A Catechetical Summary

on
Evangelii Nuntiandi
Pope Paul VI, 1975
(Evangelization in the Modern World)

By

Marlon De La Torre, MA, MEd.

Copyright © 2008 Marlon De La Torre

 Introduction

THE LOVE OF THE FATHER

“It is not because you are the largest of all the nations that the Lord set his heart on you and chose you, for
you are really the smallest of all nations. It was because the Lord loved you, and because of this fidelity to
the oath he had sworn to your fathers, that he brought you out with his strong hand from the place of
slavery, and ransomed you from the hand of Pharaoh, King of Egypt.”

- Deut 7:7-8

EVANGELIZATION THE GREATEST ACT OF LOVE

“And this hope will not leave us disappointed, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts
through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. At the appointed time, when we were still powerless,
Christ died for us godless men. It is rare that anyone should lay down his life for a just man, though it is
barely possible that for a good man someone may have the courage to die. It is precisely in this that God
proves his Love for us: that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

- Rom 5:5-8

EVANGELIZATION THE CALL OF THE WITNESS TO LOVE

“Always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who calls you to account for the hope that is in you, yet
do it with gentleness and reverence and keep your conscience clear, so that when you are abused, those
who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.”

- 1 Pt 3:15-16

EVANGELIZATION AND THE DEPOSIT OF FAITH (UNDERSTANDING THE CLASSIC

CATECHESIS)

“God is to be worshipped with faith, hope, and love . . . without a doubt you will know all these things for
which you are looking if you take care to know what should be believed, hoped for, and loved. These are the
most important things, or rather the only things . . .”

- St. Augustine, The Enchiridion on Faith, Hope, and Love 3&4)

 The Purpose of Evangelii Nuntiandi

(Viewing the World through a Catholic Lens)

The purpose of this document serves as a sacred recipe for a proper development and
presentation of the faith to the whole world.

General Outline and Structure of Evangelization in the Modern World

Section One:

From Christ the Evangelizer to the Evangelizing Church

Section Two:

What is Evangelization?

Section Three:

The Content of Evangelization

Section Four:

The Methods of Evangelization

Section Five:

The Beneficiaries of Evangelization

Section Six:

The Workers for Evangelization

Section Seven:

The Spirit of Evangelization

 Section One
From Christ the Evangelizer to the Evangelizing Church

Pre-Evangelization

Christ echoes the foundation of the evangelists call:

 I must proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom of God.

– Lk 4:43 (6)

Reverberating, this point of proclaiming the Good News, this initial entrance into the
document by Pope Paul VII reminds us to reflect on:

 What we have been sent to do? This question reflects

the “Why” of the ministry we are involved in.

Answering the Why?

1. The whole aim of evangelization is the proclamation of the “Kingdom of God.” (8)

2. Through the first section the emphasis is Kingdom and Salvation in relation the purpose of
evangelization. (10) It is not centered in a innocuous form of witness that is without truth, beauty
and goodness.

3. Every human being is to be exposed to the pursuit of the Kingdom with a desire for Salvation.

Accomplishing the “Why” through the “How”

1. The aim of Evangelization is the proclamation of the Good News of Jesus Christ.

2. For the Church to Evangelize a desire must be rooted to be influenced by the Gospel. (18)

3. Salvation serves as a free gift; See: Eph 2:8; Rom 1:16; 2 Pt 2:4; Mt 12:25-28

4. The Goal is the Heavenly Kingdom and not the Earthly kingdom (Secular Humanism)

The Birth of Evangelization subsists in the Church. (15)

1. The Story of Salvation History begins with Christ and will end with Christ!

Key Point: The Church is an evangelizer, but she begins by being evangelized herself. It is
establishing a community of hope. (15)

From here, we gain the understanding that the Church is:

THE DEPOSITORY OF THE GOOD NEWS TO BE PROCLAIMED!

This Sacred Deposit can never be separated, a link exists between Christ, the Church and
the New Evangelization. (16)
 Section Two
What is Evangelization?

EVANGELIZATION IS THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS CHRIST!

