Proclaim '15 - historic evangelization initiative

Proclaim '15, an historic evangelisation initiative has been launched across England and Wales, to support, inspire and encourage new expressions of parish evangelisation. Introducing the initiative at a press conference yesterday, Cardinal Vincent Nichols and Bishop Nicholas Hudson said Proclaim '15 was a national response to Pope Francis' call in Evangelii Gaudium when he wrote: "I wish to encourage the Christian faithful to embark upon a new chapter of evangelisation marked by this joy, while pointing out new paths for the Church's journey in years to come."

Most importantly, we need to deeper our own personal relationship with Jesus Christ, the Cardinal said, and then share that message with others.

In response to a question about church attendance figures, The Cardinal said: "This entire project comes not from a preoccupation with numbers but from a desire to grow in our own relationship with Christ". Cardinal Vincent stressed that evangelisation is not proselytising, but mean issuing a gentle invitation.

This Saturday 11 July, a major conference will take place in Birmingham which will be attended by 850 evangelisation representatives from every diocese in England and Wales. After keynote speeches by Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop Bernard Longley , Rev Nicky Gumbel from Alpha, and Ms Michelle Moran Ponifical Council for the Laity, there will be a series of workshops and discussion groups.

Cardinal Vincent has invited every parish are invited to host an evening of prayer on the day of the conference.

The legacy of the conference will be many local events. Templates will be provided online to enable dioceses, deaneries and parishes to have their own Proclaim '15 gatherings in autumn 2015.New Evangelisation resources will also be made available as a fruit of the National Conference to equip parish evangelisation in autumn 2015.

For resources and more information see: www.catholicnews.org.uk/proclaim15