New column series will begin in January 2025
By Fr. John Girotti
“For I am not ashamed of the Gospel. It is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: for Jew first, and then Greek” (Romans 1:16).
Our world is searching for meaning and truth. Fortunately, Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ came into the confusion and sin of our world to bring truth … in fact, he is the Truth.
Jesus Christ frees each and every one of us from sin, death and ignorance when we honestly and fully turn to him, repent of our sins and allow his redeeming love to free us. Do you feel that freedom? Often we don’t, especially when confronted with difficult circumstances and situations in our world.
Unfortunately, the prevailing voices of our times sometimes promote narratives that are incorrect and confuse those who seek the truth. Even faithful Catholics who are seeking to know what is right and true are faced with a multitude of messages, which can leave them confused and unsure of what is true (or if there is even truth).
When confronted with the challenging issues of our time, such as abortion, same sex marriage or transgender issues, Catholics are sometimes unsure and afraid to reply with the truth and share it joyfully with others. We might even feel ashamed of the Gospel.
Oftentimes, this fear arises because we have not heard the truth of the Gospel proclaimed to us or shared with us in a way that is compelling, especially around controversial issues. We hear the narrative of the world so much that we might be tempted to believe it.
Yet, when we hear a compelling and joyful witness to what Christ and his church teach on these contentious issues, we gain confidence in the truth and, with the grace and power of the Holy Spirit, are inspired to share the truth in love.
“Therefore, we ought to support such persons, so that we may be co-workers in the truth” (3 John 8).
With the grace of Jesus Christ and support from his church, we can become equipped to no longer live in fear, but to become co-workers in the vineyard, sharing the gift that we have received. As friends and followers of Jesus Christ, we are called to share truth in love. It is our hope that these resources in “Sharing the Truth in Love” equip our parish leaders and God’s people to learn and share the Truth of Church Teaching.
As disciples of Christ, we follow the Lord and need to know what he taught so that we can live by it and share it with others. A disciple knows the mind of the master and strives to do his will.
As a diocese, we are seeking to proactively share our faith and its sometimes controversial teachings to pastors, parish leaders, school principals, Curia members and, ultimately, our parishioners.
As a church, we often assume Catholic leaders and parishioners know what we believe about these topics, but often they do not have an adequate formation to speak to others cogently, compellingly and joyfully about these issues. It is our hope to provide resources to equip Catholics to have conversations with family members, friends, neighbors, colleagues, fellow parishioners and the public about important topics of the day.
While these resources do introduce people to Catholic teaching (catechesis), they are ultimately to assist people in encountering the God who loves them and desires them to live in the freedom of the truth. While there are vital aspects of sharing the truth that require catechesis, it is always to be understood that we are introducing others to a person, the person of Jesus Christ.
We are reminded of what Pope Benedict XVI shared in Deus Caritas Est, “Being Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction” (1).
When one comes to know and love the person of Jesus, they come to love and be loved by he who is all Truth. Truth begins to make sense in a new and profound way.
We are undertaking “Sharing the Truth in Love” because many of these issues were noted in the Diocese of Green Bay Synod listening sessions and were reported by people in the field as important and timely matters to be addressed. This series is a response to what was heard from Catholics in the pews and is faithful to our desire that all people come to discover Jesus, follow Jesus and worship Jesus as his disciples. We are called to share Jesus and the teachings of our Catholic faith with the world.
What was once a source of shame or fear, through the power of Christ can become a means of sharing his love and truth with everyone we meet. No longer should these issues be a barrier to sharing Jesus (evangelization) with others, but instead become a starting point and discussion to answer people’s most burning questions with the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Our Catholic faith, as always, provides answers to the questions of our day. Let us embrace the truth of Christ, know why we believe the truth and share it joyfully with others. For we are not ashamed of the Gospel!
“Sharing the Truth in Love” columns will run in the On Mission e-newsletter each month. January’s topic is “end of life issues.”
Fr. Girotti is vicar general and moderator of the Curia for the Diocese of Green Bay.