There is no question that St. Paul was the greatest evangelist who ever lived. He was committed to bringing the good news of the Gospel to all of God’s people, not just the Jews. His evangelization continues today through the letters he wrote to the various Christian communities of his day. If he were still alive he would probably be ranked up there with Billy Graham!

To celebrate the two thousand years since his birth, Pope Benedict has declared a Pauline Year, which began June 28 and concludes June 29, 2009. The celebration of this special year will focus on rediscovering the person of St. Paul and his teachings, improving efforts toward Christian unity and promoting pilgrimages to places associated with his life.

Even though the major celebrations during this year will take place in Rome at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, it is hoped that Catholics throughout the world will take advantage of this time to delve more deeply into Paul’s teachings and meditate on his vigorous spirituality of faith, hope and charity. This year is a graced opportunity to deepen our faith and remind us of our Christian responsibility to evangelize about Christ.

As far as evangelization goes, many Catholics cringe at that word. Often visions of TV evangelists in three-piece suits flash through our minds. Or we may think about people from other Christian churches who ask people, even other Christians, if they have been “saved” or try to convert them!

I don’t know of many Catholics who work so actively to convert others. More often we go to the opposite extreme and do not readily share our belief in Jesus. As I have said many times before, when you really love someone you usually tell others all about that person.

Maybe the real underlying reason why many of us hesitate to actively evangelize is that we are not too sure about what the church really teaches. One concrete way each of us can celebrate this special Pauline Year is to re-read and study the Acts of the Apostles and the letters Paul wrote to the early Christians and thus deepen our own knowledge and faith.

It is also important to remember that we don’t only evangelize by our words. There is an old saying that “actions speak louder than words.”

It is amazing how being a faithful Catholic can influence another who may be searching for a church. Often catechumens and candidates in RCIA programs share how the good example of certain individuals influenced their decisions to join the Catholic Church.

There will probably never be another St. Paul but, like him, each of us by our baptism is called to share the good news of Jesus in some way or other.

May this special year motivate us to reflect on how we can evangelize better and grace us with some of the passion for Christ that St. Paul had.

Sister Margie Lavonis, CSC, is a Sister of the Holy Cross from Notre Dame, and works in communications for her order.