The Church, while ever containing in herself the fullness of the means of salvation, always operates "by slow stages". 112AG 6b. The conciliar decree Ad Gentes clarifies well the dynamic of the process of evangelization: Christian witness, dialogue and presence in charity (11-12), the proclamation of the Gospel and the call to conversion 13GS 2., the catechumenate and Christian Initiation 14GS 2., the formation of the Christian communities through and by means of the sacraments and their ministers (1518). 113In the dynamism of evangelization a distinction must be made between "initial situations" (initia), "gradual developments" (gradus) and situations of maturity: "appropriate acts must correspond to condition and state" (AG 6). This is the dynamic for establishing and building up the Church.
Accordingly, in conformity with this, evangelization must be viewed as the process by which the Church, moved by the Spirit, proclaims and spreads the Gospel throughout the entire world. Evangelization: – is urged by charity, impregnating and transforming the whole temporal order, appropriating and renewing all cultures; 114EN 18-20 and RM 52-54; cf. AG 11-12 and 22. – bears witness 115EN 21 and 41; RM 42-43; AG 11. amongst peoples of the new way of being and living which characterizes Christians; – proclaims explicitly the Gospel, through "first proclamation", 116EN 51,52,53. cf. CT 18, 19, 21, 25; RM 44. calling to conversion. 117AG 13; EN 10 and 23; CT 19; RM 46. – initiates into the faith and the Christian life, by means of "catechesis" 118EN 22 and 24; CT 18; cf. AG 14 and RM 47. and the "sacraments of Christian initiation", 119AG 14; CCC 1212; cf. CCC 1229-1233. those who convert to Jesus Christ or those who take up again the path of following him, incorporating both into the Christian community; 120EN 23; CT 24; RM 48-49; cf. AG 15. – constantly nourishes the gift of communion 121ChL 18. amongst the faithful by means of continuous education in the faith (homilies and other forms of catechesis), the sacraments and the practice of charity; – continuously arouses mission, 122ChL 32, which demonstrates the close connection between "communion" and "mission". sending all the disciples of Christ to proclaim the Gospel, by word and deed throughout the whole world.
The process of evangelization, 123Cf. EN 24. consequently, is structured in stages or "essential moments": 124Cf. CT 18. missionary activity directed toward non-believers and those who live in religious indifference; initial catechetical activity for those who choose the Gospel and for those who need to complete or modify their initiation; pastoral activity directed toward the Christian faithful of mature faith in the bosom of the Christian community. 125Cf. AG 6f; RM 33 and 48. These moments, however, are not unique: they may be repeated, if necessary, as they give evangelical nourishment in proportion to the spiritual growth of each person or of the entire community. The ministry of the word in evangelization
The ministry of the word 126Cf. Acts 6:4. The Ministry of the Word of God is fostered in the Church by:– the ordained ministers (cf. CIC 756-757);– members of institutes of consecrated life in light of their consecration to God (cf. CIC 758);– the lay faithful in light of their baptism and confirmation (cf. CIC 759). In regard to the term ministry (servitium), it is necessary that all reference be made to the uniqueness and to the source of all ministry which is the ministry of Christ. To a certain extent this applies also without ambiguity to the non-ordained faithful. In the original meaning, it expresses the work with which the members of the Church carry on the mission of Christ, both within the Church and throughout the world. However, when the term is distinguished from and compared with the various munera and officia, then it should be clearly noted that only in virtue of sacred ordination does the word obtain that full, univocal meaning that tradition has attributed to it (cf. John Paul II, Allocution at the Simposium on "The Participation of the Lay Faithul in the Priestly Ministry" n. 4, L'Osservatore Romano, English Edition, 11 May 1994. is a fundamental element of evangelization. The presence of Christianity amongst different human groups and its living witness must be explained and justified by the explicit proclamation of Jesus Christ the Lord. "There is no true evangelization if the name, the teaching, the life, the promises, the Kingdom and the mystery of Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God, are not proclaimed". 127EN 22; cf. EN 51-53. Those who are already disciples of Jesus Christ also require to be constantly nourished by the word of God so that they may grow in their Christian life. 128Cf. EN 42-45, 54, 57. The ministry of the word, within the context of evangelization, transmits Revelation, through the Church, by using human words. These, however, always refer to works: to those which God has done and continues to do, especially in the liturgy; to the witness of Christians; to the transforming action which these Christians achieve, together with so many men of good will, throughout the world. This human word of the Church is the means used by the Holy Spirit to continue dialogue with humanity. He is, in fact, the principle agent of the ministry of the word, the one through whom "the living voice of the Gospel rings out in the Church—and through her in the world". 