Sharing the Good News

"Proclaim the Good News always, and if necessary use words." These words of St. Francis of Assisi, spoken centuries ago, still serve to guide Catholic Christians as we seek to be faithful to our call to evangelize.

Simply put, to evangelize means to share the Good News. We do this through the witness of our lives, that is the way we show the teachings of Jesus in the way we live, and in the way we speak about our faith.

"Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, with gentleness and respect," says St. Peter in his letter found in the Bible (1 Peter 3:15).

As a Catholic, we need to be able to explain our Christian faith to anyone who asks, after all our faith is like no other in the whole world.

All of us have been in situations when a ready answer would have been helpful. Perhaps someone in your family has left the Church, or maybe you know someone who really needs Christ in their life. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to provide a reasoned, Scriptural answer for your Protestant co-worker who keeps nagging you?

Beginning March 13th, St. Matthew's Catholic Church will be offering evangelization training sessions to help you become equipped to share your faith reasonably, Scripturally, gently and with respect.

Evangelize!!

Every Tuesday afternoon, directly after the 12:00pm noon Mass, anyone who is interested in Home Visitation can meet Gilbert Garza in the Guadalupe Foyer for an afternoon of neighborhood visitation.

St. Matthew's has been going door-to-door visiting our neighbors and inviting them to church for almost 10 years!

This vital ministry of the Catholic Church has a long and fruitful history. Many lives have been radically changed because of a simple invitation.

No experience is needed because all that is necessary is a friendly face and enthusiasm. The Holy Spirit will do the rest. All the materials you will need will be provided.

You won't go out alone, either. Gilbert, director of visitation, will accompany the visitation team, which will include Deacon Tom and Mary Jane Fox.

So, if you are looking for an exciting time of fellowship with other Catholics who love to share their faith, and if you are looking for a way to evangelize, God is calling YOU to home visitation. See you Tuesdays!

Home Visitation Teams

Every Tuesday (WeatherPermitting) after the noon Mass in Guadalupe Foyer.

Pope John Paul II on need for evangelization by laity; from his Apostolic Exhortation, Lay Members of Christ's Faithful People:

"The present-day phenomenon of secularism is truly serious not simply as regards the individual, but in some ways as regards whole communities, as the Council has already indicated: "Growing numbers of people are abandoning religion in practice."(8) At other times I myself have recalled the phenomenon of de-Christianization which strikes long-standing Christian people and which continually calls for a re-evangelization."

BACK TO RESOURCES