An apostle is a disciple of Christ. Who has the responsibility to share the message of salvation and proclaiming the kingdom of God throughout the world. Apostolate is from the Greek word: apostoloi meaning sent

1. Doctrinal Class
By
Dr Ruth Afunwa
APOSTLES AND THE APOSTOLATE
Catechism of the Catholic Church
#858-859; 863

2. OUTLINE
• Who is an Apostle?
• What is apostolate?
• Why do apostolate?
• Apostolate of friendship and trust
• How does apostolate give light?
• Conclusion

3. Who is an Apostle?
• An apostle is a disciple
of Christ. Who has the
responsibility to share
the message of salvation
and proclaiming the
kingdom of God
throughout the world.
• Apostolate is from the
Greek word: apostoloi
meaning sent.

4. Called to witness
• Any one who encounters Christ cannot remain
indifferent.
• The early Christians share their testimonies and
many believed.
• The first disciples proclaimed joyfully: 'We have
found the Messiah!' (Jn 1:41).
• The Samaritan woman became a missionary after
speaking with Jesus and many Samaritans
believed (Jn 4:39).
• Saint Paul, after his encounter with Jesus Christ,
“immediately proclaimed Jesus” (Acts 9:20; 22:6-
21).

5. Jesus and His Apostles

6. What is apostolate?
Apostolate means every activity of the
Mystical Body which "aims to spread
the kingdom of Christ over the whole
world“ CCC 863
The church is one, holy and apostolic
(CCC 857)

7. We are all part of the
Mystical body of Christ
“For as one body we
have many parts…so
we, though many, are
one body with
Christ,” (Romans 8:
4-5,).
Distinct individuals,
different functions yet
complementary

8. • The Apostles today are you and I.
• Each of us is to be ipse Christus: Christ
himself.
Through baptism,
we’re grafted onto
Christ
Through confirmation,
we are given the
capacity to carry on
the battle in Christ's
name.

9. Why do apostolate?
• It is a duty!
• Both individually or in associations, to work so
that the divine message of salvation may be
known and accepted by all men throughout the
earth.
• For lay people, apostolate is accomplished in
the ordinary circumstances of the world. CCC
900, 905

10. Apostolate of friendship and trust
By word
Testimony of life
Example

11. How does apostolate give light?
• The light of the Gospel is "a light that
attracts."
• "You are the light of the world and the
salt of the earth" (Matthew 5:11-16).
• Personal dialogue, our friends are led to
discover and praise the ineffable love of
God.
• The apostolate bears witness to the light.

12. Conclusion
• The message of salvation must be
authenticated by the witness of Christian life
(Act 1: 1).
• Jesus Christ is the source of the apostolate
• The fruitfulness of our apostolate depends on
our union with Christ.
• Charity, drawn from the Eucharist is the soul
of the whole apostolate.
• (CCC 864, 2044)