Originally published at National Catholic Register
The Diocese of Katsina, whose erection the Vatican made public on Oct. 16, 2023, is realizing “creative methods” of evangelization, the pioneer local ordinary said in a recent interview.
In the Dec. 18 interview with ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa, days after marking his first episcopal anniversary on Dec. 12, Bishop Gerald Mamman Musa said the innovative approaches to evangelization are bearing fruit in various sectors of his diocese, including governance, education, and pastoral care.
“Evangelization is at the heart of our work. We focus not only on traditional preaching but also on finding creative methods to reach people, especially those in remote or underserved areas through various strategies including living a good Christian life,” Bishop Musa said.
He said the Katsina Diocese is realizing a “like-unto-like” approach as central to the evangelization mission. “We encourage youths to evangelize youths, farmers to evangelize fellow farmers, and professionals to connect with their peers,” he explained.
“This method fosters understanding and trust, as people are more likely to listen to those they can relate to,” Bishop Musa said.
He also identified the training of lay leaders with a particular focus on female catechists as another important approach to evangelization in
