Inspire
Let’s face it.
Most Catholics aren’t ready to do what only they can: reach the people all around them with the good news of Jesus Christ.
Catholics are in college classes, at work, in neighborhoods, clubs, sports and everywhere our lives take us, but we rarely feel inspired to reach out and take risks for the sake of the lost sheep Jesus loves and longs for.
People change within trusting relationships that open the door to sharing life (1 Thessalonians 2:8). Pastoral staff aren’t positioned to form those relationships. Only laity can.
. . . great riches are waiting to be discovered through an intensification of the missionary effort of each of the lay faithful. Such an individual form of apostolate can contribute greatly to a more extensive spreading of the Gospel, indeed it can reach as many places as there are daily lives of individual members of the lay faithful… the lay faithful will be able to reach the hearts of their neighbors, friends, and colleagues, opening them to a full sense of human existence, that is, to communion with God and with all people.
St. Pope John Paul II, Christifideles Laici, 28
The lay faithful have the riches necessary to be fruitful in this missionary effort. Baptism anoints us, the Eucharist sustains us, and Confirmation empowers us for precisely this mission. We all need for the sacramental graces received in the Church to be unleashed for the world, though, through strengthened faith and inspired will.
We can live the Church’s vision when Jesus’ heart for the lost becomes our heart, too. His love makes us true shepherds, ready and willing to leave the 99 for the 1 alone in fear and darkness.
Your ministry can inspire Catholics for this kind of dynamic Jesus-driven evangelization. We can help you do it.
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Our campuses need to encounter Christ in a radical, and yet personal way. ETC gives us the focus, the vision, the desire to reach every student on our campuses with the love of Jesus.
Roy Lanham, Eastern Illinois University -
I witnessed the ability of our Evangelical Catholic consultant to teach, coach and inspire…. There were many stories of deeper conversion…of forgiveness…of a return to the Sacrament of Reconciliation…of a strengthened prayer life…of mutual support of fellow group members…and of the work of Jesus Christ manifested in many other forms… The parish was enlivened by a new Spirit, which was even evident to parishioners that were not participants in the small group process….
Ann Vorpahl, former Pastoral Associate, St. Francis Xavier Cathedral, Diocese of Green Bay, WI -
As I consider “formation” activities over the past 24 years of my priesthood, I have to reckon the ETC as a paradigm and game-changer. There’s a drive and hunger in my heart that is all the stronger because I “see” more clearly. Until this week, my understanding was scattered–looking at disparate, yet important components of parish renewal, and somehow trying to weave them together. I was therefore fearful and apprehensive–kind of like a man anxious about stepping out into a dark night. What’s out there? What’s the path? Will I fall? Now, I have had the “renewal house” built up for me from the foundations.
Msgr. Eric Powell, Epiphany Parish, Normal IL -
I now really want to share the joy of Catholicism. The camp gave me much hope for the future and zeal to fulfill the important call of God. With the other students here I feel empowered and capable of doing my part to serve God’s will and have help from him to bring more people back to his abundant life.
Rose Barbarich, Purdue University -
This camp…allowed God to speak to my heart in matters of leadership and love. I feel courage and strength flowing to me, preparing me for those students who really need His love.
Chance Keith, UCA
Train
College students and parishioners need more than inspiration alone to “reach the hearts of their neighbors, friends and colleagues.” (St. Pope John Paul II, Christifideles Laici, 28)
They need skills, and they need to be growing as disciples through intentional, progressive discipleship formation.
Disciples naturally overflow with the love of God known in Jesus. (“. . . from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks.” Matthew 12:34). When trained for mission, disciples are unstoppable.
To create a culture of witness, we must live explicit lives of discipleship…. One seeking to learn how to be a disciple of Christ does so through apprenticeship…. The parish must provide formed disciples who can accompany those who are returning to the Church and guide them throughout their journey. Apprenticeship “links an experienced Christian believer, or mentor, with one who seeks a deeper relationship with Christ and the Church….” It is a school for discipleship….
