A Summary of Evangelii Gaudium (Joy of the

Gospel): Pope Francis' First Apostolic Exhortation

Summary of Evangelii Gaudium (Joy of the Gospel)
Evangelii Gaudium is a fantastic document that will have a deep impact on our Church for several
generations. It is also a LONG document. In his own words, I have dealt extensively with these
topics with a detail which some may find excessive (#18). Pope Francis covers a tremendous
amount of ground and the task of trying to summarize such a lengthy document to various people
who only have some much time to read this blog post presents quite the challenge.
In order to try to meet this challenge, Ive separated the blog post into different sections
below:
o
If you have 60 seconds to know what the document says, read the General Summary.
o
If you have 5 minutes, read the General Summary, Table of Contents and Major
Themes section below it.
o
And, if you want to learn more about the document, check out the list of quotes as well and
the you talkin to me section (section and quotes addressed to particular groups of people).
As always, the best option is to read the document yourself and then use this as a guide for reflection
and study later. I know this isnt always possible or realistic, especially the day of the release.
Note: I will accompany quotes with a number (e.g. #134). These number signify paragraph numbers
on the document, not page numbers.
General Summary (in 60 seconds)
Pope Francis opens the document like this:
The Joy of the Gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus. Those who accept his
offer of salvation are set free from sin, sorrow, inner emptiness and loneliness. With Christ joy is
constantly born anew. In this Exhortation I wish to encourage the Christian faithful to embark upon
a new chapter of evangelization marked by this joy, while pointing out new paths for the Churchs
journey in years to come (#1) (italics mine).
What is this new chapter? My best guess would be the quote below which I believe sums up
the document well:
I dream of a 'missionary option', that is, a missionary impulse capable of transforming
everything, so that the Churchs customs, ways of doing things, times and schedules, language and
structures can be suitably channeled for the evangelization of todays world rather than for her
self-preservation (#27).
This is a huge statement. As a Church, we have been in self-preservation mode. We have hid
ourselves in bunkers and hoped to survive. Pope Francis is calling for our Church to thrive by
choosing the missionary option in everything that we do.
How do we do this? Thats what the rest of the document is all about.

Table of Contents and Major Themes

The Table of Contents
This is one of the best ways to get an overview of the document. There is an introduction and five
unique chapters. The Table of Contents was pulled straight from the back of the document. Check
them out below:
INTRODUCTION
A JOY EVER NEW, A JOY WHICH IS SHARED
II. THE DELIGHTFUL AND COMFORTING JOY OF EVANGELIZING
III. THE NEW EVANGELIZATION FOR THE TRANSMISSION OF THE FAITH

CHAPTER ONE THE CHURCHS MISSIONARY TRANSFORMATION

1. A CHURCH WHICH GOES FORTH
II. PASTORAL ACTIVITY AND CONVERSION
III. FROM THE HEART OF THE GOSPEL
IV. A MISSION EMBODIED WITHIN HUMAN LIMITS
V. A MOTHER WITH AN OPEN HEART

CHAPTER TWO AMID THE CRISIS OF COMMUNAL COMMITMENT

I. SOME CHALLENGES OF TODAYS WORLD
II. TEMPTATIONS FACED BY PASTORAL WORKERS
CHAPTER THREE THE PROCLAMATION OF THE GOSPEL
I. THE ENTIRE PEOPLE OF GOD PROCLAIMS THE GOSPEL
II. THE HOMILY
III. PREPARING TO PREACH
IV. EVANGELIZATION AND THE DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF THE KERYGMA
CHAPTER FOUR THE SOCIAL DIMENSION OF EVANGELIZATION
I. COMMUNAL AND SOCIETAL REPERCUSSIONS OF THE KERYGMA

II. THE INCLUSION OF THE POOR IN SOCIETY

III. THE COMMON GOOD AND PEACE IN SOCIETY
IV. SOCIAL DIALOGUE AS A CONTRIBUTION TO PEACE
CHAPTER FIVESPIRIT-FILLED EVANGELIZERS
I. REASONS FOR A RENEWED MISSIONARY IMPULSE
II. MARY, MOTHER OF EVANGELIZATION
[A Summary of Lumen Fidei: Pope Francis First Encyclical]
Major Themes in Evangelii Gaudium
Like I said, this is a very long document with several major themes and highlights. Below are what I
think are the most significant and some of my favorite. Ill give at least one example of each, although
many of the themes below are emphasized multiple times and in multiple ways throughout the
document.

