Welcome to Incarnating the Kerygma
“We have to give ways of incarnating the kerygma in the language of today”
Pope Francis, Christ is Alive, 211.
Study after study shows a decline in Church participation and affiliation across the board, while our own US Bishops realize that “many young Catholics find the faith to be irrelevant to the meaning of their lives and challenges.” More than 30% of Catholics have not returned to the pews post-pandemic and more than 40% of the millennial generation now self-identify as “unaffiliated” with any religion. According to the infamous Pew Research study from 2019, 69% of US Catholics believe the bread and wine used in Communion are only symbols. Many Church leaders are searching for solutions and ways to address the situation; however, Pope Francis has already offered a compelling answer to the apparent crisis of faith. In his first Apostolic Exhortation, The Joy of the Gospel, Pope Francis states that the kerygma “needs to be the center of all evangelizing activity and all efforts at Church renewal” (164). He repeats this statement again and again throughout his writings, yet it seems few have taken this method seriously for a variety of possible reasons. One of these possible reasons is that this solution seems so simple. Surely, everyone knows the central message of the Gospel that Jesus died and rose again.
While this seems to be a simple solution, it is actually a lot more complex. The kerygma is not just the content of the Gospel, but also the act of proclamation itself, which unveils the Gospel and makes it present. (cf. Directory for Catechesis, 58) While many may know that Jesus died and rose again, have they actually experienced his death and resurrection in their own life? Have they encountered Jesus? Unfortunately, from the statistics in the previous paragraph, it seems not, which is why the Pope has called for this kerygma to be the center of our activity and renewal and why Incarnating the Kerygma exists.
The goal of Incarnating the Kerygma is to provide practical ways for dioceses and parishes to help people experience Jesus in their own life through the proclamation of the kerygma. This blog, Incarnations, is designed to provide those in ministry with reflections and tools to inspire the core message of the Gospel to be shared and experienced in new and creative ways in their own ministry. Proclaim! is a video series that shares the kerygma in a clear and meaningful way, able to be used by individuals or in group settings. Mission is the follow-up series to Proclaim! in which those who have experienced the kerygma continue to grow in their relationship with Jesus and the Church. In addition, resources developed with the kerygma in mind can be found according to various categories from Adult Formation to sacramental preparation, from youth formation to RCIA in order to help those serving in parishes incarnate the kerygma in their communities of faith. All of the sections of this website will be updated regularly. If there is something you are looking for or have questions or comments, we welcome your feedback. Simply contact us using the form provided.
Happy Evangelizing!