Disciples Called To Witness: Resources
Additional Resources
Disciples Called To Witness: The New Evangelization
A statement by the Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis.
Additional Resources
Please visit the New Evangelization website for more interactive resources, including prayers, cultural diversity practices, marriage and family life information, and numerous catechetical tools. The documents and other materials listed in this section focus on evangelization and catechesis.
Second Vatican Council Documents on Catechesis and Evangelization:
- Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity (Apostolicam Actuositatem)- Teachings on the baptismal vocation of the lay Christian faithful in the Church and the world.
- Dogmatic Constitution on the Church (Lumen Gentium)- The Council's teaching on the nature of the Church and the universal call of holiness.
- On the Mission Activity of the Church (Ad Gentes)- The Council's teaching on the missionary vocation of the Church.
Vatican Documents on Catechesis
- Catechism of the Catholic Church- The official Catechism of the Universal Church that serves as a point of reference for all regarding the faith and morals of the Church.
- Compendium of the Catholic Church- The Compendium contains, in a concise manner, all of the Catholic Church's teachings on faith and morals as found in the Catechism.
- General Directory for Catechesis- The Directory presents both the content and methods for handing on the faith through catechesis.
- On Catechesis in Our Time (Catechesi Tradendae)- Blessed Pope John II's exhortation on catechesis.
Vatican Documents on Evangelization:
- Address to the Plenary Assembly of the Pontifical Council for the Family- A message from Pope Benedict XVI on family life and the New Evangelization.
- Lineamenta for the 2012 Synod: New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith- The working document of the 2012 Synod Fathers that begins to examine the possible discussion topics at the Synod on the New Evangelization.
- Message for the 2012 World Day of Migrants and Refugees- A message from Pope Benedict XVI on migration and the New Evangelization.
- On Christian Hope (Spe Salvi)- Pope Benedict XVI's encyclical on the theological virtue of hope.
- On Christian Love (Deus Caritas Est)- Pope Benedict XVI’s encyclical on Christian love.
- On Evangelization in the Modern World(Evangelii Nuntiandi)- Pope Paul VI's letter on preaching the Gospel and sharing the faith in the modern world.
- On the Permanent Validity of the Church's Missionary Mandate (Redemptoris missio)- Blessed Pope John Paul II's encyclical on the nature of the Church's mandate to spread the Gospel and his urgent call to all Christians to participate in missionary activities.
- The Door of Faith (Porta Fidei)- The Announcement of the Year of Faith, October 11, 2012–November 24, 2013.
- The Lord’s Day (Dies Domini)- Blessed John Paul II’s letter on keeping the Lord’s Day holy.
- The Word of the Lord (Verbum Domini)- The post-synodal document on the Word of God in the life and mission of the Church.
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Documents:
Documents on Evangelization and Catechesis:
- A Time to Heal: A Resource Directory for Reaching Out to Inactive Catholics. Washington, DC: USCCB, 2002.
- Empowered by the Spirit: Campus Ministry Faces the Future
- Go and Make Disciples: A National Plan and Strategy for Catholic Evangelization in the United States.
- National Directory for Catechesis. Washington, DC: USCCB, 2005.
- Sons and Daughters of the Light: A Pastoral Plan For Young Adult Ministry. Washington, DC: USCCB, 2010.
- Renewing the Vision: A Framework for Catholic Youth Ministry. Washington, D.C.: USCCB, 2002.
- Teaching the Spirit of Mission: Continuing Pentecost Today Ad Gentes.
- The Hispanic Presence in the New Evangelization in the United States. Washington, DC: USCCB, 1996.
- To The Ends of the Earth: A Pastoral Statement on World Mission
- What We Have Seen and Heard: A Pastoral Letter on Evangelization from the Black Bishops of the United States. Washington, DC: USCC, 1984.
Diocesan Evangelization Resources:
This list represents a sampling of diocesan resources. Click here for a list of all diocesan websites.
Diocesan Documents:
- Bishop José H. Gomez, You Will Be My Witnesses: A Pastoral Letter to the People of God of San Antonio on the Christian Mission to Evangelize and Proclaim Jesus Christ
- Bishop William E. Lori, Praying for a New Pentecost: A Pastoral Letter on Evangelization
- Bishop David L. Ricken, Parishes Called to be Holy, Fully Engaged, Fully Alive: A Pastoral Letter on Priorities for Parishes and the Diocese
- Cardinal Donald W. Wuerl, Disciples of the Lord: Sharing the Vision. A Pastoral Letter on The New Evangelization