PROCLAIMING THE GOSPEL OF SALVATION

A Call To Evangelization

BY FR. AL BACA

AS A YOUNG MAN, when I heard the word evangelization, I thought of far away places where missionaries were preaching the Gospel often at great threat to their lives.

It would never have occurred to me that the word had some connection to me or anyone who was already a believing Catholic. All these years later I now see how evangelization is the very grounding of Catholic life.

Evangelization is the proclaiming of the gospel of salvation, of Jesus Christ. We evangelize by word and by good works. It is the central mission of the Catholic Church and the calling of every disciple of Christ. We might even say that it is one of the measurements of discipleship and the indwelling of the

Holy Spirit.

When the apostles were gathered in the Upper Room they were paralyzed with fear. Christ had been crucified and there was every good reason to believe that they would be arrested next. Then Pentecost happened. Sealed with the Holy Spirit, the Apostles had an irrepressible need to share their experience of Christ. It is this same confidence of faith that every Catholic longs for.

Bishop Vann established the Office for Evangelization to provide parishes, ministries and all Catholics with support and resources connected to evangelization. More importantly, it represents a concrete commitment of the Diocese of Orange to foster in all of us a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ and the Church.

All of us have had friends and family members who have left the Catholic

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The Diocese of Orange, through OC Catholic newspaper, presents local, national and world news about the Catholic Church. Our intention is to give our readers access to a variety of perspectives in order to help them to process the information within the framework of our Catholic faith, but also to better understand the perspectives of those with opposing viewpoints. We hope that ultimately our readers will be better equipped to have constructive conversations that further the growth of the Catholic Church.

JUNE