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Evangelii Nuntiandi
Chapter I: From Christ the Evangelizer to the Evangelizing Church
No. 14
This number continues the theme of the previous chapter, which is the duty of the Church to evangelize all people. This is her main activity. She does this wherever she goes. She does this in parishes with preaching the Gospel at Mass to the preaching in the other sacraments. She does it in the devotions that are held in churches and shrines around the world.
But she does this in a very special way with the divine liturgy and its sermon, especially every Sunday. In fact, one of the council documents says that the Mass is the greatest act of evangelization. Bishops do it also in the letters that they send to their priests and people. The Church preaches also through documents it publishes at various meetings in Rome. One of the most important of these meetings is the Synod of Bishops. One of them is quoted in this number. It is the synod of 1974.
The work of preaching the gospel is also the first duty of the Church. She exists for that purpose. Jesus sent His apostles out to do this. The Church makes it a duty that at every Holy Mass on Sunday there ought to be a homily. Many priests give a homily at every Mass they celebrate, even on weekdays.
The document says that, in spite of all the changes taking place in society around the world, there are still urgent reasons for preaching the Kingdom. How much there is need of the full Gospel message in the world today! That holds for bringing the true message to all those who are Christian but have broken with our Faith, either many centuries ago or only recently. These are our Protestant friends who have the right to hear the truth about Jesus and His Kingdom from us. This also includes all our fallen-away Catholics. They too are looking for a place to hear the Gospel. Our parishes should be places where they and all others can find the true doctrine about Jesus Christ.
Another reason for the need to preach the Kingdom everywhere is because there is so much immorality in the world. The teachings of our Church contain the truth about the nature of man and what is good for his mind and heart. It also carries in itself the truths about God and our duties toward Him.
There are those who say that the world hates us Catholics because of our doctrine and our morality. It is attacking us at the critical points where we are defending the truth. It honors us in that it demands a much higher standard of us in moral matters than it does of anyone else.
Chapter I: From Christ the Evangelizer to the Evangelizing Church
No. 14
This number continues the theme of the previous chapter, which is the duty of the Church to evangelize all people. This is her main activity. She does this wherever she goes. She does this in parishes with preaching the Gospel at Mass to the preaching in the other sacraments. She does it in the devotions that are held in churches and shrines around the world.
But she does this in a very special way with the divine liturgy and its sermon, especially every Sunday. In fact, one of the council documents says that the Mass is the greatest act of evangelization. Bishops do it also in the letters that they send to their priests and people. The Church preaches also through documents it publishes at various meetings in Rome. One of the most important of these meetings is the Synod of Bishops. One of them is quoted in this number. It is the synod of 1974.
The work of preaching the gospel is also the first duty of the Church. She exists for that purpose. Jesus sent His apostles out to do this. The Church makes it a duty that at every Holy Mass on Sunday there ought to be a homily. Many priests give a homily at every Mass they celebrate, even on weekdays.
The document says that, in spite of all the changes taking place in society around the world, there are still urgent reasons for preaching the Kingdom. How much there is need of the full Gospel message in the world today! That holds for bringing the true message to all those who are Christian but have broken with our Faith, either many centuries ago or only recently. These are our Protestant friends who have the right to hear the truth about Jesus and His Kingdom from us. This also includes all our fallen-away Catholics. They too are looking for a place to hear the Gospel. Our parishes should be places where they and all others can find the true doctrine about Jesus Christ.
Another reason for the need to preach the Kingdom everywhere is because there is so much immorality in the world. The teachings of our Church contain the truth about the nature of man and what is good for his mind and heart. It also carries in itself the truths about God and our duties toward Him.
There are those who say that the world hates us Catholics because of our doctrine and our morality. It is attacking us at the critical points where we are defending the truth. It honors us in that it demands a much higher standard of us in moral matters than it does of anyone else.