New Jersey bishop calls for every parish to constantly evangelize

Published: 2008-05-19

CLIFTON, N.J. (CNS) -- A month after the Diocese of Paterson launched a major effort to encourage Catholics across the diocese to be more active in evangelization, Bishop Arthur J. Serratelli of Paterson issued a pastoral letter calling for every parish in the diocese to be involved in a constant evangelization effort. The pastoral letter, "Evangelization: Grace and Vocation," will be utilized in conjunction with a variety of initiatives focusing on ways to make evangelization a part of every Catholic's faith life so that the diocese can "become the church it was meant to be," according to Bishop Serratelli. The pastoral was issued on Pentecost, May 11. Bishop Serratelli has set evangelization as "a top priority" for the diocese. "When the Spirit descends on the church at Pentecost with the visible signs of fire and wind, the apostles are filled with the Holy Spirit. They immediately rush into the streets to proclaim the Gospel. They begin their mission," Bishop Serratelli said in his pastoral. "Born at Pentecost, the church is born to evangelize. This is her task. This is the reason for her very existence."

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