I am still savouring the inspirations of the Proclaim conference in Sydney last week. Top of my list for moments of encouragement and focus was the time spent with the six other New Zealanders. Five of us were from the Christchurch diocese, and the other two are originally from our diocese but currently ‘on mission’ to other parts of New Zealand.
I don’t make this comment about these conversations with good NZ company and food and drink lightly. So often this happens at a conference – the input from inspiring speakers might bring us together, but it is the ‘non-organised’ time spent socially that is an unexpected highlight. In this time I think we re-discover that the ONE we seek is not to be found so much in the inspiring speakers who visit from away, as in the friendship ‘with brothers and sisters who dwell together in unity.’ (Psalm 133)
Having said this, the two keynote speakers for the Proclaim Conference were both challenging and inspiring.
Archbishop Rino Fisichella was has been appointed by Pope Benedict as the first president of the newly constituted Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization.
Martha Fernandez-Sardina is the Director of the Office for Evangelization for the Archdiocese of San Antonio in Texas.
Some longer video clips from Archbishop Rino Fisichella:
and from Martha Fernandez-Sardina
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