United States Catholic Catechism for Adults

Chapter 11. The Four Marks of the Church • 137

1. Consider Christ’s great Commission to evangelize (Mt 28:18-20) as a spiritual vocation contained in our baptismal commitment. 2. Be positive and hope-filled. As God’s messengers and Easter people, we have Good News to share with others. 3. Include all major paths to evangelization: (a) interpersonal dialogue, (b) parish programs, (c) diocesan direction. The interpersonal approach is the most effective. Friends, rela tives, and neighbors account for four out of five of those who become Catholics. 4. Begin with the human situation of the person. This might be people’s four basic fears: failure, rejection, pain, death. Raise questions about existence and future life. Show how Jesus understands these fears and offers a salvation that is the best response. 5. Build on faith experiences. Empathize with people’s love of beauty, music, and art. Note this in the popular religion of ethnics and immigrants—and the faith experiences in Cursillo, Marriage Encounter, charismatic renewal. 6. Evangelize yourself through daily spiritual renewal in union with Christ. Convinced people convince others. ( Catholic Evangelization [June 1991]: 39-41) FOR DISCUSSION 1. How do the Church’s four marks strengthen your Catholic identity? How can we lessen mistrust and the misunderstandings that exist among the various Christian denominations in our community? What can we do to eliminate anti-Semitism? 2. How is the hierarchy—pope, bishops, priests, and deacons—valu able for your growth in faith? What sources of spiritual strength do you receive from the Church’s structures: parish, diocese, univer sal Church? 3. Identify practical ways to evangelize others. What are some benefits the Church receives from those who have embraced consecrated life? What are ways that the laity can help spread the faith?