Method

I. The means by which we engage others is to present the Gospel everywhere and
anywhere.

A. Inculturation – permeating the Gospel to all walks of life, experience, society, culture, etc.

1. Use of culture serves as an instrument to the Good News being heard and lived.

II. The Key to Evangelization

A. Witness

1. The wordless witness carries a sincere love for the Good News because it is viewed by
a life rooted in the Gospel. (Mt 28:17-20)

2. The witness is living his/her Baptismal Call “I believe.”

B. The Word of Life (22)

1. The Proclamation of the Word must follow the Proclamation of Life.

Key Point:

There is no true evangelization if the name, the teaching, the life, the promises, the Kingdom and the
mystery of Jesus of Nazareth the Son of God are not proclaimed. (22)

The Proclamation - Kerygma, Preaching, or Catechesis-occupies such an important place in evangelization

that it has often become synonymous with it; and yet it is only one aspect of evangelization. (22)

III. Evangelization and the Hierarchy of Truths (23)

A. Evangelization is not complete with an adherence to the truths of the Faith

1. The Hierarchy of Truths serves as a program for Life.

2. The Community is called to accept the Hierarchy of Truths and it is our

responsibility to reveal these truths to the faithful.

The Hierarchy of Truths

 Apostles Creed
 Sacraments i.e. Paschal Mystery Mt 16:16-18; Jn
6:35-51;
- Redemption – Jn 20:20-22
- Pentecost – Acts 2 ff.
- The Holy Eucharist – Mt 26:26-29; Mk 14:22-25; Lk 22:14-21; Jn 6:35-72

 The Moral Life

- The Ten Commandments: Exodus 20:1-17
- Beatitudes: Mt 5:2-21
- Theological Virtues of Faith, Hope, and Love
- Sin (Venial and Mortal)
- Active Sin (Sin of Commission)
  Our Father – Mt 6:9-13

Section Three
The Content of Evangelization

THE PURPOSE OF THE CONTENT IN EVANGELIZATION

. . . to bear witness, in a simple and direct way, to God revealed by Jesus Christ, in the Holy Spirit, to bear
witness that in His Son God has loved the world that in His Incarnate Word He has given being to all things
and has called men to eternal life. (26)

The Content Reveals Several Key things that every Evangelist should strive to do Based on the
Original Kerygma:

1. Bear witness to Christ – Acts 2:22-42; Christ revealed himself through His Incarnate Word but
also through signs, miracles, parables.
2. Bear witness to His miracles – Acts 4:8-12
3. Bear witness to the Love God has for his children through His Son - Rom 5:5-8
4. Calling Men to eternal Life – Acts 10:34-43; 13:16-41

THE CONTENT MUST BE REAL AND TENABLE

An understanding of who the Father is relies on the ability to not reveal an anonymous figure but one who is
the “Father of All.” (26)

Part of the Content is the exposition and revelation that we are all “Children of God.”

ELEMENTS OF THE CONTENT OF EVANGELIZATION

First Stage

1. Preaching of Hope made by the Promise of God’s love for us.

2. Preaching of Brotherly love for all men.

3. Capacity for giving and forgiving i.e. self-denial to help the other in need.

4. The search for God through Prayer through Adoration and Thanksgiving

Second Stage (Human Advancement and Liberation)

1. Human advancement is rooted in a deeper conversion in Christ prior to any socio-economic or

political growth.

2. Human liberation is linked with Jesus Christ. It follows a necessary conversion.

 Section Four
The Methods of Evangelization

How do we Evangelize?

Pope Paul VI best summarizes the specific aim of evangelization by providing the central theme of
the Entire Apostolic Exhortation.

Primary Method

“Modern man listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers, and if he does listen to teachers, it is
because they are witnesses.”
- EN, 41

Fruits of the Primary Method (41)

The Church evangelizes by her living witness of fidelity to the Lord Jesus.

It is a witness of sanctity.

A necessity of Preaching

Verbal Proclamation of the Message

Summary:
The Word remains ever relevant, because it bears the power of God. “Faith comes from what is heard.”
Rom 10:17

Secondary Methods

Liturgy of the Word

 The Homily serves as an important instrument of

evangelization
 Preaching and the Eucharistic Celebration are to remit
an essential external act of grace to all who will listen.

Liturgy of the Eucharist

 Uniquely united with the Homily as the source of

communicating the Word of God.

Catechetics

 It must be systematic
 It must be centered on the living content of the truth
which God wishes to convey to all.
 Methods related to age, culture, media
 Primary catechesis initiates in the home

Mass Media

 The use of the mass media aids in the proclamation of

the first catechesis
Personal Contact

 Zacchaeus, Nicodemus or the Samaritan Woman

 We hand on the Gospel through a personal witness and
experience of the Gospel

Sacraments

 The supernatural life finds its living expression in the

seven sacraments and in the admirable radiation of grace and holiness. (47)
 Evangelization is not at its full capacity unless it achieves
the most intimate relationship between the Word of God and the sacraments. (47)

Popular Piety

 Adoration
 Petition
 Thanksgiving
 Contemplation