1. The Basic Proclamation of the Gospel (Kerygma)

For Pope Francis, evangelization begins by sharing the basic message of the Gospel.
In catechesis too, we have rediscovered the fundamental role of the first announcement or kerygma,
which needs to be the center of all evangelizing activity and all efforts at Church renewal On the
lips of the catechist the first proclamation must ring out over and over: Jesus Christ loves you; he
gave his life to save you; and now he is living at your side every day to enlighten, strengthen and free
you (#164).
He goes on to note the importance of the kerygma throughout the life of a Christian:
It is first in a qualitative sense because it is the principal proclamation, the one which we must hear
again and again in different ways, the one which we must announce one way or another throughout
the process of catechesis, at every level and moment (#164).
Dont worry he practices what he preaches. In the third paragraph he states:
I invite all Christians, everywhere, at this very moment, to a renewed personal encounter with Jesus
Christ, or at least an openness to letting him encounter them; I ask all of you to do this unfailingly
each day. No one should think that this invitation is not meant for him or her, since no one is
excluded from the joy brought by the Lord (#3).

2. Two Sources of Evangelization

First, we can evangelize only because of God first loved us.

An evangelizing community knows that the Lord has taken the initiative, he has loved us first (cf. 1
Jn 4:19), and therefore we can move forward, boldly take the initiative, go out to others, seek those
who have fallen away, stand at the crossroads and welcome the outcast.
Second, our evangelization depends on theme #1: Our ability to accept the Gospel into our
lives.
Here we find the source and inspiration of all our efforts at evangelization. For if we have received
the love which restores meaning to our lives, how can we fail to share that love with others? (#9).

3. Missionary Disciple
The term missionary disciple is used throughout the document. The two terms are used to hold in
tension the need both for a relationships with our Lord and the need to go to the outskirts to preach
the Gospel. One thing is very clear. Every Baptized member of the Catholic faith is called to
evangelize and is called to be a missionary disciple.
In virtue of their baptism, all the members of the People of God have become missionary
disciples (cf. Mt 28:19). All the baptized, whatever their position in the Church or their level of
instruction in the faith, are agents of evangelization" (#120).
What I would like to propose is something much more in the line of an evangelical discernment. It is
the approach of a missionary disciple, an approach nourished by the light and strength of the Holy
Spirit (#51).
The Church is herself a missionary disciple (#40).
[From the FOCUS blog: 6 Things to Know When Reading the Words of Pope Francis]
4. The Parish
Pope Francis spends a considerable amount of time on the parish as he looks to see how a
missionary impulse would change parish life.
In all its activities the parish encourages and trains its members to be evangelizers. It is a
community of communities, a sanctuary where the thirsty come to drink in the midst of their journey,
and a centre of constant missionary outreach. We must admit, though, that the call to review and
renew our parishes has not yet sufficed to bring them nearer to people, to make them environments
of living communion and participation, and to make them completely mission-oriented (#28)
In some people we see an ostentatious preoccupation for the liturgy, for doctrine and for the
Churchs prestige, but without any concern that the Gospel have a real impact on Gods faithful
people and the concrete needs of the present time (#95).
Then in regards to sharing the message of the Gospel:
Pastoral ministry in a missionary style is not obsessed with the disjointed transmission of a
multitude of doctrines to be insistently imposedthe message has to concentrate on the
essentials, on what is most beautiful, most grand, most appealing and at the same time most

necessary. The message is simplified, while losing none of its depth and truth, and thus
becomes all the more forceful and convincing.
He will later spend several paragraphs (#135-159 - a LARGE section of the document) just on
preaching homilies.

