Evangelization training to be held blocks from White House

Washington D.C., Oct 25, 2013 / 16:08 pm

The lay evangelization training program Catholic Voices will bring its next group training to within blocks of the White House, as it teaches Catholics how to share the message of the Catholic faith.

The next training session will take place at the Catholic Information Center in Washington, D.C., which "hosts the closest tabernacle to the White House," Kathryn Lopez, director of  Catholic Voices USA, told CNA Oct. 23.

"Where better to gather to work to better communicate the light of faith? Heaven knows politics could use a dose of illumination, liberated from ideology and other idols, as Pope Francis might put it!"

Lopez explained that "people love the Catholic Church and they want to follow our baptismal, Gospel mandate to go and teach all nations. As a Church, we have to help one another. Catholic Voices does this."

Catholic Voices USA is an offshoot of a British organization which was formed to explain the significance and truth of the Catholic Church's teachings in advance of  Pope Benedict's visit to the U.K. in 2010.

The U.S. branch was formed in 2012 " to prepare lay Catholics to share our faith through the media, in presentations and in public discussions and debates," Scot Landry, executive director of the group, told CNA.

"Our objective is the same: to ensure that the perspectives shared by Catholics in the media are reflective of the views of ordinary, joyful, faith-filled Catholics," he said, explaining that the training helps Catholics to discuss their faith and "hot-button issues in which Catholic teaching is often misunderstood or attacked" in a "concise – media-friendly – and compelling way."

The upcoming workshop will take place on Nov. 15-17. The Catholic Information Center, where the sessions will be held,  is a "natural" choice to host the next training, the directors said.

Mitch Boersma, chief operating officer of the Catholic Information Center explained that the downtown D.C. bookstore and chapel is "the intellectual and cultural hub of Catholic life in Washington" and is "committed to re-introducing the truths of the faith into the national dialogue."

Boersma added that hosting the training at the Catholic Information Center can help evangelization efforts in the city as well.  "DC is teeming with Catholics professionals eager to grow in their faith and bring the joy of that faith to their jobs, families, and communities," he said.

"By partnering with CVUSA for this workshop, we hope to provide them with a platform in the heart of the capital to bring their vital evangelizing work to a city in desperate need of the Good News!"

Landry encouraged all Catholics "who have a love for our faith, a growing knowledge of Church teaching, and a desire to help it be better understood" to apply for the program.

Lopez assured that this Washington, D.C. training is just the beginning of Catholic Voices' goal "to share these gifts with as many as desire to be articulate, soulful Christian communicators as is possible."

"We're all called to communicate the Gospel with those around us."

"People are encouraged, and nourished, and renewed when they see others embracing and highlighting and learning the teachings of the Church. We're in this together on the road, we pray, to heaven."