Across the country, many dioceses welcomed a record number of new Catholics this Easter, with reports showing significant increases in those entering nationally through OCIA. It has been a visible reminder that the Holy Spirit is at work — stirring hearts, awakening curiosity, and drawing people toward Truth, Beauty, and the Goodness of belonging to Christ and his Church.

This Easter season was especially meaningful for me personally, as a friend was baptized and received the sacraments of initiation, entering into full communion with the Body of Christ. Witnessing her joy, her courage, and her deep sense of peace made the Church’s mission feel very immediate and very real. I couldn’t stop smiling throughout the entire Mass!

Moments like this remind us of an essential truth: initiation is not an ending, it is the beginning. And that is where the ongoing responsibility of the Church, and especially of diocesan leadership and communication, comes into clear focus.

Formation is a lifelong process

For most Catholics, formal catechesis slows — or stops — after Confirmation, typically as a teenager. Yet, adulthood is often when faith questions become more urgent and complex. Life forces us to consider a host of challenging issues such as the purpose of suffering, the messiness of relationships, the responsibility of parenting, or how to fulfill our unique roles in service of God and others. The lessons we learned as young Catholics about prayer and the Mass may not satisfy deeper questions about why the Church teaches what it does, or help us explain our faith to a spouse, a child, or a friend who is searching.

This is where Catholic communicators can play an essential role. As content evangelists, we have a unique opportunity — and responsibility — to offer conduits to sound catechesis that helps people grow as disciples who are equipped to share their faith with others.

Teaching through trusted channels

Our magazine model and integrated digital platforms are created with this mission in mind. They are not simply about sharing news, but about helping people understand our Catholic faith, recognize God at work in ordinary lives, and grow in confidence as disciples and evangelizers.

Faith Catholic’s regular readership surveys show that the majority of readers spend more than 15 minutes with each issue — valuable, unhurried time with an audience that may not be in our pews every week. Even more significantly, more than 80 percent of readers say their diocesan magazines help them better understand their faith and explain it to family and friends. That matters. It means diocesan content is not only being read, but carried into kitchens, living rooms, parish halls, and everyday conversations — not only forming individual readers, but actively equipping missionary disciples.

One reason we may be seeing renewed interest in the Church — including the recent growth in OCIA — is precisely this: people are learning about the faith from someone they trust. A spouse. A coworker. A neighbor. A friend who can say, “This is what the Church teaches — and why it matters.” To share the faith, we must first know it. And to know it, people need ongoing formation that is clear, compelling, and accessible.
 

Our focus in this issue — teaching the faith

In this issue, we focus on using the media to teach the tenets of the faith — not only to encourage encounters with Christ, but specifically to transmit sound catechesis, offering several examples of how to do this most effectively:

• As he anticipates retirement, Bishop Earl Boyea of the Diocese of Lansing, a lifelong educator and former seminary professor and chancellor, shares his perspective on teaching the faith to everyday Catholics.
• Father Mike Schmitz reflects on the success of his blockbuster podcasts Bible in a Year and Catechism in a Year and offers his advice on communicating the faith.
• Cameron Diachun, Director of Worship and Liturgy from the Diocese of Gaylord, on what this year’s cohort of converts can teach us about evangelizing.
• Faith Catholic’s white paper on reaching cultural Catholics helps frame the approach to those who still claim their Catholicism even though they don’t practice the faith.
• In a final word, theology teacher Dan Spitzley considers, “What is the right question?”

In this moment of renewed interest and conversion, diocesan communication is not ancillary to the Church’s mission. It is formative. It is evangelizing. And it is one of the most consistent ways we can accompany people — new Catholics, lifelong Catholics, returning Catholics, and seekers — in a faith that continues to be formed, strengthened, and shared.

About our cover

In his role as Bishop of Lansing, Bishop Earl A. Boyea owns and operates Faith Catholic the nation’s largest publisher of Catholic magazines. On the cusp of his retirement, the team at Faith offers our heartfelt gratitude for his wise and energetic leadership. His confidence in our approach and his belief in the power of content evangelization to connect people with Jesus and his Church has propelled our company forward throughout his tenure. We thank him for his faith in us, and especially for sharing with us his unwavering faith in our Lord, Jesus Christ.