Msgr. Pope on Evangelization and the Call to Repentance

"The term 'New Evangelization' was originally used by Pope St. John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI to refer to the unique situation of the West, wherein we were not preaching the Gospel to a people who had not heard it, but were instead 're-presenting' the Gospel to a culture that had once embraced the Gospel and later rejected it. In essence, the term means 're-evangelization. . . .'

"Reaching this quite different audience, of course, would require adjusting the way in which the message was delivered. 'New Evangelization' was the phrase used to signify this.

"However, many have taken up the phrase in a less restrictive sense and use it in the marketing sense of 'new and improved!' This has opened the terminology to abuse and misunderstanding such that it comes to mean that we must mimic secular marketing principles and 'mega-church' tactics. To some, it also means that we must alter the message of the Gospel by emphasizing what is popular and pleasant, while minimizing what is challenging and countercultural. . . ."

In a recent commentary, Monsignor Charles Pope (pastor of Holy Comforter-Saint Cyprian Parish, Washington, DC) reflected on the importance of following, in our evangelization outreach, the example of Jesus and His call to repentance.

To access Msgr. Pope's complete post, please visit:

Community in Mission: Don't Forget the Old Evangelization (28 JUN 21)