Advertise  here

Contact us for rates

 

About Us

FAQs

 Letter

New To The Faith?

This We Believe

Prayers

Become A Catholic

Stations/Cross

Liturgical Calendar

Inspiration

Gift Shop

 

How to pray the Rosary

 

Apologetics

 

14kt Gold

Miraculous Medal

 

 

 

Resources

 

bible

 

vocations

 

home school

 

catechism of the catholic church

 

church supplies

 

 

 

    Catholic Evangelization and Information

   As Catholics, we are called to evangelize.  It is our responsibility.

“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 of you.  And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”  Mt. 28:19-20

 

   “Evangelizing is in fact the grace and vocation proper to the church, her deepest identity, She exists to evangelize.”   (On Evangelizing in the Modern World by Pope Paul VI) 

 

   We are under the opinion that an increase in parishioners and a deepening of the faith could be a simultaneous process. 

 

   We are obligated to evangelize not only to Christians but also to non-Christians as well.  It's all about priorities and common sense.  If saving souls is our Lord's number one objective, shouldn't it be ours?  Furthermore, our Lord hiked all over His creation to spread the good news.  Are we not lesser than He? 

   “A living out of one’s baptismal and confirmation commitments requires one to share the gospel with others and to invite others to experience the fullness of life known only through membership in the church.”  Rev. Peter M.J. Stravinskas

   As more and more people hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, the numbers of the faithful will begin to rise and an increase in the number of vocations to the Priesthood and consecrated life will follow. 

 

   You have the choice between closing churches and dwindling resources or evangelization and increased stewardship.

 

   Here are some practical approaches to Evangelizing:

(Be open to the Holy Spirit.  Proclaim the truth with love.)

  • Proclaim the good news to family members, friends and co-workers and invite them to your church.

  • Set up a welcoming committee in your church to welcome and orientate new and potential parishioners as well as cautioning them not to receive holy communion until they have been baptized and properly prepared.

  • Start an evangelization committee.

  • Start an evangelization fund.

  • Each Parishioner, in their own community, proclaims the good news to another individual and invite them to their church. 

  • Send out invitations signed by the Parish Priest with a gospel message attached.

  • Go door to door spreading the Gospel and handing out brochures with your churches information.  You may also use our "Come and See" evangelization letter.

  • Purchase a church sign for the front of your Parish.  Use it to invite Catholics new to the area and inviting back Parishioners who have left and all other members of the community.  This sign could also be used for future announcements etc.  This is a very effective way to evangelize especially if your church is on a busy street as it is always working for you!

  • Ask your Parish Priest to have regular public information sessions to address concerns why individuals do not go to church or why they have stopped going.

  • Have a contest to see which Parishioner can proclaim the gospel to as many people as they can.

  • Purchase bibles and hand them out in your community.

  • Have regular "meet and greet" with the Parish Priest.

  • Send out flyers into the community promoting the faith with details about the R.C.I.A. program.  Also include the benefits and advantages of following the faith - what's in it for them!  Have good arguments why they should go to church every weekend instead of going to play hockey or golf or sleeping in every Sunday morning.

  • Have neighbourhood evangelization gatherings in the church parking lot i.e.. picnic, cook out etc.  This way people driving by will see them.  Each Parishioner could invite someone to the gathering.

  • Parishioners can walk up and down the sidewalk in front of the church with welcoming signs and/or costumes of their favourite Saint proclaiming the good news.

  • Hand out business cards with your churches information (location, phone numbers and mass times) and an evangelistic message on it.

  • Ask the "welcome wagon" who the new residents are and then have members of the church go out and introduce themselves and preach the gospel to them.

  • In the churches envelopes database, find out what Parishioners have stopped going.

  • Organize church sporting events like a baseball game or lawn bowling and make it open to everyone.

  • Offer a car service for those who need transportation getting to and from church.  This parish car could have a gospel quote on it and your churches' information.

  • Advertise on the church sign that your church will have talks on basic religious concepts.

  • Set up the Alpha course at your parish.

  • Find free ad space on T.V. such as community listings to advertise your churches welcoming messages, gospel messages and programs.

  • Find free air space on the radio to promote upcoming events at your church.

  • Have free concerts in the church hall with inspirational gospel music.

  • Evangelize by way of flyers, word of mouth, internet, newspapers, signs, labels, merchandise, bumper stickers, stationary and so on.

  • Develop an evangelistic slogan for your church and put it on buttons, pins and t-shirts for all Parishioners to wear.  Hand them out to the needy.

  • Build a website for your church.  Allow for online registration to receive parish information and on how to become a parishioner.

  • Plan a walk-about after mass - Parishioners walking through the neighbourhood singing hymns, proclaiming the gospel and  inviting all to church.

  • Have your church designate someone in the Parish to evangelize full time.  This person would give talks at schools, jails, work places, social events etc. and would receive a modest stipend.

  • Write an evangelistic jingle for your church.

  • Have someone design an evangelistic logo for your church.  The range of talent and experience is broad in the church, so many of the aforementioned ideas could be done in-house.

  • Once a year, honour new parishioners with a special gathering - a way of telling them how much they are appreciated and how they could help others in their community by proclaiming the gospel and inviting them to church as well. 

  • Set up a kiosk in a shopping mall and hand out information packages or leaflets with gospel and welcoming messages on them.

  • K.I.S. (Keep It Simple) Remember, we need to keep the message simple; with all the information out their, it could easily be overwhelming for someone new to the church.  John 3:16 is a perfect starting point.

  • If your church is having a hard time starting an evangelization committee or it is stalled for one reason or another, here's another method:  Have an evangelization "suggestion box" in the church.  The Parish Priest takes the best suggestions and once a week at Saturday and Sunday Masses, asks Parishioners to follow through on at least one suggestion before the following Saturday.  The Priest could also assign evangelization tasks to individuals that have to be completed within the week.

  • When someone asks, “Why Christianity?  Why not one of the other two monotheistic religions or even Buddhism?”  Tell them:  Jesus is the perfect fulfillment of the Old Testament's Jewish law and prophecy.  Jesus is the direct descendant of Abraham's Isaac and not Ishmael (progenitor of the muslims). Buddha died still searching for the truth.  Jesus is the way and the truth and the life.

  • Our Lady of  Guadalupe, La Salette, Lourdes, Fatima and many other church approved miracles and apparitions were revealed to us to increase our faith.  We should include them in our conversion conversations.   These miracle were performed for a reason.  It's tragic to keep them to ourselves!

  • Pray!

Click here for more ways to evangelize

†

 

 

   He commanded them: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.  Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned.”  Mk 15:15-16

 

  Add This Site To Your Favourites!

Link to us

 

top of page

 

Home Letter Prayers Liturgical Calendar
About Us New To The Faith? Become A Catholic Inspiration
FAQs This We Believe Stations/Cross Gift Shop

 

 

All images and content on this and other pages of this site are the property of mdbys.com or their respective owners.

 

Contact Us

privacy policy  disclaimer  

©2007

 

 

Affiliate Program

 

The Good Shepherd

 

Organizations

 

youth for the third millenium

 

Advertise

Here

contact us for rates

 

Religious Orders

legionaries of christ

regnum christi

 

Sunday Missal

Buy it now

Media

ewtn

zenit

 

 

Links pages

catholicity

 

Information

catholic online

catholic.net

 

 

Charities

gobal fund for children

st vincent de paul

 

 

Evangelization

 

1bread

 

 

Miscellaneous

angels

saints

compassion

forgiveness

Holy Spirit

respect life

holy face

 

doctrinal note on some aspects of evangelization

free ecards

Shop now for

Christian gifts