5. The Poor
We all know that Pope Francis wants a Church which is poor and for the poor. The poor took up a
huge section in this Apostolic Exhortation and his words deserve to be closely examined.
Here are some significant quotes to help sum up his thoughts:
We know that evangelization would not be complete if it did not take account of the unceasing
interplay of the Gospel and of mans concrete life, both personal and social (#181).
Each individual Christian and every community is called to be an instrument of God for the liberation
and promotion of the poor, and for enabling them to be fully a part of society (#187).
Inspired by this, the Church has made an option for the poor which is understood as a special form
of primacy in the exercise of Christian charity, to which the whole tradition of the Church bears
witness (#198).
Gods heart has a special place for the poor, so much so that he himself 'became poor' (2 Cor8:9).
The entire history of our redemption is marked by the presence of the poor. Salvation came to us
from the 'yes' uttered by a lowly maiden from a small town on the fringes of a great empire. (#197)
Without the preferential option for the poor, the proclamation of the Gospel, which is itself the prime
form of charity, risks being misunderstood or submerged by the ocean of words which daily engulfs
us in todays society of mass communications (#199)

6. De-centrailization of the Papacy

This may strike someone as an odd theme in a document on evangelization, but it was clear in the
document that Francis wanted to note that the centralization of the Church can harm evangelization.
Countless issues involving evangelization today might be discussed here, but I have chosen not to
explore these many questions which call for further reflection and study. Nor do I believe that the
papal magisterium should be expected to offer a definitive or complete word on every question which
affects the Church and the world. It is not advisable for the Pope to take the place of local Bishops in
the discernment of every issue which arises in their territory. In this sense, I am conscious of the
need to promote a sound 'decentralization' (#16).
He also practices this principle throughout the document by quoting different groups of bishops.
Note: By the way, I could have probably picked another 6 themes. I may add to this list as time goes
on.
[From the FOCUS Blog: The Four Best Beards in the History of Christendom]

List of Quotes (titles are mine)

Complaining
Sometimes we are tempted to find excuses and complain, acting as if we could only be happy if a
thousand conditions were met. To some extent this is because our 'technological society has
succeeded in multiplying occasions of pleasure, yet has found it very difficult to engender joy' (#7).
Where should we preach the Gospel?
In fidelity to the example of the Master, it is vitally important for the Church today to go forth and
preach the Gospel to all: to all places, on all occasions, without hesitation, reluctance or fear. The joy
of the Gospel is for all people: no one can be excluded. (#23).
God Asks Everything
God asks everything of us, yet at the same time he offers everything to us (#12).
Whats your four oclock?
The joy of evangelizing always arises from grateful remembrance: it is a grace which we constantly
need to implore. The apostles never forgot the moment when Jesus touched their hearts: 'It was
about four oclock in the afternoon'" (Jn. 1:39) (#13).
On patience
Evangelization consists mostly of patience and disregard for constraints of time (#24).
On Atheism
Today, our challenge is not so much atheism as the need to respond adequately to many peoples
thirst for God, lest they try to satisfy it with alienating solutions or with a disembodied Jesus who
demands nothing of us with regard to others.
What disciples risk?
The disciple is ready to put his or her whole life on the line, even to accepting martyrdom, in bearing
witness to Jesus Christ, yet the goal is not to make enemies but to see Gods word accepted and its
capacity for liberation and renewal revealed (24).
On marriage today
Marriage now tends to be viewed as a form of mere emotional satisfaction that can be constructed
in any way or modified at will (#66).
On what needs to be done
Instead, we waste time talking about 'what needs to be done' in Spanish we call this the sin of
'habriaquesmo' like spiritual masters and pastoral experts who give instructions from on high. We
indulge in endless fantasies and we lose contact with the real lives and difficulties of our people
(#96).
On homilies
We know that the faithful attach great importance to it, and that both they and their ordained
ministers suffer because of homilies: the laity from having to listen to them and the clergy from
having to preach them! (#135)

Beauty and evangelization

Every form of catechesis would do well to attend to the 'way of beauty' (via pulchritudinis)" (129).
Proclaiming Christ means showing that to believe in and to follow him is not only something right and
true, but also something beautiful, capable of filling life with new splendour and profound joy, even in
the midst of difficulties.
Jesus and his people
To be evangelizers of souls, we need to develop a spiritual taste for being close to peoples lives
and to discover that this is itself a source of greater joy. To be Mission is at once a passion for Jesus
and a passion for his people (#268).

