What a joy to contribute to EVANGELIZED KANSAS!

John and Theresa Smith and Family

I am Theresa Smith - wife of John for 30 years; mother of Jenny, Diana and Andrew for 28 years; Godmother of Patrick, Jacob and Cailyn for 2 years; and Director of Adult Faith Formation for St. Patrick Parish in Kansas City, Kansas for 13 years.

Evangelization is a natural part of marriage and family life. We begin marriage prep, marry in the Church, baptize our babies and become their missionaries teaching them about the Lord. We take them to Mass every week. We pray at meals, pray for healing, pray for forgiveness and even pray for a miracle or two.

Evangelization is a natural part of my work in the parish. We talk to those curious about the Church. We meet with couples preparing for marriage and teach about the sacrament and the domestic church. We visit with first time parents about baptism and the need to grow in our faith. We answer questions about the faith from parishioners.

Those are a lot of opportunities to evangelize.

So why did it take me so long to realize that the person who needed evangelization the most was me?

I grew up in a Catholic family that more or less went to Church every Sunday. I went to Catholic schools. I went to Mass more or less faithfully as a young adult. I married in the Church. I took the kids for their sacraments and sent them to Catholic schools. I had great ideas about what family members and parishioners needed to do to be better Catholics. I prayed regularly for their hearts to change and be more open to God’s will. I was vocal about what was wrong with everyone and gave a little bit of myself here and there.

Good start, right?

Wrong.

I loved the faith on my terms when it was convenient and made me feel good.

I learned the faith minimally and neglected studying my faith until my babies proved to me how little I knew. My tiny children asked me questions about the Mass and God and I was stunned that I couldn’t answer them.

I lived the faith based on what was comfortable and felt good to me.

Love It; Learn It; and Live It – This is not just a one-time slogan. Over the years, I have been evangelized by the witness of others, reflections of holy priests and popes, Catholic radio and television, awesome Catholic books, our beautiful sacraments and even a tragedy or two.

I was missing out on so much!

Thanks be to God for the generous evangelization efforts that have touched and changed my life. May the Lord use EVANGELIZED KANSAS to bring His Truth to others and help them to love it, learn it and live it.

To Him be the glory now and forever!