MADISON — Beginning on November 1, the Diocese of Madison will be a hosting Deacon Ralph Poyo of New Evangelization Ministries for several events at local parishes.
Deacon Poyo will be inspiring and guiding us in our own journey of conversion but also helping us to assist others to encounter Jesus and our Catholic faith with new ardor, new methods and expression.
Our history of evangelization
and the New Evangelization
It may be unclear whether we as Catholics truly understand the meaning of the term evangelization. But it is certain that we all agree that the earliest followers of Christ were called to go out to spread the Good News of Jesus. That was in fact the first call to evangelize the world. Jesus taught his followers to be evangelizers.
But we do not live in biblical times and our recent Holy Fathers have recognized a need to reteach and engage the world with a re-proposing of the Gospel Message.
Shortly after Vatican II, Blessed Paul VI promulgated a post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation entitled, Evangelization in the Modern World. This document gave the Church the foundation and principles of evangelization that informs our current understanding.
St. John Paul II continued this work and coined the phrase “The New Evangelization.” He began to define what that phrase means and a vision for this New Evangelization.