You talkin to me? (Some quotes for particular people)

Pastoral Workers (those in what we often call ministry in America)
It is striking that even some who clearly have solid doctrinal and spiritual convictions frequently fall
into a lifestyle which leads to an attachment to financial security, or to a desire for power or human
glory at all cost, rather than giving their lives to others in mission. Let us not allow ourselves to be
robbed of missionary enthusiasm! (#80)
Some fall into it because they throw themselves into unrealistic projects and are not satisfied simply
to do what they reasonably can. Others, because they lack the patience to allow processes to
mature; they want everything to fall from heaven. Others, because they are attached to a few
projects or vain dreams of success. Others, because they have lost real contract with people and so
depersonalize their work that they are more concerned with the road map than with the journey itself
(#82).
Also, for a much longer exhortation, check out paragraphs 76-97. Lots of great advice in there for
those in ministry.
Women
Demands that the legitimate rights of women be respected, based on the firm conviction that men
and women are equal in dignity, present the Church with profound and challenging questions which
cannot be lightly evaded. The reservation of the priesthood to males, as a sign of Christ the Spouse
who gives himself in the Eucharist, is not a question open to discussion, but it can prove especially
divisive if sacramental power is too closely identified with power in general. (#104)
Theologians and Academics
I call on theologians to carry out this service as part of the Churchs saving mission. In doing so,
however, they must always remember that the Church and theology exist to evangelize, and not be
content with a desk-bound theology. Universities are outstanding environments for articulating and
developing this evangelizing commitment in an interdisciplinary and integrated way (#134).
Bishops
The bishop must always foster this missionary communion in his diocesan Church, following the
ideal of the first Christian communities, in which the believers were of one heart and one soul
(cf. Acts 4:32). To do so, he will sometimes go before his people, pointing the way and keeping their

hope vibrant. At other times, he will simply be in their midst with his unassuming and merciful
presence (#31).
The young
Even if it is not always easy to approach young people, progress has been made in two areas:
the awareness that the entire community is called to evangelize and educate the young, and the
urgent need for the young to exercise greater leadership.
So much more to unpack. I will continue to read and study this document.
Have you read Evangelii Gaudium yet? What impacted you the most? Share your thoughts
below.

A summary of the key issues raised by Pope in

Evangelii Gaudium
Here is a summary of the the main features of Pope Franciss apostolic exhortation,
Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel), which was released at the Vatican
today

 With a mix of conversational style and formal papal magisterial language, Pope
Francis sets forth a vision for giving the entire Church, at every level, a missionary
thrust; he anticipates some objections and confusion, but asks everyone to give it a try.
He calls for renewal and rethinking the way every person and every institution
from the Pope and the Roman Curia down to the parish and its parishioners live
their faith and focus their energies.
The Pope recognises the Church must be realistic about the challenges individuals
and the world pose to belief today, but as a Jesuit he encourages an Ignatian
reading of the situation, looking for the people, places and trends where God is
present. The practice should lead to greater consolation, joy and courage in sharing the
Gospel.
Pope Francis sees the Christian life as being based on knowing and experiencing
Gods love, mercy and salvation offered to all through the death and resurrection of
Jesus Christ. Evangelisation programmes and catechesis must be designed to help
people return to that basic knowledge and experience and help them understand
church teaching in light of God having revealing himself as loving and merciful.
He apologetically spends a long section of the document talking about the
importance of homilies as the one opportunity each week most priests have to
encourage Catholics to live the faith. He provides detailed suggestions on reading the
biblical texts for the Mass, writing the homily and delivering it.
The Pope recognises that some church teachings and positions on modern issues are
confusing to many people, especially outside the church. He affirms Church teaching
that women cannot be priests since Jesus chose only men as his apostles, but he also
says women must be involved more in Church decision making. He also insists that
the defense of the life of the unborn flows from the conviction that every life is
sacred, and is a position that will not change.

 Pope Francis says that the heart of the Christian moral message is love for one
another, which must motivate Christians to share the Gospel, help the poor and work
for social justice.
He warns of spiritual worldliness which leads apparently good Catholics to be
concerned almost exclusively with power or appearances or judging others rather than
recognizing their own sin and reaching out to others with the same mercy God offers
them.
The Pope highlights Mary not only as a model of faith and fidelity, but as a strong
woman and mother who shared many of the joys and sorrows facing people today
and, therefore, understands the challenges they face.

