Anne DeSantis
It is 2026, and for Catholics who practice their faith, many of us, including me, have family members, friends, neighbors, and others we know who were baptized Catholic but no longer participate in the life of the Church or receive the sacraments of our faith. This can be disheartening, particularly when it involves someone we love.
At the same time, it presents an opportunity for each of us to live our faith without shame and share the love of Christ with others.
But how do we do this? Perhaps we can approach evangelizing those who have drifted from the faith in three simple steps: understand the challenge, find a way to respond, and act.
This may sound overly simplistic, but sometimes beginning simply is best. First and foremost, we must remember that nothing, absolutely nothing, is accomplished without God.
Understand the Challenge
Throughout the more than 2,000-year history of the Church, Christians have faced enormous challenges in bringing the Gospel to others. Countless men and women have dedicated their lives to sharing the Catholic faith, some even giving their lives for it.
We may never become canonized saints, but each of us is called to holiness and has a responsibility to participate in the Church’s mission of evangelization.
People become disconnected from the Catholic faith for many reasons. Some have been hurt by others or even by people within the Church, while others have gradually drifted away or no longer see faith as relevant to their lives. Still others consciously reject the Church’s teachings or choose a different path.
Every person’s story is different, and remembering this can help us approach others with compassion rather than judgment.
At the heart of our Catholic faith is the truth that sin affects every one of us and separates us from God. Yet the greater truth is that Jesus Christ gave Himself for us so that we might be reconciled with God and one day share eternal life with him.
Everything we do to evangelize, therefore, must be done in and through Christ. We are not bringing people to ourselves, but helping them encounter the One who loves them.
Find a Way to Respond
The call to share the Gospel can seem overwhelming, so perhaps the best place to begin is with one person at a time. Every day, God places people in our paths to whom we can show His love. We can do this through a good life lived for God, through our example, and through the corporal and spiritual works of mercy.
Whether we are old or young, rich or poor, happy or sad, each of us can do our small part. Evangelization may sound complicated when we think of it as a great mission, but in everyday life it can be remarkably simple.
A kind word, an invitation, an act of service, a listening ear, or accompanying someone who is suffering can become an opportunity for God to work.
When someone we care deeply about has walked away from the faith, we should also remember that, for the most part, it is not a rejection of us personally. People have been hurt by life and by others, and some feel lost or choose a path very different from our own. We can continue loving them without taking responsibility for their choices.
Act
So what do we actually do? First, we pray, because nothing happens without prayer. Pray for the people you love, ask your patron saint for intercession, and make prayer a habit. Remain faithful to prayer even when you cannot see anything changing.
St. Monica is a beautiful example for anyone praying for a loved one who has wandered from the faith. For years she prayed for her son, St. Augustine, before witnessing his conversion. We can also turn to St. Thérèse of Lisieux, whose Little Way reminds us of the value of small acts offered with love, and St. Paul, whose conversion reminds us that no one is beyond the reach of God’s grace.
Prayer must also be accompanied by the way we live. Stay open to the Holy Spirit, remain close to the sacraments, practice the works of mercy, and strive to live a virtuous life.
When others encounter patience, joy, kindness, forgiveness, and genuine concern in us, they can catch a glimpse of the God we profess to love.
Entrust the Results to God
There is one final point that I believe is especially important: do not become focused on seeing results. Naturally, we may hope that someone will return to Mass, go to confession, or rediscover a relationship with God. But when we become attached to seeing a particular outcome within our own timetable, we can easily become discouraged. God works in his time, not ours.
Our responsibility is not to dictate the outcome, but to remain faithful to God’s will. We pray, remain open to the Holy Spirit, live our faith, and love the person God has placed before us. Then we entrust that person and his or her journey to God.
These concepts may seem simple, but perhaps that is precisely the point. Evangelization does not always require something extraordinary. We may never know how a kind word, an invitation, an act of mercy, a quiet example, or years of faithful prayer affected another person’s journey toward God. We simply do our part, don’t give up, and entrust the rest to Him.
May God be blessed!
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Dr. Anne DeSantis is a national Catholic speaker and author who attends St. Mary Parish in Schwenksville. She is the executive director of the St. Raymond Nonnatus Foundation for Freedom, Family, and Faith, a nonprofit dedicated to offering pastoral support and accompaniment to individuals and families in crisis. To learn more, visit AnneDeSantis.com.
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