Oct. 2008 Newsletter - fm Fr. Aldrich

A Summary Report

This last August we started our first Evangelism Center with three lay evangelists who organized three “Systematic One-Brings-One Evangelical Projects” which resulted in 33 baptisms. Later in the year they also organized four other pre-RCIA programs and are presently serving 53 catechumens. Given this is the first year and that the historical average is 10 baptism per lay evangelist, we are very satisfied with the fruits of this first year. Our three evangelists in Taipei have also started cooperating with the campus minister of Fu Jen University to promote evangelism among university students. In February we started a second Evangelism Center in Kaoshuing with one evangelist; he has been working hard by himself and has organized one successful Systematic One-Brings-One Project: currently there are about 18 catechumens attending this RICA program. Next February a newly graduated lay evangelist will join him. Soon we will starts systematic projects in three new parishes.


The Success of the Two Types of Evangelism

St. Joseph Parish is located at Lu-Chou in Taipei County. There are about 200 active parishioners which is about 50% of the registered parishioners. In September 2007, St. Joseph Parish and Evangelism Center jointly started the [1-0-1 Systematic Evangelical Program]. 1-0-1 means One Invites One in Chinese, so parishioners started with inviting and accompanying their loved ones to attend the “Church Tour” activity, which is the first session for pre-catechumens. Parishioners also try their best to accompany their loved ones who are attending RCIA classes. Because the parents who attend RCIA need babysitters during the session, we provide Sunday School for their children too. By the end of July this year, we baptized eight adults and five children.

On December 15, 2007, we started a new[1-0-1 Prayer Group] at St. Joseph Parish. This is also our first attempt to evangelize in this new method. The Prayer Group meets for 90 minutes every week. The meeting includes singing, verbal prayer, theme sharing, intercessory prayer, and personal sharing. The mission is to create a prayer community in which non-Catholics feel welcomed and can easily participate. If they like this community, they are welcomed to stay and invited to join RCIA at the right time. In the past nine months, the Prayer Group peaked at sixteen parishioners. Though the prayer group, twelve non-Catholics joined a RCIA program. Because of the hard work of the pastor, lay leaders, and our evangelist, this first attempt exceeded our anticipated level of success.

Oct. 2008 Newsletter - A Story from the Field

On Easter Vigil this year, March 22, Monica and the other elects in the RCIA joyfully received the Sacrament of Initiation and merrily joined the Catholic family. Finally she accepted the salvation and became a God’s child that she had deeply wished for during the RCIA process.

Last year Monica Wang was invited by her brother and sister-in-law to attend the Church Tour and RCIA which was jointly organized by the Evangelism Center and the Lady of China Parish. She was one of the several who was touched by God and shed tears while touring the church; she signed up RCIA right there. She never missed any session; she even fully participated the retreat before the baptism. Through her incredible perfect attendance, she was transformed.

She always invited her son and daughter-in-law to attend each of the important RCIA rites and the Sacrament of Initiation. Her faith and joy touched her son and daughter-in-law. The daughter-in-law, Wei-Yuan Wang decided to join RCIA at Monica’s baptism; and has been a catechumen for five months now. Monica’s 3-year-old grandson, John Chu who is Wei-Yuan’s son was just baptized on Sept. 21^st.

Even though Monica’s son is still too busy to join RCIA, the faith-filled family atmosphere touched him and people have noticed his change. What an amazing grace that one believes in the Lord Jesus and one’s household will be saved! It is just as Jesus promised: today salvation has come to this house. Alleluia!

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, please pray for Wei-Yuan. She shared with Jr-Li Yin, one of our evangelists that: during the Holy Hour last Friday, she prayed to be a lay evangelist; she is a servant of God and would like to give her life to the Lord!

Oct. 2008 Newsletter - Evangelism

Do You Know …

Catholics only consist of 1.24% of the total population in Taiwan; other Christian denominations consist of 1.76%. 50% of the population has no religion.

