Washington D.C., Apr 17, 2012 / 00:15 am
In response to Blessed John Paul II's call to evangelize formerly Christian societies, the Church must build a “culture of witness,” said representatives of the U.S. bishops in a new document.
It is “primarily by her conduct and by her life that the Church will evangelize the world,” explained the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis.
The committee, headed by Bishop David L. Ricken of Green Bay, Wisc., released a new online resource on April 16 to assist dioceses, eparchies and parishes in reaching out to engage the faithful and encourage them to witness to their faith through their lives.
The document, entitled, “Disciples Called to Witness: The New Evangelization,” explains that with only an estimated 23 percent of U.S. Catholics attending Mass each week, the Church must reach out to those who “have simply drifted away” from their faith.