“The Church exists in order to evangelize, that is, to share the life-changing good news of the Gospel with others. This evangelization calls for personal involvement on the part of each of the Baptized. Every Christian is challenged, here and now, to be actively engaged in evangelization; indeed, anyone who has truly experienced God’s saving love does not need much time or lengthy training to go out and proclaim that love. Every Christian is a missionary [disciple] to the extent that he or she has encountered the love of God . . . So what are we waiting for?” (Evangelium Guadium 120)
This has become foundational to the mission lived out in our parishes through Go Make Disciples and Into the Deep.
It is in and through the Church that all people have access to God and are offered a share in His own life.
The Church is the sacrament of salvation (Ad Gentes 5).
The Church is essential to God’s plan and has been entrusted with all the grace and truth to make her a “trustworthy steward” (1 Cor. 4:2) to be the dispenser of the mystery of Christ through the sacraments, which offer redemption and holiness.
Understanding this true nature of the Church reveals her character and mission. The Church and her body are sent forth into the world to “Go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:18-20).
The Church thirsts for souls as Christ thirsted on the Cross for the redemption of all men.
She also “burns” with charity toward those who are seeking truth and full communion with God.
The Fathers of the Second Vatican Council explained, The Church has an obligation to proclaim the faith and salvation which comes from Christ, both by reason of the express command which the order of bishops inherited from the Apostles . . . and also by reason of the life which Christ infuses into his members (Ad Gentes 5).
How do we evangelize?
This understanding of the Church and Her Mission begs the questions: What does it look like for each of us to be actively engaged in evangelization? What does it look like for the Church to evangelize?
As laity, living out this call personally, we have to be willing to bring our faith to all aspects of our lives.
We must be willing to have a relationship with God and the Church, and share our Christian joy with others.
We must be people of prayer and be willing to pray with our families and friends.
We must have thoughtful and charitable conversations about contemporary issues that we face in our lives while keeping Christ at the center.
We must be willing to “go against” the cultural norms and stand up publicly for truth and goodness.
OCIA, a process of conversion
Holy Mother Church offers a more official journey for those seeking faith/conversion.
The Church has always viewed this duty as a privilege and a responsibility to invite and prepare others to seek full communion with Christ and His Body.
The Church has an ancient custom, called the catechumenate in the early centuries, by which adults were admitted to the sacraments
It was and still is a process of inquiry, conversion, catechetical formation, and spiritual mentorship, all carefully interwoven in a series of rituals that confer grace and gradually insert the inquirers into the fullness of the Mystery of Christ.
The catechumenate, also referred to as the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA), is the typical way to fulfill this obligation to bring “unchurched” into full communion with the Catholic Faith and is offered in parishes.
During this OCIA process, sometimes also referred to as the catechumenal process, individuals who are inquiring about the Catholic faith and the reception of sacraments are invited to explore through witness, study, and prayer, and discern if God is leading them to the fullness of the Catholic faith and life.
In the last year, our diocese and dioceses all over the country have seen a great movement and work of the Holy Spirit through bringing new inquirers into the Catholic Faith.
Record numbers were reported all over the country and the world, of neophytes (newly initiated Catholics) at the past Easter Vigil.
This movement of the Lord is a sign of hope to all of us that the Church is alive and God still has great things to do here in our lifetime, even in the face of great suffering and difficulty.
Who do you know?
As we continue in our journey Into the Deep and to Go Make Disciples, all of the pastorates are working toward establishing and renewing their evangelization efforts as well as their catechumenal/OCIA processes.
We all know people in our lives seeking truth, seeking God, and who need God’s grace through the sacraments.
Invite the people in your life to consider growing in faith through the OCIA process.
If you yourself, or someone you know, is seeking Sacraments of Initiation, or simply want to learn more about the Catholic Faith, contact your pastorate to inquire about OCIA in your area, or feel free to contact the diocese at [email protected] and we will get you connected in your local area.
If all the laity and the Church as a living body are taking this mission mandate to heart, we will begin to see the work of the Holy Spirit in the world in a new and even more fruitful way.
We will need to welcome, form, and initiate those seeking truth, beauty, and goodness.
In effect, the Body of Christ will grow!