2008年10月通訊- 牧者的話

活動簡報
　
去年8月我們的第一所福傳中心在台北開始運作．由三位福傳師舉辦了三場 [系統性101福傳] 大會，帶領了33個人領洗．之後，又建立了四個 [福傳祈禱團體] ，現有53人在慕道班中．我們非常滿意第一年就能有這樣的成果．過去的統計數字顯示，一個平信徒福傳師平均帶領10個人領洗．台北的三位福傳師也開始和輔仁大學的宗輔合作，向學生們推展福傳．
2月份第二所福傳中心也開始在高雄運作，由一位福傳師辛苦經營．他很成功地舉辦了一場 [系統性101福傳] 大會，現有大約18人在慕道班中．明年2月將會有一位新的畢業生加入陣營，與他一起工作．
最近，我們又將再與三個新的堂區開辦 [系統性101福傳] 大會．

福傳成果分享

位於台北縣蘆洲市的聖若瑟天主堂，進堂教友人數約200多人，佔教友總人數約50%．在2007年9月聖若瑟天主堂和福傳中心合作，做［系統性101福傳］．教友們開始一領一地邀請身邊的親朋好友並陪伴他們來參加［教堂參觀］的活動，也是慕道前期的第一課．教友們盡可能的陪伴他們來參加慕道課程．來上101［成人慕道班］的家長們，因為他們的孩子也需要有人照顧，所以我們也為孩子安排了主日學的課程。到今年7月為止，有8個大人及5個小孩領洗．
2007年12月15日，在聖若瑟堂我們做了一個新的嘗試，成立了［101福傳祈禱團體］．［101福傳祈禱團體］每週聚會一個半小時，內容包括：唱聖歌，口禱，主題與分享，信友禱詞方式的祈禱以及生活分享．此團體的對象是非教友，為了建立一個讓非教友容易參與的團體．也讓教友們在輕鬆、沒有壓力的環境下，一領一地邀請親戚朋友和同仁們來參加［福傳祈禱團體］． 若他們喜歡這個團體、可留在團體內；然後在適當時間請他們參加［慕道班］．蘆洲若瑟堂［101福傳祈禱團體］成立至今已9個月，人最多的時候有16位教友參加，其中8位教友們達成101的使命．至2008年9月， 已經有12位進入慕道班慕道。因為本堂神父，同工和福傳師們的辛苦耕耘，［福傳祈禱團體］的成效遠遠超過我們的估計．

2008年10月通訊- 真人真事

真人真事

今年復活夜（2008年3月22日）愫姐與同慕道班的其他候洗者一起滿懷喜樂的接受入門聖事，歡歡喜喜的加入教會，終於她領受了這個救恩，成為在她慕道的過程中一直深深嚮往的天主子女。

王 愫姊妹是在去年因其兄嫂的一領一邀約下，參加了福傳中心與中華聖母堂合作的教堂參觀與慕道班。她是幾個在教堂導覽當時就已感動落淚的參觀者之一，並且隨即 報名參加慕道班。慕道期間她沒有錯過任何一堂課，連領洗前的避靜，她也全程參與。她以不可能的全勤出席率完成了她的皈依。

幾次的重要禮儀及入門聖事，她都邀請兒子和媳婦參加，她的喜樂與信德感染及於自己的兒子和媳婦。媳婦王慧圓在婆母領洗的那天就決定要報名參加慕道，迄今已開始慕道5個月。他們更讓王愫姊三歲的小孫子邱士廷若望（慧圓的兒子）在上個月（九月）21日受洗，成為天主的子女。

雖然愫姐的兒子還沒抽出時間來慕道，但是全家人信仰的氛圍也已感染到他，眾人也發覺他的改變。一人信主，全家得救的奇異恩典，正如耶穌許諾的：救恩今天要臨到這一家。哈列路亞！

主內的弟兄姊妹請為慧圓祈禱；上週五守聖時的時候，她跟應芝莉福傳師分享說：她是天主的僕人，她在為蒙召做福傳師向天主祈求，她渴慕今後的一生都是為主所用。

2008年10月通訊- 華人福傳

您可知道 . . . . .

天主教徒僅佔台灣人口的1.24% ，其他的基督徒佔台灣人口的 1.76% ．而沒有宗教信仰的佔50%.