Living as Missionary Disciples

PART I

Theological Summary of the

NewEvangelization

“It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to

go and bear fruit that will remain.”

In his very first general audience, Pope

Francis challenged all the baptized to “move beyond a dull or mechanical

way of living our faith, and instead open the doors of our hearts, our lives,

our parishes, our movements or associations, going out in search of others

so as to bring them the light and the joy of our faith in Christ.”

Inten-

sifying our lived faith and opening ourselves and our faith communities

more fully to all people—especially in our parishes, schools, and other

ministries—are the goals at the heart of the New Evangelization. As the

preparatory document for the Synod on the New Evangelization said, it is

no longer time for us as Church to be about “business as usual.”

To take

up the challenge of Pope Francis, we must be missionary disciples, called to

witness to Christ in every aspect of our lives.

What Is Evangelization?

The mission of evangelization is concisely summarized in the USCCB

Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis statement,

Disciples Called

to Witness

The Church’s

ad gentes

(“to the world”) mission given to her by

Christ is the proclamation of the Good News to those who do not

know him. The historical and social circumstances of the twentieth

century prompted the Church to renew her mission to evangelize.

This renewed vision of evangelization includes, as Pope Benedict XVI

has stated, the challenge to “propose anew” the Good News to all of

the Christian faithful, most especially to those of the faithful who are

absent from the Lord’s Table.