Evangelizing Catholics

1. The New Evangelization is a Call to Deeper Faith for All Baptized Catholics.

More fundamentally, the New Evangelization is more for the baptized than the unbaptized.

A profound crisis. The New Evangelization is not merely about sending missionaries to foreign lands or converting unbelievers; it is primarily a call to re-evangelize those already baptized but inadequately catechized and secularized. Many Catholics, even regular churchgoers, struggle with a personal relationship with God, with research showing that a significant majority view God as an impersonal force, and only a small percentage are "intentional disciples." This highlights a critical need for a deeper conversion of heart and mind within the Church itself.

Beyond basic proclamation. Unlike traditional evangelization, which often focuses on initial conversion, the New Evangelization aims to call both the faithful and unfaithful to a profound, ongoing relationship with Christ. It seeks to move beyond mere belief to a vibrant "life in Christ," deepening one's faith year after year. This mission is about helping every man, woman, and child fall in love, grow in love, and walk in love with God, transforming their entire existence.

A universal charge. This mission is the work of the entire Church—lay, ordained, and consecrated. It involves friends, family, and co-workers reaching out through conversation, personal witness, media, and the Church's rich intellectual and spiritual heritage. It's a mission of eternal weight, one for which every Catholic is charged to understand and live, serving as a handbook for becoming both an evangelized and an evangelizing Catholic.

2. The Church's Mission to Evangelize is Rooted in a Rich Papal and Theological History.

The New Evangelization is the program, the objective, and the mission.

Seeds of renewal. The concept of the New Evangelization has deep roots, tracing back to the early 20th-century Kerygmatic Movement, which sought to revitalize Catholic life by centering preaching and teaching on the New Testament kerygma. This movement, led by figures like Josef Jungmann, emphasized evangelization as an ongoing process of deepening faith, integrating liturgical, biblical, and patristic renewals. Its influence was evident in the Second Vatican Council, where terms related to "gospel" and "evangelization" proliferated in council documents, signifying a profound shift in focus.

Papal fervor. Pope Paul VI vigorously advanced this theme, becoming the first pope to make apostolic journeys to other continents, seeing himself as the Church's "Missionary in Chief." His apostolic exhortation, Evangelii Nuntiandi, declared evangelization as the Church's "deepest identity," existing "in order to evangelize." This paved the way for Pope John Paul II, who formally launched the "New Evangelization" in 1979, calling for it to be "new in its ardor, methods, and expression," particularly entrusting this task to Catholics in the Americas.

A growing season. John Paul II prepared the Church for this mission throughout the 1990s, promulgating the Catechism of the Catholic Church and emphasizing the laity's role at World Youth Day in Denver. Pope Benedict XVI intensified this focus, highlighting the need for both primary and secondary evangelization, culminating in the establishment of the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization and a Year of Faith. Today, under Pope Francis, this mission continues to be the supreme duty for every believer and institution, recognizing that all other movements serve to further this singular objective.

3. Catholic Reluctance to Evangelize Stems from Historical and Cultural Misconceptions.

The fact that we see so few Catholics shouting from the rooftops tells us that many people sitting in church on Sunday don’t know why they’re there or what’s taking place.

Crisis of conviction. A primary obstacle to the New Evangelization is Catholics' lack of experience and reluctance in sharing their faith, often viewing it as "a Protestant thing." This reticence stems partly from a crisis of faith within the Church, where inadequate catechesis in homes, schools, and parishes has left many Catholics unfamiliar with the richness and importance of their beliefs. Without a deep, personal encounter with Jesus and a full understanding of the faith, the joy and desire to share it are often absent.

Historical baggage. For Catholics in the United States, skepticism about evangelization is rooted in a history of virulent anti-Catholicism during the 18th and 19th centuries. To avoid persecution and blend into a predominantly Protestant society, many Catholics adopted a strategy of silence, even removing evangelization courses from seminary curricula. This historical context fostered a cultural habit of keeping faith private, making public proclamation feel alien or even dangerous.

Modern misinterpretations. This historical reticence has been compounded by modern factors:

• Negative associations: Evangelization is often linked to aggressive Protestant proselytizing or the scandals of televangelists.
• Misguided humility: A post-Vatican II caution against "triumphalism" led some Catholics to focus excessively on the Church's flaws, losing confidence in proclaiming its truths.
• Cultural pressures: The American ethos of "religion as a private matter" and the societal emphasis on "tolerance" discourage expressing beliefs that might offend or "pressure" others.
  These factors combine to create a powerful confusion and fear, preventing many faithful Catholics from openly sharing their faith in word and deed.

4. Evangelization Requires Both Words and Witness, and Strengthens Our Own Faith.

Faith is strengthened when it is given to others!

