Matters

4.9. The Salesian Saints: The Models for the New Evangelization

4.9.1. Don Bosco (1815-1888)

4.9.2. Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690)

4.9.3. Sr. Léonie François de Sales Aviat (1844-1914)

Conclusion

GENERAL CONCLUSION

BIBLIOGRAPHY