‘Proclaiming the Good News’ – Hope in the Future Launches Stage 4
Tuesday 5th October 2021On Sunday 3rd October, Bishop John led a Holy Hour at Salford Cathedral, marking the launch of Stage Four of Hope in the Future: ‘Proclaiming the Good News’. This Holy Hour was celebrated in many parishes throughout the Diocese of Salford simultaneously; a shared expression of our readiness to communicate the Good News of Christ throughout the world.
In previous stages, we have learnt to recognise the missionary activity in our own parishes, to understand our own gifts and their usefulness in this mission, and to build on the power of the Sunday Eucharist as a way of bringing people together.
Parishes throughout the diocese have engaged in this process first-hand, their shared experiences preparing us to ‘Proclaim the Good News’ to all those who have contact with us through our schools, baptisms, weddings, funerals, Christmas and Easter liturgies and Sacramental Programmes.
Bishop John began the Holy Hour with an invitation from Pope Francis, calling us to enter into a closer relationship with Christ. This invitation was extended to all people, as “no-one is excluded from the joy brought by the Lord” (Evangelii Gaudium 3). We were encouraged to think of ourselves as missionary disciples. Through kindness, generosity, and hard work, we are ambassadors for the church, sharing God’s love with our neighbours, proclaiming the Gospel through our words and actions.
Bishop John also called on us to profess our commitment to this mission. As Jesus said: ‘I must proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom of God: this is what I was sent to do’ (Luke 4:43), we say ‘we must proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom of God: this is what we were sent to do’. We prayed for the Holy Spirit to work through us, enabling us to share the joy we feel with the world.
If you’d like to get involved in ‘Proclaiming the Good News’ within your own parish, please download our resource pack here or visit our website: Resources – Roman Catholic Diocese of Salford.
There are also a number of events to support this stage including a formation series:
Fr Chris Gorton
Stage 4 – Proclaiming the Good News: providing opportunities for encounters
Wednesday 20th October 2021
Fr Eamonn Mulcahy
Synods and the Church under Pope Francis
Wednesday 24th November 2021
Bishop John Arnold
The local reality of the Church in the Diocese of Salford; Blessings and Challenges
Wednesday 9th February 2022
Austen Ivereigh
The People, the Spirit, and the Mission: sources for Pope Francis’s vision of a synodal Church
Wednesday 9th March 2022
Fr Gerard Kelly
Personal Encounter with Jesus
Wednesday 27th April 2022
Gary Stephens
The Good News of Jesus Christ
Wednesday 6th July 2022
More details can be found on our what’s on section.
To learn more about our diocesan renewal programme, Hope in the Future, you can watch this introductory video.
If you have any questions about Hope in the Future, please contact: hope@dioceseofsalford.org.uk.
