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Chapter 11. The Four Marks of the Church • 137
1. Consider Christ’s great Commission to evangelize (Mt
28:18-20) as a spiritual vocation contained in our baptismal
commitment.
2. Be positive and hope-filled. As God’s messengers and Easter
people, we have Good News to share with others.
3. Include all major paths to evangelization: (a) interpersonal
dialogue, (b) parish programs, (c) diocesan direction. The
interpersonal approach is the most effective. Friends, rela-
tives, and neighbors account for four out of five of those
who become Catholics.
4. Begin with the human situation of the person. This might
be people’s four basic fears: failure, rejection, pain, death.
Raise questions about existence and future life. Show how
Jesus understands these fears and offers a salvation that is
the best response.
5. Build on faith experiences. Empathize with people’s love of
beauty, music, and art. Note this in the popular religion
of ethnics and immigrants—and the faith experiences in
Cursillo, Marriage Encounter, charismatic renewal.
6. Evangelize yourself through daily spiritual renewal in union
with Christ. Convinced people convince others. (
Catholic
Evangelization
[June 1991]: 39-41)
FOR DISCUSSION
1. How do the Church’s four marks strengthen your Catholic identity?
How can we lessen mistrust and the misunderstandings that exist
among the various Christian denominations in our community?
What can we do to eliminate anti-Semitism?
2. How is the hierarchy—pope, bishops, priests, and deacons—valu-
able for your growth in faith? What sources of spiritual strength
do you receive from the Church’s structures: parish, diocese, univer-
sal Church?
3. Identify practical ways to evangelize others. What are some benefits
the Church receives from those who have embraced consecrated
life? What are ways that the laity can help spread the faith?