The Joy of the Gospel is the title Pope Francis has chosen for this first major document of his
pontificate, putting down in print the joyous spirit of encounter with Christ that characterizes every
public appearance he has made so far. The man who has constantly kept the medias attention with
his desire to embrace and share his faith with everyone he meets, now urges usto do exactly the
same. To recover the original freshness of the Gospel, as he puts it, through a thorough renewal of
the Churchs structures and vision. Including what he calls a conversion of the papacy to make it
better able to serve the mission of evangelization in the modern world. The Church, he says, should
not be afraid to re-examine customs not directly connected to the heart of the Gospel even if they
may have deep historical roots.
In strikingly direct and personal language, the Pope appeals to all Christians to bring about a
revolution of tenderness by opening their hearts each day to Gods unfailing love and forgiveness.
The great danger in todays consumer society, he says, is the desolation and anguish that comes

from a covetous heart, the feverish pursuit of frivolous pleasures, and a blunted conscience.
Whenever our interior life becomes caught up in its own interests , he warns, there is no longer
room for others, no place for the poor.As we open our hearts, the Pope goes on, so the doors of our
churches must always be open and the sacraments available to all. The Eucharist, he says
pointedly, is not a prize for the perfect, but a powerful medicine and nourishment for the weak And
he repeats his ideal of a Church that is bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out on the
streets rather than a Church that is caught up in a slavish preoccupation with liturgy and doctrine,
procedure and prestige. God save us, he exclaims, from a worldly Church with superficial spiritual
and pastoral trappings! Urging a greater role for the laity, the Pope warns of excessive clericalism
and calls for a more incisive female presence in the Church, especially where important decisions
are made.
Looking beyond the Church, Pope Francis denounces the current economic system as unjust at its
root, based on a tyranny of the marketplace, in which financial speculation, widespread corruption
and tax evasion reign supreme. He also denounces attacks on religious freedom and new
persecutions directed against Christians. Noting that secularization has eroded ethical values,
producing a sense of disorientation and superficiality, the Pope highlights the importance of marriage
and stable family relationships. Returning to his vision of a Church that is poor and for the poor, the
Pope urges us to pay particular attention to those on the margins of society, including the homeless,
the addicted, refugees, indigenous peoples, the elderly, migrants, victims of trafficking and unborn
children. While it is not progressive to try to resolve problems by eliminating a human life, he says,
its also true that we have done little to adequately accompany women in very difficult situations,
where abortion appears as a quick solution to their profound anguish.
Finally the new papal document also focuses on the themes of promoting peace, justice and
fraternity, through patient and respectful dialogue with all people of all faiths and none. Better
relations with other Christians, with Jews and with Muslims are all seen as indispensable ways of
promoting peace and combatting fundamentalism. While urging Christians to avoid hateful
generalisations about Islam, the Pope also calls humbly on Islamic countries to guarantee full
religious freedom to Christians
The full text of the new Apostolic Exhortation can be found on the Vatican website, while the
main points are outlined in the synopsis below:
The joy of the Gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus. Thus begins the
Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, by which Pope Francis develops the theme of the
proclamation of the Gospel in the contemporary world, drawn from, among other sources, the
contribution of the work of the Synod held in the Vatican, from 7 to 28 October 2012, on the theme
The new evangelization for the transmission of the faith. I wish to encourage the Christian faithful
to embark upon a new chapter of evangelization marked by this joy, while pointing out new paths for
the Churchs journey in years to come (1). It is a heartfelt appeal to all baptized persons to bring
Christs love to others, permanently in a state of mission (25), conquering the great danger in
todays world, that of an individualist desolation and anguish (2).
The Pope invites the reader to recover the original freshness of the Gospel, finding new avenues
and new paths of creativity, without enclosing Jesus in dull categories (11). There is a need for a
pastoral and missionary conversion, which cannot leave things as they presently are (25) and a
renewal of ecclesiastical structures to enable them to become more mission-oriented (27). The
Pontiff also considers a conversion of the papacy to help make this ministry more faithful to the
meaning which Jesus Christ wished to give it and to the present needs of evangelization. The hope
that the Episcopal Conferences might contribute to the concrete realization of the collegial spirit, he
states, has not been fully realized (32). A sound decentralization is necessary (16). In this
renewal, the Church should not be afraid to re-examine certain customs not directly connected to

