New Evangelization

What is the New Evangelization?

The New Evangelization is a call to each person to deepen his or her own faith, have confidence in the Gospel, and possess a willingness to share the Gospel. Pope Benedict XVI named October 11, 2012 to November 24, 2013 a “Year of Faith” to spark evangelization efforts that could continue for years to come.

On June 29, 2013, Pope Francis released Lumen Fidei (The Light of Faith), an encyclical letter, or teaching document. The encyclical reflects on the light of faith during the Year of Faith and beyond.

Faith that Illuminates

We must nourish our faith, Pope Francis writes, so it can illumine our lives and the world we live in.

Faith doesn't "draw us away from the world or prove irrelevant to the concrete concerns" facing humanity. Instead, it means “building in charity a city based on relationships,” with God’s love as the foundation (Lumen Fidei, no. 51).

We live our faith—and proclaim the Gospel—when we are channels for God’s love, working to transform human suffering and build societies that prioritize human dignity, care for creation, and the common good.

Love of God, Love of Neighbor

Evangelization always includes loving our neighbor and working to uphold his or her dignity. Echoing the Gospels, Pope Benedict XVI writes in Deus Caritas Est (God is Love),

“Love of God and love of neighbor have become one; in the least of the brethren we find Jesus himself, and in Jesus we find God” (no. 15).

Faith must be lived through the witness of love and solidarity. As Pope Francis notes,

“Words without witness are hot air. Words do not suffice”
(addresses, 5/18/13 and 6/17/13).

Sent As Disciples-Missionaries

Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio (now Pope Francis) was one of the primary authors, in 2007, of an important document from the Fifth General Conference of the Bishops of Latin America and the Caribbean, called the Aparecida document.

Aparecida calls us to be missionary disciples who work to build a world of love and solidarity. Missionary disciples joyfully announce the Gospel and proclaim the love of God that transforms hearts and minds—as well as unjust structures that perpetuate poverty and suffering.

“Let us be missionaries of the Gospel not only in word, but also with our own lives.”
˗Aparecida document

Evangelization includes our witness of addressing social inequalities and building a world that respects the dignity of every person, especially those who are poor and vulnerable.

Pope John Paul II’s Ecclesia in America urges us to see the Church in America (North, Central and South) as a single entity. The teaching of Aparecida on evangelization is relevant for all Catholics, especially as Pope Francis continues to draw from it in his messages and teachings.

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