For Catholics, evangelization takes
on a different meaning and expression than proselytizing.
The Church does not impose; she proposes. Catholics
are called to “witness” to their faith
and not “inflict” it on another person.
In his first Pastoral Letter, Cardinal George
has said: “It (evangelization) doesn’t
mean beating people over the head with a Bible
or a Catechism or our own spiritual experience
stridently repeated; but it does mean more than
just the quiet witness of Gospel living and Christian
service.”
What follows here are some intrinsic
qualities of Catholic evangelization which distinguish
it from mere proselytizing.
Catholic evangelization
is led by the Holy Spirit. The
Holy Spirit is the primary agent of evangelization
and moves us toward spiritual transformation
as individual disciples and as a Church. The
Holy Spirit is at work in the evangelizer and
in the heart of the person who is being evangelized.
Catholic evangelization
is rooted in Jesus Christ and His Church.
There is a profound link between Christ, the
Church, and evangelization. We cannot claim
to love, listen to, and belong to Christ without
the Church.
Catholic evangelization
is directed toward the Kingdom of God. Sharing
one's faith is a way to facilitate the fulfillment
of God’s will “on earth as it is
in heaven.” The evangelizing Catholic
fully accepts this activity as part of what
it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.
Catholic evangelization
involves sharing in the Eucharist.
The ultimate proclamation of God’s Word
is carried out in the Eucharist, the source
and the summit of our salvation. Catholics who
evangelize share in the Eucharist to grow in
their faith and also invite other Catholics
to do so.
Catholic evangelization
calls people to a lifelong journey to God.
Far from being a once-for-all experience, evangelization
is believed by Catholics to be a continuous
process of conversion. The best of evangelizers
allow themselves to be converted and evangelized
again and again and in that way grow in holiness.
Catholic evangelization
invites all church members to be stewards of
faith. Clergy, religious, and
laity are called to use their time, talent,
and treasure to spread the Good News :to become
a living sacrifice which is acceptable and pleasing
to the Lord.
Catholic evangelization
directs the mission of all Church endeavors.
Every ministry, project, and effort
can and should be evangelizing in its vision,
scope, and activity.
Catholic evangelization
offers a clear priority in all times and seasons.
In the midst of great confusion about what priorities
must be served in order to fulfill the highest
good, the duty to evangelize takes precedence.
Catholic evangelization
is optimistic and realistic. The
Catholic vision sees the world as basically
good but wounded by sin. Our efforts to transform
this world are measured, pragmatic, and consistent
and wedded to an appreciation of the time and
effort it takes to change the real world.
Catholic evangelization
is rooted in everyday life. Evangelizing
and being evangelized take place in the midst
of ordinary human situations where God encounters
His people in the mundane and in the ordinary.
Evangelizing encounters are woven into the life
of every family. The Catholic also finds opportunities
in and among the larger network of human associations
with friends and neighbors, within the workplace
and in business affairs, in technology and the
culture, in the business office and civic association,
and through the media as well as the Church.
