~Saint Francis of Assisi

Do you know someone who exudes joy, who is determined to bring light to some dark place, who understands that God is love and love is required to live the Gospel? This is a person who lives a vibrant faith … a faith that makes a difference even if it’s only in the life or heart of one person.
 
Living a vibrant faith does not require a grand initiative to change the world, to single handedly save the environment or feed the hungry. It does require a response to Jesus’ teaching of the Greatest  Commandments: “Love the Lord, your God, with all your heart , with all your soul, and all your mind,” and, ”You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
 
There are many ways to live out these commandments.  The links on these pages share some of the ways in the Diocese of Trenton and her parishes embrace faith as a verb, as actions that give faith its vibrancy. You may find in these pages some opportunities or suggestions to help your faith life come alive, as well.

        

“The Lord tells us: ‘The first task in life is this: prayer.’ But not the prayer of words, like a parrot; but the prayer of the heart: gazing on the Lord, hearing the Lord, asking the Lord.”  ~ Pope Francis
 
Every good relationship requires communication, sharing what’s important to us, sharing our hurts, our needs and, so importantly, our gratitude and love.
 
Learn more.

What is the new evangelization?

Well, first it may help to understand that evangelization brings the good news of the Gospel to all who seek the life-giving message of faith in Jesus Christ. It is the way we make disciples. In years past, we took the Gospel to those who did not yet know Christ. Today, the new evangelization invites each Catholic to renew their relationship with Jesus Christ and his Church. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI referred to the New Evangelization as “re-proposing the Gospel” to those who had undergone a crisis of faith.
 
Evangelization in all its forms is at the heart of the Church's identity, and a way that Catholics can share the love of God and Jesus Christ with others.
 
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A life in faith is full of milestone moments, growth, and a constant seeking for the Lord. So, it is important that we never get to a point where we feel tempted to think that "we've graduated," that we know all we need to know.

Being Catholic means being a constant student:

• learning to see God more clearly in our lives each day,
• exploring the Word of God to connect the dots of our personal story with THE story of Sacred Scripture,
• listening to the many ways the Lord speaks to us,
• employing the grace and strength of faith to build the Kingdom of God in tangible ways each day.

Jesus tells us often in the Gospels, "Do not be afraid" and "Peace be with you." Our Lord wants us to trust in Him, to believe in his love for us, and to know that He is with us always. We believe that God walks with all people through all of life’s moments; the tragedies, the joys, the sorrows, the successes and failures. May we be people who feel Christ's peace within, who walk without fear as we engage with and in this world.

We are also called to be instruments of God's compassion in our lives. May God's grace work in us on the road, in our homes, at work, with our families and friends, and while we struggle with others who test our patience.