Beyond silent witness. Many Catholics mistakenly believe that "preaching the Gospel always, using words when necessary" means their life witness alone is sufficient. However, this misinterprets the teaching of St. Francis and the Church. While witness is incredibly important for credibility, words are essential because no human life, however holy, can fully convey the complex truths of God, Christ, and the Church. Both words and deeds are necessary, working together to make our apostolate effective and whole.

A reciprocal process. The Church "strictly obliges" Catholics to evangelize not just for the sake of others, but for their own good. When we share our faith, we inevitably face questions and challenges that compel us to deepen our own understanding. This process of explaining the faith to others transforms our knowledge, helping us focus on the kerygma—the core message of Christ's love, our sin, his saving death and resurrection, and our call to faith.

Transforming our lives. Sharing our faith also profoundly transforms our personal witness. When we publicly identify as Catholic, our actions become accountable to our words, setting a higher standard for our behavior. This pressure, while sometimes challenging, often serves as a gentle reminder of our call to holiness, spurring us to greater self-mastery and virtue. Ultimately, evangelization helps us move from viewing faith as an obligation to seeing it as a loving relationship with Jesus Christ, fostering joy and clarity that draws others to Him.

5. The New Evangelization is a Lifelong Journey of Divine Romance, Culminating in the Sacraments.

The endgame is heaven. And the way we get there is through the Eucharist.

More than a single decision. For Catholics, evangelization is not a one-time event, like saying a "Sinner's Prayer," but a lifelong journey—a "divine romance." The early Church understood this as a threefold process, moving from initial conversion to deep sacramental life:

• Evangelized: Initial proclamation and belief in Christ.
• Catechized: Intensive instruction in the faith, like the catechumenate.
• Sacramentalized: Full participation in the Church's sacramental life, especially the Eucharist.
  This process, analogous to courtship, engagement, and marriage, involves the whole person—mind, body, and spirit—and deepens over many years.

The Eucharist as the goal. Pope John Paul II declared the Eucharist as "both the source and the summit of all evangelization," a concept echoed by Cardinal Ratzinger (later Pope Benedict XVI). This means the ultimate goal of evangelization is not just belief, but full participation in the Body of Christ, receiving God's own life through the sacraments. The Great Commission itself—"Go... baptizing... teaching"—reflects this progression from initial proclamation to sacramental incorporation and ongoing catechesis.

Ongoing conversion. The reception of sacraments is not the end, but a "more glorious beginning." Just as marriage deepens love and understanding over time, so too does the sacramental life lead to an ever-profound encounter with Christ. The New Evangelization, therefore, is also for baptized Catholics who need to rediscover and live the fullness of their baptismal vows, continually falling deeper in love with God and embracing the inexhaustible richness of the faith.

6. The First Evangelists Provide a Blueprint: Proclaim Christ, His Church, Covenant, and Sacraments.

Our task is to proclaim Jesus. The man. His life. His words. Even his manners and idiosyncrasies.

Proclaim a Person. The Gospels, written by the four evangelists, serve as a foundational blueprint for the New Evangelization. Matthew's Gospel, in particular, emphasizes proclaiming Jesus as an abidingly present Person, not just a philosophy or theology. This personal encounter with "God with us" (Emmanuel) is the primary task, enabling people to meet the God who loves them and shares His life in abundance.

Words and deeds, Church and Covenant. Matthew's Gospel structurally pairs Jesus' teachings (words) with His miracles and actions (deeds), demonstrating that the Gospel must be proclaimed through both. The Word of God is performative and transformative, always accomplishing something. Matthew is also unique in explicitly referencing the "Church" (ecclesia), revealing its indispensability as the Kingdom of God and its divine authority. Furthermore, the Gospels, especially John's use of the number seven, reveal Christ's fulfillment of the Old Covenant, calling us to divine sonship and kinship within God's universal family.

The necessity of Sacraments. The early evangelists understood evangelization as a lifelong journey lived out in the context of the sacraments. John's Gospel, particularly in passages like John 1:12, John 3 (Nicodemus), and John 6 (Bread of Life discourse), repeatedly drives home the necessity of sacraments for receiving the "power to become children of God." This Catholic Gospel reveals God as a loving Father who established a covenant, which we broke, and whose solution came in Christ, sealed by His self-sacrifice and resurrection, and conferred on us through the sacraments in His Church.

7. The Ordinary Witness of Christian Families and Communities Transformed the Ancient World.

Most of our brother Christians showed unbounded love and loyalty, never sparing themselves and thinking only of one another.

A stark contrast. The early Church's evangelization of the Roman Empire owed much to the ordinary witness of Christians, particularly in their family life and acts of charity. Roman society was brutal for women, marked by widespread female infanticide, child marriage, easy divorce, and forced abortions. Christian communities, in stark contrast, forbade these practices, respected women, encouraged virginity, and fostered stable, loving marriages, making Christianity vastly more attractive to women.

