The Church's mission is....what?

At Intentional Disciples, Fr. Michael Fones, O.P. recalls going through the national directory of the Catholic Church in the U.S.

Imagine my surprise to find that most of the dioceses I looked at did not have a director of evangelization. ... Why was I surprised? Because Paul VI made it clear that our primary purpose as a Church is evangelization!

Then he recounts how a pastor who launched a program of evangelization got this response from some of the other priests.

"Why do you want more parishioners? You already have the largest parish in the diocese?"

Fr. Fones explains.

As long as you think of the parish as a place where spiritual needs are met, rather than as a place of formation for intentional disciples who live their faith in a conscious way throughout their week, and who put their discipleship into practice through works of service and evangelization within the secular community, "more parishioners" means just more work.

As it does at St. Al's, for example.

(via Open Book)