It was Friday, April 19, and the City of Boston was on lockdown. It was soon after the horror of the Boston Marathon bombing, and the mayor had ordered citizens to stay indoors. Yet, after smoothing many logistical wrinkles, Paulist Reconciliation Ministries board members met in a guest room of a locked hotel with police sirens screeching regularly outside.

“Despite the horrors around us, our meeting reinforced more than ever the need for reconciliation and peace within our country, our Church and our cities,” said Father Thomas Kane, director of Paulist Reconciliation Ministries. “The board tackled the difficult questions and helped set a future direction for new Reconciliation initiatives.”

As the manhunt for the bombers wore on and lockdowns remained in place, the viability of the biennial reconciliation symposium to be held on the Newton Campus of Boston College the next day was called into question. The lockdowns were lifted on Friday evening, and the conference – titled “The New Evangelization: Renewing the Church” – went on. Co-sponsored by the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry and Paulist Reconciliation Ministries, the symposium attracted some 250 people from the East Coast and Midwest.

A highlight of the daylong event was a plenary presentation by Father Anthony Gittins, CSSp, professor emeritus of Catholic Theological Union, speaking on “Mission, Evangelization, and Discipleship.” He named four aspects of “integral evangelization” – evangelization as Jesus does it – through proclamation, witness, dialogue and liberation. Participants also were able to attend two 75-minute breakout sessions covering a wide range of specialized areas within the broad umbrella of evangelization. These sessions included best practices for evangelizing returning Catholics; youth and young adults; the dynamic of mutual evangelization when ministering to those at life’s end; evangelizing through the liturgy; and embracing cultural and linguistic diversity of parishes.

When participants were asked, “What will you take away from this conference?” the responses themselves were inspiring: “The need to make evangelization organic—living and breathing the power of God.” “Not to take anything for granted; cherish others and life.” “The Church doesn’t have a mission but the mission has a Church, including me.” “Reinvigoration…great insights…opportunity to meet new people.” “Hope, inspiration, and practical ideas.”