Diocese of/de Pembroke

In April 2025, the Evangelization Team of the diocese of Pembroke embarked on a quest. They gathered to enter into a “Conversation-in-the-Spirit,” a prayerful and dialogal effort to grasp and articulate a shared understanding of evangelization. As they journeyed through prayer and personal reflections, a series of concise insights began to emerge of what it means to share the Gospel: 

• “Intentionally helping others to know, love and serve Jesus and the Church.”
• “Evangelization is loving others into Christ.”
• “Introducing people to the possibility of knowing the Lord Jesus.”
• “Getting to know someone where they are and introducing them to a new Friend.”
• “Witnessing to Jesus and to the joy of the Gospel.”
• “Bringing the love and mercy of Christ to others, and bringing others to the love and mercy of Christ.”
• “Introducing Jesus to others a thousand times, if necessary.”
• “Journeying with a friend in sharing Jesus, knowing the destination surpasses imagination.”
• “Helping people hear God, who is calling them into a relationship with Christ.”

These inspirations don’t stand in isolation; they resonate with the Church’s universal and perennial mandate to evangelize. The Magisterium, particularly in foundational documents like Pope Paul VI’s Evangelii Nuntiandi and Pope Francis’ Evangelii Gaudium, doesn’t just describe evangelization; it proclaims it as the Church’s deepest identity, an essential way of being, not merely a program to be run.

Evangelization, at its heart, thrives on authentic and loving relationships. It is the intentional accompaniment of every person, meeting them where they are and inviting them into a life-changing relationship with Jesus Christ. This isn’t a formula; it’s an echo of Jesus’ own earthly ministry—His encounters with the woman at the well (John 4) or Zacchaeus in his tree (Luke 19) were not fleeting interactions but profound invitations into something entirely new. 

Then there’s the “joyful witness”. Evangelii Gaudium famously declares, “The joy of the gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus.” This isn’t the fleeting happiness of the world, but a profound, unshakeable gladness rooted in the certainty of God’s love, a radiant fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22). 

The team also recognized evangelization as a Spirit-led endeavor which aligns with a profound truth: the Holy Spirit is the principal agent of evangelization (as Evangelii Nuntiandi stresses) and our active, willing cooperation, is the vessel. It’s about attuning our hearts to the promptings of the Spirit and to help others discern the “still small voice” of God calling them to Him amidst the noise of the world. 

The Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) isn’t a gentle suggestion; it’s a divine command to “go and make disciples.” This “going out” demands both courageous proclamation and authentic witness. 

Ultimately, evangelization is the current that flows from a heart that has received abundantly and yearns to share. It is about selfless love, boundless mercy, and an authentic, open invitation to follow Christ. 

The question before us now is not only what evangelization is—but what it will become through us. Are we ready and willing to answer God’s call to share our faith and lead others into a relationship with Jesus?