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"Go, therefore, and make disciples of
all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father, and of the son, and of
the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And
behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age." (Mt. 28:19-20).
 Evangelization is the means
by which we share the gift of faith with others. It is not a program or outreach
effort, but rather a way of being church. The word evangelization comes from the
Greek work for gospel, which means "good news." It is at the very heart and soul
of the Church’s mission to spread this good news: God loves each of us, Jesus
died for to redeem our sins, and those who believe will have eternal life.
Like the Apostles, we are commissioned to bring the gospel into every
human situation. We are called to express God’s love by seeking to transform
ourselves, others, and society by the divine power of the gospel itself.
Conversion is the change that occurs from hearing the gospel proclaimed and
bearing witness by upholding moral values and supporting each other in faith.
Evangelization happens when the word of Jesus speaks to our hearts and
minds. It calls for inner renewal, outward discipleship, and embracing the
social mission of Christ. Evangelization seeks to help those who have not heard
the gospel or have stopped practicing their faith, and those who desire a
greater fullness of faith.
"In 1975, Pope Paul VI’s Apostolic
Exhortation, On Evangelization in the Modern World, stated that ‘the Church
exists to evangelize.’ Catholics throughout the world were being called to
realize that there is a difference between being a believer and being a
disciple. In 2002, the U.S. bishops will mark the 10th anniversary of their own
National Plan and Strategy for Catholic Evangelization, Go and Make Disciples
. Now it is up to us as disciples in the 21st
century to bring about a New Evangelization that Pope John Paul II calls us to,
‘new in expression, new in fervor, and new in methods.’"
- Fr. John Hurley, CSP, director
of
evangelization, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
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