Meaning of the word “evangelization”:
The word "evangelization,” though rooted solidly in both Scripture and Tradition, still sounds strange to many Catholics. It means, literally, "'communication of the gospel," the spreading of the good news of Jesus Christ. Its root word, the Greek Euangelizo, means simply "good news." As Catholics we have always evangelized, but perhaps we have not identified it as such. When did we first learn of Jesus? Who taught us our first prayers? Who passed on their faith to us? To whom are we passing on our faith? Over the centuries, the Catholic faith has been handed on and shared with others. This is evangelization. In the United States’ Bishops’ Document: Go and Make Disciples (GMD), they define evangelization as: “bringing the Good News of Jesus into every human situation and seeking to convert individuals and society by the divine power of the Gospel itself.” (#10)

Jesus the evangelizer:
Jesus, the Good News of God, was and is the greatest evangelizer. Jesus was anointed "to bring good news to the poor; to proclaim release to captives and recovery of sight to the blind; to let the oppressed go free; and to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." (Luke 4: 18) We, too, are anointed, for we, too, bear the name Christian, Christos – the Greek word for “anointed.” Therefore, what Jesus was called to do, we are to carry on in our own lives.  All disciples of Jesus are commissioned to “Go and make disciples.” (Mt. 28:19)

Catholic evangelization leads to discipleship:
In GMD, the Bishops say that it is not enough just to share the message; but Catholic evangelization must lead to discipleship. They say:
We want to make it clear that evangelization means something special for us as Catholics. Not only do people relate to Jesus by accepting his Gospel and receiving his Spirit; even more, their lives are changed by becoming disciples, that is, participants in the Church, celebrating God’s love in worship and serving others as Jesus did.” (#25)
Therefore, the goal of evangelization is to assist people in being disciples, that is: inviting others to community, worship, and service.

Whom are we called to evangelize?

• Active Catholics: In order for us to evangelize others we must first be evangelized ourselves. We are called to ongoing conversion and renewal so that our faith may be deepened and strengthened. 
• Inactive Catholics: As an evangelizing community, we have to let our sisters and brothers know that we miss them and that they will always be welcomed back. We must be actively involved in seeking ways to help people be reconciled and reunited with Christ and the Church.
• Those with no Church Affiliation: A significant number of people do not belong to any church. As Catholics, we need to reach out and invite these people to be part of our faith community.

How do we evangelize?
God needs all of us to share the Good News message but we are all different and are to use the gifts that God gave us. We evangelize by witnessing to our faith, living our faith and sharing our faith with others. For simple suggestions click on the pamphlet: Everyday Evangelizing for Everyday Catholics.

For additional information on Catholic evangelization:
Go and Make Disciples: A National Plan and Strategy for Catholic Evangelization in the United States. For the full document CLICK HERE