Bishop: Pope's document urges followers to share Gospel with family, neighbors

CANFIELD

Bishop Marcus Miller and Bishop George V. Murry shared their perspectives on Pope Francis’ document, The Joy of the Gospel (Evangelii Gaudium) during a gathering Friday night at the Ursuline Motherhouse auditorium, 4250 Shields Road.

Bishop Miller, interim bishop of the Northeast Ohio Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, recently spoke at the National Catholic-Lutheran Dialogue on the document. Bishop Murry heads the Catholic Diocese of Youngstown.

About 60 people attended the event sponsored by Catholic-Lutheran Covenant Commission of the Youngstown Diocese and Northeast Ohio Synod, Mahoning Valley Association of Churches and ACTION (Alliance for Congregational Transformation Influencing Our Neighborhoods). A discussion followed.

The pope’s document calls on the Catholic church and the world at-large to start anew with evangelization.

Bishop Miller said the pope has a focus on evangelization, an activity that engages Lutherans and Catholics. There is internal evangelization, another effort with those who have drifted away, and then to those who don’t know Christ.

“It’s up to us to attend to family and neighbors who don’t know the joy of Christ,” he said.

Read more about the bishops' directive to church members in Saturday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.