Bishop speaks to national radio audience

Bishop focuses on Church’s ‘saving message of the Gospel’ during appearance on Relevant Radio

CLIFTON  Bishop Serratelli took to the radio airwaves on the morning of May 18 to sound a note of hope on the future of Catholicism before a national audience, especially in light of increased efforts — and ongoing opportunities — to evangelize and form new disciples not only in the Paterson Diocese, but also throughout the universal Church.

Listeners from coast-to-coast tuned into the national Catholic network, Relevant Radio, to hear Bishop Serratelli speak about the serious challenges — as well as the joys — of evangelization and catechesis, particularly since the recent release of a Pew Research study that shows a decline in the number of Christians in the U.S. That Monday, the Bishop told John Harper, host of the program Morning Air, “In no way do I get discouraged” about the results of the widely publicized study.

“They’re just statistics, but if you look at the other good things that are happening, already there are many, many good indicators that we’re moving in the right direction,” said Bishop Serratelli, while calling into the Relevant Radio, which can be heard locally on 1430 AM WNSW. “When something is given that meets people’s spiritual needs, they are responding. Instead of getting discouraged, I look at those statistics as a challenge to us to keep doing some of the things we’re doing and find new ways to reach out to people,” the Bishop said.

Catholics need to reach out to people by announcing with great joy the “Good News” about “Jesus’ Passion, death and Resur­rection;” and the “saving message of the Gospel” — and its deep truths. Also, people “like to see the Gospel transforming other people’s lives — like with some of the recent saints — which have a great impact on them,” Bishop Serratelli told Harper.

During their on-air conversation, Harper asked Bishop Serratelli how Catholics today can extend their compassion and “introduce the faith and make the truth of the faith real in what can be an awkward situation” — reaching out to people, “who are divorced, cohabitating and having kids outside of marriage,” Harper said.

Bishop Serratelli suggested that Catholics follow the model of Pope Francis: “a way of accompanying people and following the model of Jesus at Emmaus with those first disciples that were discouraged and losing faith — to listen to them but then not be afraid to gradually speak the truth.” We should never withhold the truth, even when talking about divisive issues in society, such as sanctity of traditional marriage, he said.

“When we do that, we don’t leave them [the people we evangelizing] where they are. We need to bring them into a deeper, closer relationship with Christ,” Bishop Serratelli said. “If we have that fire within ourselves, they will see it. If they can see within us that Christ is real, over and above our words, they will find that attraction that will bring them, maybe not immediately, but slowly, back to the practice of the faith,” he said.

Then, Harper brought the conversation back to Pope Francis. He asked Bishop Serratelli how he thinks that the Holy Father will impact evangelization, when he visits the U.S. in September for the World Meeting of Families.

The Bishop suggested that Pope Francis — “the most popular man on the planet” — will “focus attention on the vibrancy of the Catholic faith.”

“When people see the crowds that flock to him with enthusiasm, they will know that we are a Church that’s still around and has something to offer,” Bishop Serratelli said. “Our Holy Father speaks in a very charismatic and engaging way. When people begin to listen to his words, they will find perhaps a challenge that will lead them closer and closer to truth and to the Gospel,” he said.

After, Harper complemented Bishop Serratelli, saying, “It’s that magnetism that the pope has — that pastoral nature — which you indeed have. Not a bad way to start a Monday — to get compared to the pope.” Then, he and the Bishop, a frequent listener of Relevant Radio, shared a laugh.

Later, Bishop Serratelli localized the conversation, speaking about the outreach of St. Paul Inside the Walls: the Diocesan Evangelization Center at Bayley-Ellard, Madison, in the Paterson Diocese. The first-of-its-kind facility in the U.S. ministers to many groups, including young people, grandparents, parents, doctors, lawyers and business professionals, he said.

“The center is a halfway house for people, who have been away from the Church and then have come to a neutral ground and they begin to re-establish the commitment they had. Even Catholics that have been churchgoers have now been able to deepen their faith on a professional level. Also, the center’s programs get parishes involved in evangelization,” Bishop Serratelli said.

Bishop Serratelli also spoke about the increase in vocations in the diocese and having the largest ordination class in the U.S. this year, thanks in part to programs, such as the annual “Quo Vadis” summer retreat for young men. At the conclusion of their conversation, Harper told his listeners, “What a great guy. Look what’s happening in the Diocese of Paterson. This is the good news that we like to bring to you on Relevant Radio.”

Morning Air can be heard weekdays from 7 a.m.-11 a.m. The show covers breaking news stories and social issues and engages in conversations rooted in the teachings of the Catholic Church.

Information: http://relevantradio.streamguys.us/MA%20Archive/MA20150518a.mp3.