Inculturation Project Office

OVERVIEW

New Evangelization:
New methods of evangelization of Native peoples are necessary. This new effort must address the religious needs of Native people today as well as address the climate of prejudice in which they live. To do effective evangelization we need theological reflection based on reliable data. We propose to investigate the needs of the people by written questionnaires and by personal interviews and where possible local focus group meetings, roundtables and forums. Through these methods we would be able to assess the situation of the Native Catholic Church communities. The results would serve as a basis for determining what can be done to effectively re-evangelize Native communities. These methods could, after necessary revision, be administered in other parts of the United States. At the same time, we would begin a process with non-Native clergy and lay leaders to come to better understanding of the history of Native and non-Native relationships with the hope of bringing these communities together.