Why Do We Need We Are His Witnesses?

The Church today is very different from what it was 10, 20, or 50+ years ago, yet we often rely on the same methods of evangelization. We have inherited a rich legacy of Catholic institutions, but as our communities and society have changed in past years, many of these methods are no longer as effective or sustainable as they once were.

We must ask: What should our parishes, ministries, institutions, and archdiocese look like to share the faith effectively and sustainably for generations to come?

As Pope Francis reminds us in Evangelii Gaudium: “I hope that all communities will devote the necessary effort to advancing along the path of a pastoral and missionary conversion which cannot leave things as they presently are” (EG #25).

We Are His Witnesses is not a plan to close or merge parishes, schools, or institutions. It is a call to pastoral conversion – a renewal of hearts and minds – to prepare our Archdiocese to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ today and in the future.

While change will come from this process of spiritual growth, it will arise only from careful consultation, open dialogue, and prayerful discernment. Above all, we seek to answer one question: Where is the Holy Spirit calling us to go?

Let’s pray for the success of We Are His Witnesses, that it may bear fruit in renewing our hearts, our parishes, and our mission. Together, we will meet the changing circumstances of our time and remain faithful to who God calls us to be here in the Archdiocese of Newark. Trusting in the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and with the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the saints, let us go forth with hope and joy to proclaim the Gospel to all.