“Disciples Called to Witness,” USCCB Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis, 2012
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The Evangelical Catholic offers the most succinct, thorough, and accessible evangelization approach in the Church today. The students who have participated in the EC’s training are now intentionally following Christ and effectively reaching more students than we could ever do as a staff.
Joshua Dart, Director of Catholic Campus Ministry, Virginia Commonwealth -
The EC has trained not only students, but our staff in effective ways of evangelization. We have seen our small group ministry grow not only in numbers, but in radical conversion to Jesus Christ. People routinely say that their small group was the first step in their awakening of faith. EC gave us the tools to help students get to this point.
Emily Klaus, Campus Minister, Iowa State University -
Working with the EC has helped me tremendously. The EC has given me a lot of the tools I know I need to focus my efforts and really equip intentional disciples here in our parish. The fruits are already abundant, and I’m totally confident that we’re laying the groundwork for a long-term and lasting renewal of hearts in this community! Rock on!
Fr. John Burns, Christ King Parish, Wauwatosa WI -
I honestly think the Holy Spirit brought us here. Last year (late in the year) we formed an evangelization team but didn’t really know what to do with our new team. We were like a baseball team without baseball bats. We had some of the equipment, but we needed something else. This camp gave us the baseball bat. A strong person can throw a ball pretty far but a baseball bat can make the ball go even further.
Laura Powell, The College of William and Mary
Support
Our goal is to help you, leaders in the local church, build thriving, fruitful, and self-sustaining evangelistic ministries.
Until you can fly solo, we help you form disciples, train leaders, and create and implement a highly contextualized site-specific strategic ministry process to make discipleship the inevitable outcome for anyone who becomes involved in your ministry.
The amount of time that takes and the kind of training that requires depends on your ministry. That’s why we develop agreements specific to each ministry partner.
When you feel confident your ministry can do everything you want for evangelization in perpetuity, we’re able move on elsewhere and help someone else make the new evangelization a reality, too.
Even after we no long serve your ministry regularly, you may still need events, webinars, and occasional phone conference calls to support your ministry. The EC offers many ongoing training programs from a variety of platforms, and is developing more tools all the time to help ministries succeed long-term.
We know leading a ministry of evangelization is challenging. We’re here to support you.
“An evangelizing community is also supportive, standing by people at every step of the way, no matter how difficult or lengthy this may prove to be.” Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, 24
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By teaming with the Evangelical Catholic we have given our ministry a strong focus and an intentional path for our ministry to travel. Our students are on mission with a purer intention, and with the practical knowledge of how to evangelize in our world.
Fr. Simon Felix Michalski, OP, Director of Catholic Campus Ministry, Indiana University -
When I came to NC-State, I knew I wanted to impact the campus, but I didn’t have a sweet clue how to do it effectively. I was blessed to inherit a relationship with the Evangelical Catholic that has helped me focus our resources on reaching more students on campus, with great effect by the power of the Holy Spirit. In three years, our on-campus evangelization small groups have gone from being non-existent (we had a student-led Bible Study that drew the same 7-8 people each Thursday) to reaching over 200 students out on campus last year. We have an organized leadership structure and a clear vision for making disciples that is reaching into the darkness on campus. I am so grateful to the EC for helping us cultivate future parish leaders and apostles of Good News and Divine Mercy!
Fr. Anthony DeCandia, Director of Catholic Campus Ministry, North Carolina State, Raleigh -
For a number of years, I have known about Evangelical Catholic’s work with colleges and I had even attended their workshops on small groups. I tried on my own to apply this to parish life with some success with individuals, but not with the parish community as a whole. In working with Evangelical Catholic over the last year in a partnership, the leadership from our consultant Peter Andrastek and Jason [Simon] has helped us to implement a strategy for evangelization in our parish, a strategy that is based on prayer and trust in the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Thanks for helping a dream for parish evangelization to come together!
Pam Mullins, Pastoral Associate, St Gabriel Parish Neenah, WI