S.I.N.E. QUESTION from Mother Peter Marie July 21, 1999 John Paul, could you please tell me where SINE came from? It mean Systematic Integration of the New Evangelization and it has been proposed in the Lincoln Diocese. What kind of program is this?
Thanks very much for your time and attention to the request.
Mother Peter Marie, F.L.G.
ANSWER by John-Paul Ignatius on July 21, 1999 Dear Mother Peter Marie:
I am not familiar with this project, but it seems to be a method to help parish evangelize that was developed in Mexico. The one liner definition is: SINE is a basic, organic and holistic Pastoral Model which seeks to transform the parishes in an evangelizing communities.
Here is the complete text from the SINE webpage on what SINE is:
It is not an Organization nor an Institution. It is not a Movement nor an Association. It is not merely a Method. It is a PASTORAL MODEL or SYSTEM FOR PARISHES. It is a basic, organic and holistic Pastoral Model which seeks to transform the parishes in an evangelizing communities the Parish from being:
Parish: the primary and fundamental structure for the pastoral mission of the Church. In diocesan communion,it is the place par excellence for living the Christian life and fulfilling the mission of the Church; it is the place where the Body of the Church is formed and the faithful are actively involved in it; guided and led by the Pastor with the active participation of religious and lay people. All members in collaboration with the Pastor share their gifts and charisms, given to each for the community, and thus fulfill their function within the Body of Christ, the Church.
Evangelizing: fulfilling the essential mission of the Church: evangelizing and catechizing, being missionary and forming disciples.
Community: the Parish is a communion of communities, an ecclesial Body where the community is formed on different levels: Small Community, Sectorial community in neighborhoods, and Parish Community.
Starting from a vision of Church as COMMUNION: that is to say the Church as PEOPLE OF GOD, and BODY OF CHRIST; A PRIESTLY PEOPLE, apostolic and ministerial.
The Parish Is for everyone and should provide all. The Movements, are only for some persons and provide just a part. The Parish is the place where the mission of the Church Is fully accomplished, in all its dimensions, in a Planned and organized way. An essential characteristic of SINE, as a Pastoral Model or Design, is its HOLISTIC APPROACH, expressed in the following way:
GOING TO ALL! - PROVIDING ALL! - INVOLVING ALL! The whole Church - with the whole Gospel - to the whole World
GOING TO ALL!:
Missionary Parish that goes out, using the feet to bring the Good News to all, seeking out the lost sheep and does not waiting in the pews for the lost sheep to find its own way home. It seeks for and wants to reach all people. Go into the whole world and proclaim the Good News to every creature Mk 16:15
INVOLVING ALL!
Evangelized people actively involved in a specific apostolate within the Parish. The entire PRIESTLY PEOPLE working united and involved: priest, nuns, lay people.
PROVIDING ALL!
The basic elements of the Christian life and all the dimensions of the mission of the Church, participating in the mission of Jesus himself, as prophet, priest, pastor and king. These dimensions of the Mission of the Church, are described in the following four fundamental Ministries:
WORD: a process of evangelization in distinct stages, beginning with the kerigmatic moment as foundation, and continuing through a well developed, systematic catechetical and biblical formation, given to all.
COMMUNITY: a truly ecclesial Body which lives in fraternal communion, forming community, from the small community, to the larger Sectorial community, to the total Parish community: becoming a communion of communities.
SACRAMENTS: the fountain and center of the Christian and Church life, celebrated with the wholehearted, active and alive participation of a true community. Particularly in the Eucharist.
CHARITY: social action which promotes justice and thus creates a new world where no one is in want and where corporate witness of new Models of living in fraternal solidarity is given.
This division into four areas or Ministries is a logical division in the mind. It must be translated into an operational level, in a Pastoral Plan of the Parish. A well organized Pastoral Plan which integrates all the elements:
the kerygma, catechesis, and bible study the formation of communities and social services liturgical celebration and spontaneous prayer the charismatic experience and the ecumenical dimension the apostolic commitment of all the faithful taking care of special groups like the family, youth, the sick and those in need of rehabilitation or liberation. The Website in English is: http://spin.com.mx/~raulma/inicio-i.html
Back to Index Page