“We cannot permit ourselves to be reluctant. Evangelizing is a task of Christians and too often we step backwards out of fear of offending someone or being rejected. As a Catholic community we must break down the barriers raised by fears and bear witness to Jesus Christ, now more than ever”, declared Bishop Malcolm McMahon of Nottingham, head of the office for evangelization and catechesis of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales. He urged Catholic nations to break down the barriers and stop being reluctant when it is a case of placing in common their own faith. To achieve this objective, an ‘evangelization kit’ has been sent to each parish; it contains material for praying, liturgical aids and car stickers. “Many Catholics must do some soul searching to discover their attitude to mission added McMahon . Their reactions to the word evangelization range from fear to embarrassment. Many seek refuge behind the false conviction that the faith is a private matter: it is not and has never been”.
