Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio announced that a comprehensive process of spiritual renewal will serve as a centerpiece of the Diocese of Brooklyn’s evangelization efforts. This process, entitled ARISE Together in Christ, will be offered by RENEW International, and all parishes will have the opportunity to participate.

The groundwork has been laid over the past several months. With the bishop’s blessing, clergy, staff, and RENEW International team members have collaborated to plan this effort.

Bishop DiMarzio remarked, “RENEW’s process represents a timely and well-suited response to Pope Francis’ call for a new evangelization. It provides an excellent means for bringing together clergy, parishioners, and all members of our Catholic community in an endeavor centered on the loving and healing message of Jesus Christ.”

ARISE Together in Christ offers a total renewal experience for the parish, spiritually transforming people through small-group faith sharing, materials for families with children, parish resources and Christian social action. Because of the variety of ways in which people are engaged, ARISE fosters creating an evangelizing climate in the parish.

Basic to the process from RENEW International is the establishment of parish small groups of eight to 12 people meeting weekly to read and reflect on Scripture, share how the Word of God relates to their daily life, and encourage each other into active discipleship.

Groups will meet during five six-week seasons, with the first starting in the fall of 2016. Each of these seasons has a major gospel theme that is broken down into weekly themes and experienced in a variety of ways.

Participant materials and pastoral support will be offered in Spanish as Levántate, Unámonos en Cristo and in Haitian Creole: Leve Kanpeak Jezi Kri in addition to English.

Auxiliary Bishop Octavio Cisneros noted that, “Importantly, ARISE Together in Christ will provide an ideal vehicle for parishes that serve our Latino parishioners to engage with the upcoming Encuentro.”

The plan calls for RENEW International pastoral representatives to train local parish leadership. These leaders will in turn, invite, prepare and train the lay leaders who will shepherd the process within the parishes. Pastors, staff and selected leadership are invited to attend an information session. Sessions will be offered in Brooklyn and Queens. At those meetings, more detailed information about the process will be provided with time allowed for questions.

Theodore Musco, executive director of the School of Evangelization, has been appointed as the diocesan coordinator to lead the initiative for the local Church.

“I am confident that this process will provide a powerful and unifying source of spiritual renewal for parishes here in the diocese, and will be essential in our efforts to achieve the goals set forth in our evangelization and renewal springboard plan for 2015-2018 named The Joy of Encountering Christ: The Family’s Hope,” he said.

Information sessions about the program will be held:

• Saturday, Nov. 7, at 1 p.m., at Immaculate Conception Pastoral Center, Douglaston, for Deacons, English and Spanish.
• Monday, Nov. 9, 1-2:30 p.m., English; and 7-8:30 p.m., English and Spanish, Immaculate Conception Pastoral Center, Douglaston.
• Tuesday, Nov. 10, 1-2:30 p.m., English; 7-8:30 p.m., English and Spanish, Diocesan Offices, 310 Prospect Park West.
• Saturday, Nov. 21, Diocesan Conference Day, ARISE workshop sessions, English and Spanish.
• Tuesday, Dec. 1, 7-8:30 p.m., English and Spanish, St. Mark’s Church, Sheepshead Bay.
• Tuesday, Dec. 15, 7-8:30 p.m., Haitian-Creole, St. Teresa of Avila, Crown Heights.

For more information, contact Theodore Musco, at tmusco@diobrook.org or 718-965-7300, ext. 5417.