Evangelii Gaudium

In 2013, the first year of his pontificate, the late Pope Francis released an Apostolic Exhortation on the joy of the Gospel titled Evangelii Gaudium. In it, he encouraged the Christian faithful to “embark on a new chapter of evangelisation” marked by this joy, whilst striving to find new paths to proclaim the Gospel in today’s world.

We cannot forget that evangelisation is first and foremost about preaching the Gospel to those who do not know Jesus Christ or who have always rejected him. Many of these are quietly seeking God, led by a yearning to see his face… Christians have the duty to proclaim the Gospel without excluding anyone.

Evangelii Gaudium, §14

This is the challenge and opportunity we take up on Evangelii Gaudium Sunday. Formerly known as Home Mission Sunday, Evangelii Gaudium Sunday is celebrated each year on the Third Sunday of September.

The work of encounter and evangelisation is promoted through the Directorate for Mission. Through this directorate, the vision of the Holy Father is embraced in a fuller way and promotes the whole ideal of proclamation, evangelisation, dialogue and catechesis.

“I believe…” is also the theme for Evangelii Gaudium Sunday 2025 that we'll celebrate in our churches on Sunday 21 September 2025. It's a day for us to proclaim the Gospel and offer our support for the domestic mission work of the Catholic Church.

In this video interview, Bishop David Oakley, our lead for evangelisation and discipleship, talks about the creed, the Church's mission work in England and Wales, and why it's so important to share our faith with others.