the heart of the Gospel, even some of which have deep historical roots (43).
A sign of Gods openness is that our church doors should always be open so that those who seek
God will not find a closed door; nor should the doors of the sacraments be closed for simply any
reason. The Eucharist is not a prize for the perfect but a powerful medicine and nourishment for the
weak. These convictions have pastoral consequences that we are called to consider with prudence
and boldness (47). He repeats that he prefers a Church which is bruised, hurting and dirty because
it has been out on the streets, rather than a Church concerned with being at the centre and then
ends by being caught up in a web of obsessions and procedures. If something should rightly disturb
us it is the fact that many of our brothers and sisters are living without the friendship of Jesus
Christ (49).
The Pope indicates the temptations which affect pastoral workers (77): individualism, a crisis of
identity and a cooling of fervour (78). The greatest threat of all is the grey pragmatism of the daily
life of the Church, in which all appears to proceed normally, which in reality faith is wearing down
(83). He warns against defeatism (84), urging Christians to be signs of hope (86), bringing about a
revolution of tenderness (88). It is necessary to seek refuge from the spirituality of well-being
detached from responsibility for our brothers and sisters (90) and to vanquish the spiritual
worldliness that consists of seeking not the Lords glory but human glory and well-being (93). The
Pope speaks of the many who feel superior to others because they remain intransigently faithful to
a particular Catholic style from the past whereby instead of evangelizing, one analyses and
classifies others (94). And those who have an ostentatious preoccupation for the liturgy, for
doctrine and for the Churchs prestige, but without any concern that the Gospel have a real impact
on the needs of the people (95). This is a tremendous corruption disguised as a good God save
us from a worldly Church with superficial spiritual and pastoral trappings! (97).
He appeals to ecclesial communities not to fall prey to envy and jealousy: How many wars take
place within the people of God and in our different communities! (98). Whom are we going to
evangelize if this is the way we act? (100). He highlights the need to promote the growth of the
responsibility of the laity, often kept away from decision-making by an excessive clericalism (102).
He adds that there is a need for still broader opportunities for a more incisive female presence in
the Church, in particular in the various settings where important decisions are made (103).
Demands that the legitimate rights of women be respected cannot be lightly evaded (104). The
young should exercise greater leadership (106). With regard to the scarcity of vocations in many
places, he emphasizes that seminaries cannot accept candidates on the basis of any motivation
whatsoever (107).
With regard to the theme of inculturation, he remarks that Christianity does not have simply one
cultural expression and that the face of the Church is varied (116). We cannot demand that
peoples of every continent, in expressing their Christian faith, imitate modes of expression which
European nations developed at a particular moment of their history (118). The Pope reiterates that
underlying popular piety is an active evangelizing power (126) and encourages the research of
theologians, reminding them however that the Church and theology exist to evangelize and urges
them not to be content with a desk-bound theology (133).
He focuses somewhat meticulously, on the homily, since many concerns have been expressed
about this important ministry and we cannot simply ignore them (135). The homily should be brief
and avoid taking on the semblance of a speech or a lecture (138); it should be a heart-to-heart
communication and avoid purely moralistic or doctrinaire preaching (142). He highlights the
importance of preparation: a preacher who does not prepare is not spiritual; he is dishonest and
irresponsible (145). Preaching should always be positive in order always to offer hope and does
not leave us trapped in negativity (159). The approach to the proclamation of the Gospel should