Demographic and moral power. This distinct Christian approach led to a demographic advantage, as Christian populations grew while pagan populations declined. Happier, more stable Christian marriages, characterized by mutual support and respect, served as a powerful witness to the transforming power of grace. This "missionary marriage" model attracted pagan men seeking wives and converts, demonstrating how the Christian faith perfected human relationships and family life.

Charity in crisis. The witness of early Christians extended beyond their homes, notably during devastating plagues. While pagans fled, Christians remained, nursing both their own and abandoned pagan sick, offering comfort and meaning in suffering. This courageous love, documented by Bishop Dionysius and even the emperor Julian, significantly contributed to Christianity's growth. The "Letter to Diognetus" describes Christians as "the soul to the body," animating society through their "wonderful and extraordinary way of life" in ordinary conduct, demonstrating that their "Godliness remains largely invisible" yet profoundly transformative.

8. The Christian Family is the Primary Field of Evangelization, a Domestic Church.

The family is where it starts. It’s the primary field of evangelization, the primary place each one of us is called to proclaim Christ.

The epicenter of faith. The family is the "domestic church," the primary field of evangelization where God calls us to proclaim Christ and give Him our most important service. Just as God is a "family"—an eternal communion of love—the union of man and woman in marriage is intended to be a sign of His faithful, fruitful, and transforming love. Pope Benedict XVI emphasized that marriage is not only an object but a "subject of the new evangelization," calling Catholic couples to use their marriages to communicate grace and truth.

Parents as first evangelizers. Parents are the "first heralds of the Gospel for their children," with an "original and irreplaceable" ministry of evangelization. Children learn about God's love, trust, strength, and mercy primarily through how their parents love them and live their faith. This involves actively forming children in the faith through prayer, conversation about God, frequenting the sacraments, teaching reverence, and living lives of Christian charity, ensuring that what is taught in school is reinforced at home.

Seven pillars of the domestic church. To cultivate a faithful domestic church, families must:

• Live their marriage vows with fidelity, kindness, and mutual sacrifice.
• Be the primary evangelizers of their children, actively forming them in faith.
• Become places of prayer, integrating daily prayers and Catholic traditions.
• Make the Mass the center of family life, prioritizing it above other activities.
• Be havens of charity, showing love within the family and extending hospitality and works of mercy to others.
• Be faithful to Church teaching, striving for holiness and repenting when falling short.
• Cultivate the virtue of hope, fostering gratitude and trust in God amidst challenges.
  These principles apply equally to single individuals, who are also called to spiritual fatherhood/motherhood and to live a prayerful, hopeful, and faithful spirit.

9. The Lay Apostolate Extends Beyond the Home into Friendships, Neighborhoods, and Workplaces.

The ordained have their tasks. We, the laity, have ours. We’re called to develop an apostolate in the world, to go out into the many fields spread before us, and there both sow and cultivate the seeds of faith.

Apostolate, not just ministry. The Second Vatican Council's Apostolicam Actuositatem calls the laity to an "apostolate" in the world, distinct from the "ministry" of the clergy. This distinction is crucial, as clericalism, in both its pre- and post-Vatican II forms, can undermine the lay mission. The laity are called to be "salt and light" in the culture, not merely to take on liturgical roles, but to actively engage and transform the world through their unique vocations.

Fields of engagement. The lay apostolate extends into various spheres of life:

• Friendship: Building deep, loyal relationships where we listen, support, challenge, and share our faith, inviting friends to Mass or Bible studies, and interceding for them. This respects the individual's journey through stages of trust, curiosity, and seeking.
• Neighborhood: Loving our neighbors through good stewardship of our homes, building community through hospitality, and performing acts of service. Our family's witness can be singular for those who may not encounter other Catholics.
• Workplace: "Serving the Lord and not men" by working diligently, honestly, and with respect for co-workers. This involves integrating faith into professional life, being a source of accurate information about the Church, and being prepared to give a personal testimony of faith when opportunities arise.

Specialized fields. Beyond these universal fields, God calls some laity to specialized apostolates:

• University Campuses: Supporting groups like FOCUS and Newman Centers to combat the significant loss of faith among college students.
• Media: Utilizing social media, Catholic radio, blogs, and other platforms to tell the Catholic story and proclaim the Gospel.
• Conferences and Retreats: Participating in or organizing events that offer formation, prayer, and opportunities for conversion and deeper faith.
• New Lay Movements: Engaging with groups like Focolare or Communion and Liberation, which offer unique spiritualities and foster vibrant Christian communities.
  The harvest is plentiful, but laborers are few; the laity are called to boldly and beautifully live their faith in these diverse fields.

