They are laypeople who bring the Gospel to the most needy places, to the existential peripheries spoken of by Pope Francis.

“Full-Time Evangelizers (ETC) is a treasure, it is a light in the midst of darkness, it is an extraordinary contribution to the Church’s mission in Venezuela, so I feel very happy about your presence here in Caracas.”

These were the words of Cardinal Jorge Urosa Savino in recognition of the 15 years of work carried out by this evangelizing initiative present in Venezuela, “always at the service of the Church, especially in the most needy parishes,” he recalled.

The thanksgiving Mass was held during the feast of the apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul, at the “Elena de Bueno” school in the Los Chorros neighborhood of Caracas. Urosa was accompanied by the emeritus auxiliary bishop, Monsignor Nicolás Bermúdez Villamizar (Eudist Fathers); and the Legionaries of Christ: Ignacio Jordán Trías and Francisco Javier Vilarroig, the latter being the director of the ETC program in Venezuela.

Also present were the 15 evangelizers from across the country, along with benefactors and friends of the program, as well as the leaders of the Association of Integral Trainers, AFIN.

The Archbishop of Caracas expressed his gratitude for this program that provides dioceses with lay disciples and missionaries, trained and ready to evangelize. “ETC members are placed at the service of diocesan parish priests to assist them in evangelization through catechetical activities.”

Dedicated to evangelization

The leaders of ETC in Venezuela explained that this evangelizing work is a program of the Legion of Christ and Regnum Christi, at the service of the Catholic Church, following the directives of the parish priests and with the approval of the bishops.

In Venezuela, they have 15 evangelizers, joining nearly 500 in the organization’s presence in Mexico (363); Guatemala (28); and El Salvador (69). Additionally, the work is carried out in 62 dioceses: 49 in Mexico; 3 in Guatemala; 6 in El Salvador; and 4 in Venezuela (the archdioceses of Caracas and Barquisimeto, and the dioceses of Guarenas and La Guaira).

The portal of Full-Time Evangelizers explains that it was founded in 1989 in two dioceses in Mexico to respond to very specific needs of the Church: “to face the adversities that our Catholic Faith is suffering today”; and the “advance of sects, secularization, the lack of priests, the crisis of vocations to the priesthood and religious life,” recurrent shortages in most Central American countries.

The project “engages laypeople, Catholic entrepreneurs, and people of good will, who through periodic financial support enable disciples and missionaries to dedicate themselves full-time.”

It is the closest thing to practicing a profession but sustained by Faith, with which they “help parish priests to bring the Gospel to the most needy places,” mainly in the peripheries spoken of by Francis.

Finally, it was learned that among the activities they carry out are catechist training, home visits, Word celebrations, pre-sacramental courses for children, youth, and adults, organizing missions, identifying and promoting vocations to the priesthood and religious life, organizing pilgrimages, and caring for the sick, among others.

Source: Aleteia