Recently, the Diocese of Madison released a new video from Bishop Donald J. Hying of Madison entitled “Bring Them Home.”
In this beautifully done short film, the bishop reminds us that both our Go Make Disciples (GMD) and Into the Deep initiatives are rooted in Our Lord’s promise that He will be with us always “until the end of the age”.
The video can be seen on diocesan social media channels such as on Facebook and YouTube.
In the video Bishop Hying reviews the six fundamental objectives of our Go Make Disciples efforts.
They are:
- Grow Everyone’s Relationship with Jesus through prayer, sacrament, and study of Scripture.
- Reclaim Sunday as Sabbath by making the Sunday Eucharist front and center and by rediscovering holy leisure with family and friends.
- Evangelize by engaging others in the Faith and speaking about the reason for our hope in Jesus Christ.
- Focus on Youth by connecting with young people and helping them become fully committed to Christ.
- Call Forth New Leadership by inviting new people to step up and share their talents and gifts.
- Reach Out to the Community by serving the needs of all and witnessing to the Love of Christ by deed and charity.
Bishop Hying stresses that all our evangelical efforts must be rooted in the person of Jesus — our Master and Teacher, our Redeemer and Savior — “The One who conquered the power of sin and death forever and is the answer to all of our deepest questions about life.”
Recognizing that we are beloved sons and daughters of God purchased by the Precious Blood of Christ, with confidence and joy we go forth with confidence and in the power of the Holy Spirit to continue the saving mission of the Church.
What needs to be rediscovered, the bishop emphasizes, is “how we proclaim the Gospel . . . how we live as parish . . . how we live the unity of the Diocese of Madison.”
As we enter Phase Two of our Into the Deep strategic plan, we need to be focused on the person of Christ and on bringing the Good News to all in need of this liberating message.
2025 marks the Jubilee Year of Hope. Drawing inspiration from St. Paul’s letter to the Romans, Pope Francis points out, “Christian hope does not deceive or disappoint because it is grounded in the certainty that nothing and no one may ever separate us from God’s love.”
Stressing that the Jubilee provides an opportunity “to be renewed in hope,” the Holy Father wishes to remind the faithful that “the Christian life is a journey, calling for moments of greater intensity to encourage and sustain hope as the constant companion that guides our steps toward the goal of our encounter with the Lord Jesus.”
Every individual baptized believer in the Diocese of Madison is invited to manifest the virtue of hope by strategizing concrete ways to “bring them home” — our family, friends, and all we encounter — to be in close intimate relationship with Jesus.
Bishop Hying is asking our parishes to recommit to Go Make Disciples at this most critical time.
Priests and parish staff must reignite a passion for the Gospel and invite parishioners to come together and join forces to make evangelization efforts a reality.
Hope is not a strategy. And so, as we prepare for this Jubilee Year, we must create concrete steps to make the six primary objectives more than wishful thinking.
As a first step towards a Go Make Disciples reboot, consider attending the Day of Equipping to be held on Saturday, Sept. 28, at St. Bernard Church, 2015 Parmenter St., Middleton.
This is a retreat/formation day for GMD teams and interested individuals to grow in greater understanding of our Baptismal call and to equip us with the skills necessary to make our parishes places of transformation and centers of missionary discipleship.
Bart Schuchts, the founder of Church on Fire ministries, will lead the day by sharing his personal testimony and by offering practical instruction to help bring others home by experiencing an intimate and powerful encounter with the Father’s love.
To register for the Day of Equipping, go to madisondiocese.org/day-of-equipping