10. Understanding Sin as a Refusal of Divine Sonship Reveals Our Need for Grace.

It is the refusal of divine sonship. It is the refusal of that for which we were made — a life and love so much greater than anything we can find in this world.

Loss of divine life. Genesis reveals that humanity was created in God's image, elevated by the "breath of life" to divine adoption and sanctifying grace. God's warning to Adam and Eve—"you shall die the death"—referred not to physical death, but to the infinitely more precious loss of this supernatural life, a forfeiture of divine sonship through mortal sin. Original sin, therefore, is not something committed but "contracted"—a lack of sanctifying grace, leaving us spiritually dead from conception, a state restored by Baptism.

Concupiscence and actual sin. Even after Baptism, humanity retains concupiscence—disordered appetites and desires resulting from original sin. This is not sin itself, but a weakened will, darkened intellect, and passions that pull us away from God. As 1 John 2:15-17 explains, the "lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life" are the temptations that lead to actual sin. These are not arbitrary laws, but God's loving guidance for our perfection; when we sin, we break ourselves against His laws, experiencing the consequences of our failure to trust Him.

Christ's filial obedience. Matthew's Gospel illustrates this by showing Christ overcoming the same three temptations in the wilderness that Adam failed in the Garden. Jesus responded as a trusting Son, passing the test of filial love. This illuminates that the essential mystery of our iniquity is not just distrusting God, but distrusting Him as a Father who calls us to divine sonship. Our sin is a refusal of this ultimate calling, necessitating a price to be paid for our restoration.

11. Christ's Atoning Death is a Representative and Participatory Act of Filial Love, Not Vengeance.

What happened on Calvary wasn’t a revelation of God’s vengeance. It was a revelation of the inner life of the Trinity.

Beyond human metaphors. The New Testament uses various metaphors—marketplace (redemption), courtroom (justification), battlefield (victory over Satan), temple (sacrifice)—to explain Christ's atoning death. However, these are finite human analogies for an infinite divine mystery. The concept of "penal substitution," which suggests God the Father poured out His wrath on Christ, presents problematic caricatures of a vengeful God who punishes the innocent, raising questions about divine justice and love.

God's immutable love. God is immutable and does not experience human wrath or changing passions. Biblical references to God's "wrath" are anthropomorphic expressions, describing how impenitent sinners experience His holy and just love when they reject it. God's love is constant; the "fire" of His love burns rather than warms for those who turn away. Therefore, Calvary was not about God exacting vengeance, but about a profound revelation of the Trinity's inner life and love.

Representative and participatory love. Pope Benedict XVI clarified that Christ's death was "representative" and "participatory," not substitutionary. As our covenant representative, Jesus, the new Adam, offered perfect filial love and obedience to the Father, a love Adam failed to give. Through the Incarnation, Christ assumed our human nature to impart His divine nature to us. His obedience, love, suffering, and death are "re-presented" in us, allowing us to participate in His atoning act of Sonship. This empowers us to carry our own crosses, endowing our sufferings with redemptive value, transforming them into sanctifying acts of love and trust.

12. The Eucharist is the Source, Summit, and Content of the New Evangelization.

The Eucharist thus appears as both the source and the summit of all evangelization.

The heart of evangelization. True evangelization is impossible without the Eucharist; it is not merely a context or goal, but the very content of what we proclaim. While Protestants often view the Last Supper as a meal and Calvary as a separate sacrifice, the Church understands them as inextricably connected. Jesus, as the Lamb of God, transformed the Passover meal on Holy Thursday into the New Covenant Passover sacrifice, culminating in His body given up and blood poured out on Good Friday.

Sacrifice and Resurrection. Calvary is a sacrifice because it is the culmination of Christ's self-giving love, not primarily an execution. The Resurrection then transforms this sacrifice into a sacrament, completing our salvation by opening the way to new life and justification. It is the glorification of Christ's sacred humanity, making it communicable to us. In the Eucharist, we receive the Resurrected Lord, the eternal high priest, who offers Himself not as a reward for righteousness but as a remedy for our sins, weaknesses, and failures.

The New Testament itself. Love is the key to the Paschal Mystery, transforming Christ's suffering into a superabundant sacrifice that outweighs all malice. The Eucharist enables us to "partake of the divine nature" (2 Pet 1:4), empowering us to love with a supernatural love and carry our own crosses. Crucially, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the New Testament; Jesus said, "Do this in memory of me," not "Write this." The Mass came first, and its liturgical proximity to the early Christian writings eventually gave those books their collective title. The Eucharist is for all, illuminating God's love and enabling us to offer our lives back to Him as living sacrifices.

Last updated: March 12, 2026