Archbishop Myers Issues New Pastoral Reflection
Today the Archdiocese of Newark released To Whom Shall We Go?, a new pastoral by Archbishop John J. Myers reflecting on the spiritual nature of the human person and the role of God’s grace in guiding us to live in today’s world according to His plan.
From the Scriptural accounts of Jesus preaching to the disciples at Capernaum (John 6) and St. Paul preaching to the people of Athens (Acts 17), to reactions of everyday people following the sudden and massive experience of terror in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, to the exhortation of St. John Paul’s Redemptor Hominis, to our Founding Fathers’ understanding of the importance of morality and virtue grounded in a vibrant life of faith, Archbishop Myers brings to life a thoughtful catechesis that both reaffirms Catholic teaching and invites the faithful to seek a deeper and more personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
“The human person senses a longing for a knowledge of and relationship with the transcendent being, a Someone beyond self-awareness,” the Archbishop writes.
What’s more, To Whom Shall We Go? encourages the reader to give priority to the spiritual dimension of the human person and to join with others outside of the celebration of Sunday Eucharist in order to find support and encouragement in living our calling as disciples.
“In an atmosphere of secularism which undermines the goals and ideals of Christian living and characterizes the person of faith as an oddity rather than the norm, the Christian and the Christian family require a strong personal relationship with the Lord, a community of support, and a deliberate daily recommitment to Christ to counter social and culture pressure to adopt the value systems and philosophies of the present day,” he writes.
To Whom Shall We Go? is available in two versions – an Executive Summary and a full Pastoral. Links to both documents are below.
To Whom Shall We Go? – Executive Summary
To Whom Shall We Go? – Pastoral Letter
Copies have been distributed to all clergy and parishes, schools and religious education programs within the Archdiocese of Newark, and all are encouraged to read and share them in their parish and school communities in the coming weeks.