A GROUP OF ORANGE County Catholics have headed back to school with hopes of deepening their faith and effectively sharing the Gospel in their communities.
Earlier this year, 44 people from seven parishes were handpicked by their pastors to participate in the Diocese of Orange’s new program called The School of Evangelization.
In just a short amount of time, Martha Arenas, manager of The School of Evangelization, has witnessed a visible transformation in each of the participants.
“First, they were kind of apprehensive,” Arenas told Orange County Catholic when looking back on the first weeks of class. “They weren’t sure if they were going to have the tools necessary to do this task, but they’ve grown in confidence. They’ve grown in camaraderie. We’ve become almost like a family.”
As part of the program, participants went on a Kerygma Encounter Retreat. They were also asked to read “Forming Intentional Disciples” by Sherry Weddell. The book aims to provide tools on how to open a conversation about faith and belief, how to establish an atmosphere of trust, when to tell the Great Story of Jesus and how to help someone respond to God’s call to intentional discipleship.
Participants also read over portions of “Evangelii Gaudium” by Pope Francis, where the Holy Father urges the entire church “to embark on a new chapter of evangelism.”
Finally, students have demonstrated their commitment by coming together once a week for class.
“We’ve gotten far closer from where we began and now, I can see the excitement and the confidence building in them,” Arenas shared. “They participate and they answer questions, and they give their comments on how all the material has helped them. It’s very exciting to see them trying to accomplish the whole process, and then go back to their parishes and implement the process.”
The School of Evangelization emphasizes the importance of personal discipleship and equips individuals with the skills and knowledge needed to evangelize with confidence and compassion. After completing the program, the goal is for participants to share their knowledge with the local church they attend.
“Bishop Vann wants all the parishes to have evangelization teams outside of the catechetical setting,” Arenas explained. “Intentional disciples essentially is what it is, and we teach them what it takes to be a disciple, how do I become a disciple and how do I make other disciples. There are three units to the school, and they go in that order.”
The program has been a rewarding experience for Arenas, who admits she has personally experienced highs and lows in her faith journey over the years.
When she was in the military, Arenas said she “did the bare minimum” in growing her faith. But after beginning a new job that wasn’t the best fit, she started relying more on her faith. When attending Mass one Sunday morning, Arenas saw the church was hiring an executive assistant. She was hired and learned the ropes quickly.
“I went to every diocese training imaginable because I didn’t want to mess it up,” Arenas said with a laugh. “The more I leaned in and the closer I got in dealing with the people, it was very, very rewarding for me. Witnessing so many life changes, it starts with one person and then expands to their families and their friends. Then, all of a sudden, your group keeps growing because the people are very excited about their faith journey and preparing for sacraments.”
Arenas and her team are already planning a one-day retreat in January 2025 where Catholics can have an encounter with Jesus. Interested participants will soon be able to apply online for a spot.
Although it’s different from The School of Evangelization, Arenas hopes more people will experience God’s love and share their experiences with others.
“One of the current students, for example, mentioned that she didn’t know how to talk to her own children about her faith, and now she’s more confident and she’s been able to answer questions for them,” Arenas said.
She’s excited that they’re even asking questions because they had no interest before, but then they saw this kind of fire awaken in her.
“They started being curious about what’s happening to mom,” she shared.
Stories like this give Arenas even more motivation to continue The School of Evangelization and give additional students the opportunity to grow their faith.
“When this opportunity came available, it was very exciting to me because it felt like I was able to help more than one parish,” she said. “I would be able to reach out to more places. All the training and all the work and all the gifts that the Lord had bestowed upon me, it felt like it was time to expand that. It’s worked out so good.”
To learn more about The School of Evangelization, email Martha Arenas at [email protected].