Fifty years ago (6 August 1964), Pope Paul VI signed his first encyclical, entitled Ecclesiam Suam. The method of evangelization indicated by the document is dialogue. In fact, as the Pope observes, it is necessary “to approach the world in which God has destined us to live with reverence, persistence and love, in an effort to get to know it and to offer it the gifts of truth and grace of which God has made us custodian. We must strive to make the world share in the divine redemption and in the hope that inspires us.” He continues: “It becomes obvious in a dialogue that there are various ways of coming to the light of faith and that it is possible to make them all converge on the same goal. However divergent these ways may be, they can often serve to complete each other. They encourage us to think along different lines. They force us to go more deeply into the subject of our investigations and to find better ways of expressing ourselves.”
The Pope underscores that, like St. Paul, we must make ourselves all to all. “Since the world cannot be saved from the outside,” he says, “we must first of all identify ourselves with those to whom we would bring the Christian message–like the Word of God who himself became a man. Next we must forego all privilege and the use of unintelligible language, and adopt the way of life of ordinary people in all that is human and honorable. Indeed, we must adopt the way of life of the most humble people, if we wish to be listened to and understood. Then, before speaking, we must take great care to listen not only to what people say, but more especially to what they have it in their hearts to say. Only then will we understand them and respect them, and even, as far as possible, agree with them. Furthermore, if we want to be pastors, fathers and teachers of people, we must also behave as their brothers. Dialogue thrives on friendship, and most especially on service. All this we must remember and strive to put into practice, in accord with the example and precept of Christ.”