EMBRACING EVANGELISM

Diana Siebert listened to the evangelism presentation at Notre Dame High School.

Ellen Shuck enjoys the Catholic Church more all the time, and that makes her want to share her faith and the good news with others.

"I think the church has gotten bogged down. It's becoming more open. The laity is getting more involved," said Shuck, who attends St. Mary's Cathedral in Cape Girardeau. "I don't think people really knew what we stood for."

That's where evangelism comes in, the church says.

Evangelism, the traditionally Protestant act of sharing the Gospel through word and deed, is being embraced by the Catholic Church, and some say it may be the key to solving the church's perceived public image problem.

"We have an image problem. That's a cancer. That's a virus in the church that we need to deal with directly and honestly," said Bob McCarty, executive director of the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry in Washington, D.C.

"People know more about what we're against than what we're for. Oftentimes it's the negativity that people hear."

More than 240 Catholics from the Springfield-Cape Girardeau Diocese turned out Saturday to listen to McCarty, a lively, humorous speaker, during an evangelism-themed Catholic gathering at Notre Dame Regional High School in Cape Girardeau.

"Evangelism is a critical issue, but the image of evangelism is a problem," McCarty said, adding that televangelists, such as the Rev. Jimmy Swaggart, and particular groups of assertive Protestants helped perpetuate a negative image of evangelism.

The problem with evangelism for many Catholics, McCarty said, is that they often do not know where or how to begin. They also often have difficulty defending or answering questions about their beliefs.

But, he said, the most important thing to remember is that actions often speak louder than words.

"Tell the story. Be the story. It's that simple," he said.

Monsignor Ed Eftink of the Immaculate Conception Church in Jackson said evangelism, though usually avoided by Catholics, is not a new concept for the church.

"It's been a movement in the church that has been re-emphasized in the last 20 years," Eftink said. "I think it's been part of the Christian message from the very beginning. At different times in the history of Christianity, members turn toward it. It's a cyclical event."

Eftink said evangelism has two levels.

"One is going to the unchurched," he said, which could include young adults, the elderly, those who have stopped attending the Catholic Church or those who have never gone to church.

"But more importantly, it is converting oneself to following Christ. In that sense, it can lead to more committed Catholic individuals who are more committed to living the Catholic life after being evangelized. The idea of outreach begins with the conversion of self."

Lee Sterten, director of youth ministry for the Springfield-Cape Girardeau Diocese, said she believes Catholics are called to evangelize.

"Unfortunately, it has taken on a spirit that, Catholics don't do that,'" she said. "But it is very much part of who we are. It's not about trying to convert people to our denomination. It's just about sharing the good news. That's all evangelization is."

Shuck, who also is the director of religious education at St. Mary's, said she thinks Catholics hesitate to evangelize for fear of being seen as pushy or intrusive.

"But I think it makes your faith more alive. I think when you do something yourself, it becomes more real," she said. "I think that through helping other people, out of necessity you're going to help yourself.

Shuck also said she can see that evangelism could benefit the church.

"If people see something in the church that they want, they're a lot more prone to come. So it's going to make the church grow," she said. "It's going to make Christ present to more people through the Catholic church."

Meanwhile, Eftink, who has attended numerous workshops and seminars about evangelism, said Catholics should not hesitate to approach others and share the good news.

"I think for a number of years Catholics were complacent. They were convinced that, We're the best, so let's take pride in what we have,'" he said. "Evangelization is part of our vocation that comes with baptism. The gift we receive, we are to share. So when we talk about evangelism, that's where we're coming from."