129DV 8c. The ministry of the word is exercised in "different forms". 130PO 4b; cf. CD 13c. The Church, since apostolic times, 131Many diverse forms of this single ministry appear in the New Testament: "Proclamation, teaching, exhortation, prophecy, witness... this richness of expression is notable. in her desire to offer the word of God in the most appropriate manner, has realized this ministry in the most varied of ways. 132The forms through which the ministry of the word is filtered are not in reality intrinsic to the Christian message as though to imply that diversity of form connotes different messages. These are, rather, accentuations or tones more or less explicitated and adapted to the situation of faith of each person or group of persons in their concrete situations. All of these, however, perform the essential and fundamental functions of the ministry of the word itself. Functions and forms of the ministry of the word
The following are the principal functions of the ministry of the word: – Called together and called to faith This function is the most immediate expression of the missionary mandate of Jesus. It is realized through "the primary proclamation", directed to non-believers; those who have chosen unbelief, those Christians who live on the margins of Christianlife, those who follow other religions. 133EN 51-53. The religious awakening of the children of Christian families, is also an eminent form of this function. – Initiation Those who are moved by grace to decide to follow Jesus are "introduced into the life of faith, of the liturgy and of the charity of the People of God". 134AG 14. The Church achieves this function fundamentally by catechesis, in close relation with the sacraments of initiation, whether these are about to be received or have already been received. Important forms include: the catechesis of non-baptized adults in the catechumenate, the catechesis of baptized adults who wish to return to the faith, or of those who need to complete their initiation; the catechesis of children and of the young, which of itself has the character of initiation. Christian education in families and religious instruction in schools also have an initiatory function. – Continuous education in the faith In many regions this is also called "permanent catechesis". 135There are different reasons which for using such expressions as "continuing education in the faith" or "continuing catechesis". They may not however, relativise the prior, basic, structural and specific character of catechesis understood as basic initiation. The expression "continuing education in the faith" has been widely used in catechetical praxis since the Second Vatican Council. It denotes a second grade of catechesis which is subject to initiatory catechesis. It does not denote the totality of catechetical activity. The distinction between basic formation and permanent formation is used in reference to priestly formation in the Apostolic Exhortation, Pastores dabo vobis of John Paul II, chapters five and six, especially in n. 71: AAS 84 (1992), pp. 729 ff; 778 ff; 782-783. It is intended for those Christians who have been initiated in the basic elements of the Christian faith, but who need constantly to nourish and deepen their faith throughout their lives. This function is accomplished through a great variety of forms: "systematic and occasional, individual and community, organized and spontaneous". 136DCG (1971) 19d. – The liturgical function The ministry of the word also has a liturgical function since, when realized within the context of a sacred action, it is an integral part of that action. 137Cf. SC 35; CCC 1154. It takes different forms but amongst them the most important is the homily. Other forms in the liturgical context include celebrations of the word and instruction received during the administration of the sacraments. On the other hand, mention must also be made of the immediate preparation for reception of the different sacraments, the celebration of sacramentals and above all of the participation of the faithful in the Eucharist, as a primary means of education in the faith. – The theological function This seeks to develop understanding of the faith and is to be situated in the dynamic of "fides quaerens intellectum", that is, of belief which seeks to understand. 138Cf. Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, "Instruction on the ecclesial vocation of the theologian", Donum veritatis (24 May 1990), n. 6: AAS 82 (1990), p. 1552. Theology, in order to fulfil this function, needs to confront philosophical forms of thought, various forms of humanism and the human sciences, and dialogue with them. It is articulated whenever: "the systematic treatment and the scientific investigation of the truths of the Faith" 139DCG (1971) 17; cf. GS 62g. are promoted.
The important forms of the ministry of the Word are: the first annoucement or missionary preaching, pre and post baptismal catechesis, the liturgical forms and the theological forms. Then, it often happens, for pastoral reasons, that important forms of the ministry of the word must assume more than one function. Catechesis, for example, together with its initiatory forms, has frequently to discharge tasks of mission. The same homily, depending on circumstances, can take on both the functions of convocation and of integral initiation.