If you’re anything like me, when you hear the word “evangelization,” you tend to immediately curl up on yourself and consider hiding under a table. The term can conjure images of mega-churches, religious pamphlets and people approaching me to talk about religion and make me uncomfortable. That’s not a great picture, I know.

But evangelization is more than pushy proselytization. It’s an invitation. And what’s more, that invitation comes in various formats. When you look at the writers, graphic artists, photographers and editors of this magazine, for instance, the word “evangelize” may not immediately come to mind. However, what is a Catholic magazine if not an invitation to learn more about God, our Catholic faith, and the people who live and share their faith everyday? Each cover of this magazine is selected with the purpose of sharing the beauty of our Catholic faith, and also of inviting you to open its pages. What’s more, if the content appeals to you, maybe you’ll share it with someone, invite them to learn more about Jesus.

While I am biased toward The Catholic Telegraph, many people evangelize in their own particular way through God- given gifts. When we started this issue, we looked for those who do just that. In several cases, those we contacted to write their stories protested that they aren’t evangelizers. So, we asked them to just talk about what they do and why they do it. Through interviews and conversations we confirmed that many are, in fact, evangelizers, but never connected that word to what they do.

Pope Francis shares why evangelization is so important in his Apostolic Exhortation Evangeli Gaudium: “Of course, all of us are called to mature in our work as evangelizers. We want to have better training, a deepening love and a clearer witness to the Gospel. In this sense, we ought to let others be constantly evangelizing us. But this does not mean that we should postpone the evangelizing mission; rather, each of us should find ways to communicate Jesus wherever we are. All of us are called to offer others an explicit witness to the saving love of the Lord, who despite our imperfections offers us his closeness, his word and his strength, and gives meaning to our lives” (EG, 121).

Throughout the pages of this month’s issue, you’ll read about musicians, singers, football chaplains and even fundraisers— all of whom are evangelizing through their specific gifts. I hope that you connect with their stories, and perhaps discover ways you can share God’s love through your own gifts and talents.