have positive characteristics: approachability, readiness for dialogue, patience, a warmth and
welcome, which is non-judgmental (165).
In relation to the challenges of the contemporary world, the Pope denounces the current economic
system as unjust at its root (59). Such an economy kills because the law of the survival of the
fittest prevails. The current culture of the disposable has created something new: the excluded
are not the exploited but the outcast, the leftovers (53). A new tyranny is thus born, invisible and
often virtual, of an autonomy of the market in which financial speculation and widespread
corruption and self-serving tax-evasion reign (56). He also denounces attacks on religious
freedom and the new persecutions directed against Christians. In many places the problem is
more that of widespread indifference and relativism (61). The family, the Pope continues, is
experiencing a profound cultural crisis. Reiterating the indispensable contribution of marriage to
society (66), he underlines that the individualism of our postmodern and globalized era favours a
lifestyle which distorts family bonds (67).
He re-emphasizes the profound connection between evangelization and human advancement
(178) and the right of pastors to offer opinions on all that affects peoples lives (182). No one can
demand that religion should be relegated to the inner sanctum of personal life, without a right to offer
an opinion on events affecting society. He quotes John Paul II, who said that the Church cannot
and must not remain on the sidelines in the fight for justice (183). For the Church, the option for the
poor is primarily a theological category rather than a sociological one. This is why I want a Church
that is poor and for the poor. They have much to teach us (198). As long as the problems of the
poor are not radically resolved no solution will be found for this worlds problems (202). Politics,
although often denigrated, he affirms, remains a lofty vocation and one of the highest forms of
charity. I beg the Lord to grant us more politicians who are genuinely disturbed by the lives of the
poor! (205). He adds an admonition: Any Church community, if it believes it can forget about the
poor, runs the risk of breaking down.
The Pope urges care for the weakest members of society: the homeless, the addicted, refugees,
indigenous peoples, the elderly who are increasingly isolated and abandoned and migrants, for
whom the Pope exhorts a generous openness (210). He speaks about the victims of trafficking and
new forms of slavery: This infamous network of crime is now well established in our cities, and
many people have blood on their hands as a result of their comfortable and silent complicity (211).
Doubly poor are those women who endure situations of exclusion, mistreatment and violence
(212). Among the vulnerable for whom the Church wishes to care with particular love and concern
are unborn children, the most defenceless and innocent among us. Nowadays efforts are made to
deny them their human dignity (213). The Church cannot be expected to change her position on
this question it is not progressive to try to resolve problems by eliminating a human life (214).
The Pope makes an appeal for respect for all creation: we are called to watch over and protect the
fragile world in which we live (216).
With regard to the theme of peace, the Pope affirms that a prophetic voice must be raised against
attempts at false reconciliation to silence or appease the poor, while others refuse to renounce
their privileges (218). For the construction of a society in peace, justice and fraternity he indicates
four principles (221): Time is greater than space (222) means working slowly but surely, without
being obsessed with immediate results (223). Unity prevails over conflict (226) means a
diversified and life-giving unity (228). Realities are more important than ideas (231) means
avoiding reducing politics or faith to rhetoric (232). The whole is greater than the part means
bringing together globalization and localization (234).
Evangelization also involves the path of dialogue, the Pope continues, which opens the Church to

collaboration with all political, social, religious and cultural spheres (238). Ecumenism is an
indispensable path to evangelization. Mutual enrichment is important: we can learn so much from
one another! For example in the dialogue with our Orthodox brothers and sisters, we Catholics
have the opportunity to learn more about the meaning of Episcopal collegiality and their experience
of synodality (246); dialogue and friendship with the children of Israel are part of the life of Jesus
disciples (248); interreligious dialogue, which must be conducted clear and joyful in ones own
identity, is a necessary condition for peace in the world and does not obscure evangelization (250251); in our times, our relationship with the followers of Islam has taken on great importance (252).
The Pope humbly entreats those countries of Islamic tradition to guarantee religious freedom to
Christians, also in light of the freedom which followers of Islam enjoy in Western countries! Faced
with disconcerting episodes of violent fundamentalism he urges us to avoid hateful generalisations,
for authentic Islam and the proper reading of the Koran are opposed to every form of violence (253).
And against the attempt to private religions in some contexts, he affirms that the respect due to the
agnostic or non-believing minority should not be arbitrarily imposed in a way that silences the
convictions of the believing majority or ignores the wealth of religious traditions (255). He then
repeats the importance of dialogue and alliance between believers and non-believers (257).
The final chapter is dedicated to spirit-filled evangelizers, who are those who are fearlessly open
to the working of the Holy Spirit and who have the courage to proclaim the newness of the Gospel
with boldness (parrhesa) in every time and place, even when it meets with opposition (259). These
are evangelizers who pray and work (262), in the knowledge that mission is at once a passion for
Jesus and a passion for his people (268): Jesus wants us to touch human misery, to touch the
suffering flesh of others (270). He explains: In our dealings with the world, we are told to give
reasons for our hope, but not as an enemy who critiques and condemns (271). Only the person
who feels happiness in seeking the good of others, in desiring their happiness, can be a missionary
(272); if I can help at least one person to have a better life, that already justifies the offering of my
life (274). The Pope urges us not to be discouraged before failure or scarce results, since
fruitfulness is often invisible, elusive and unquantifiable; we must know only that our commitment
is necessary (279). The exhortation concludes with a prayer to Mary, Mother of Evangelization.
There is a Marian style to the Churchs work of evangelization. Whenever we look to Mary, we
come to believe once again in the revolutionary nature of love and tenderness (288).