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Evangelii Nuntiandi, Chapter IV
The Methods of Evangelization, nos. 40-44
The Search for Suitable means
In chapter IV Pope St. Paul VI sets forth some of the means and methods of evangelization. The first and most important one is a good Christian life. Before anyone will listen to him, the one who evangelizes must show himself as one who is living the Good News himself. Here the Pope quotes something he said to the Council of the Laity in 1974: “Contemporary man listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers or, if he listens to teachers, it is because they are witnesses” (AAS 66, 568). No one is more convincing than a person who lives the message he brings. This is especially true of evangelizers.
Preaching is the second means of evangelization that Pope St. Paul VI highlights. People have become immune to words or even hostile to them because they are bombarded with them all day in the social media. There are those who say that modern man has gone beyond a culture of words. Now we live in a culture of the image. People do not want to read or even hear words. They want pictures. “One picture is worth a thousand words,” they say.
We should make use of all the new ways of communication and harness them for evangelization. They are very useful. Nevertheless, the word is still needed today. It will be listened to if it be the word of God. This is especially true of the homily. The liturgical renewal has widened the use of the homily. It is used not only at Holy Mass, but also at other liturgical and para-liturgical services. At Mass it leads to the celebration of the Paschal Mystery being enacted on the altar and draws its efficacy from there. In the other services it prepares for their worthy celebration.
“Another opportunity not to be missed for evangelization is catechetical instruction.” Children and young people need a systematic presentation of the faith, so that they receive all of the important elements that God wants them to have of His truths. It should be imparted in such a way that it helps them to form Christian habits of life and should not be just “an intellectual possession.”
A very important need here is to form instructors of the faith, whether they be parish instructors, teachers, catechists or parents. Another is the procurement of good Catholic catechetical material, including good books for the instructors.
Although much catechetical instruction is given to children and adolescents, they are not the only ones in need of catechesis. Adults who come into the Church are in need of it. Some are adults who do not come from other religions or no religion at all, but are fallen away Catholics who have never been taught the faith or have forgotten what they were taught. They too need a systematic presentation of the faith, so that they can give a reason for their faith.
Mary, queen of missionaries, strengthen them in courage and wisdom so that they can truly evangelize their people.
The Methods of Evangelization, nos. 40-44
The Search for Suitable means
In chapter IV Pope St. Paul VI sets forth some of the means and methods of evangelization. The first and most important one is a good Christian life. Before anyone will listen to him, the one who evangelizes must show himself as one who is living the Good News himself. Here the Pope quotes something he said to the Council of the Laity in 1974: “Contemporary man listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers or, if he listens to teachers, it is because they are witnesses” (AAS 66, 568). No one is more convincing than a person who lives the message he brings. This is especially true of evangelizers.
Preaching is the second means of evangelization that Pope St. Paul VI highlights. People have become immune to words or even hostile to them because they are bombarded with them all day in the social media. There are those who say that modern man has gone beyond a culture of words. Now we live in a culture of the image. People do not want to read or even hear words. They want pictures. “One picture is worth a thousand words,” they say.
We should make use of all the new ways of communication and harness them for evangelization. They are very useful. Nevertheless, the word is still needed today. It will be listened to if it be the word of God. This is especially true of the homily. The liturgical renewal has widened the use of the homily. It is used not only at Holy Mass, but also at other liturgical and para-liturgical services. At Mass it leads to the celebration of the Paschal Mystery being enacted on the altar and draws its efficacy from there. In the other services it prepares for their worthy celebration.
“Another opportunity not to be missed for evangelization is catechetical instruction.” Children and young people need a systematic presentation of the faith, so that they receive all of the important elements that God wants them to have of His truths. It should be imparted in such a way that it helps them to form Christian habits of life and should not be just “an intellectual possession.”
A very important need here is to form instructors of the faith, whether they be parish instructors, teachers, catechists or parents. Another is the procurement of good Catholic catechetical material, including good books for the instructors.
Although much catechetical instruction is given to children and adolescents, they are not the only ones in need of catechesis. Adults who come into the Church are in need of it. Some are adults who do not come from other religions or no religion at all, but are fallen away Catholics who have never been taught the faith or have forgotten what they were taught. They too need a systematic presentation of the faith, so that they can give a reason for their faith.
Mary, queen of missionaries, strengthen them in courage and wisdom so that they can truly evangelize their people.