Leader in the Faith

Adore Ministries Founder Reflects on Call to Do Good

While we all seek to discover what makes “the good life,” alumnus Paul George has taken the question beyond mere contemplation. Since receiving his Masters of Theological Studies from the Neuhoff School of Ministry in 2009, George has gone on both to live the good life and bring it to others, whether it be through serving as parish youth minister, diocesan director, author, speaker, mentor, or founder of the non-profit outreach program Adore Ministries.

Founded in 2004 by Paul George and Fr. Mark Toups under the guidance of Bishop Sam Jacobs, Adore Ministries works to bring the good news to all who are marginalized, neglected, or have fallen away from the faith. “As we looked out at the world and encountered so many people who were disenchanted with life, faith, church. . . we knew God was asking us to step out and begin to reach people with the Gospel,” said George. Central to his missionary effort is his view of evangelization not as a mere program, but an encounter with a person: Jesus Christ.

As he began this endeavor to help others encounter the person of Christ, George was inspired by Pope Benedict XVI’s call to the New Evangelization, particularly his statement that to evangelize means “to teach the art of living” by showing that the true path to happiness lies with Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life. Through Adore Ministries, George has worked to guide others along this path.

“Evangelization is about people walking with other people,” he reflected, adding that in building such a community he has seen lives transformed by the grace of God and the power of the faith. “My lessons are too long for me to type,” he said. “But I would sum up a few by saying that prayer, trust, community and the sacraments have been key for me in living the Gospel each day.”

While evangelization is an active effort and encounter (something that cannot truly be taught in a classroom) George credits his University of Dallas education as being a significant part of his mission. By providing him with a solid understanding of the faith, it has given him the confidence to teach it to others. “It also provided open doors, dialogue and the ability to reach people and places I couldn’t before” and it has given him a deeper passion for his faith, inspiring him to do more to serve others.

He encourages current pastoral ministry students to allow their studies to do the same: “Take full advantage of the gift of what you are learning at UD and let it catapult you to help, serve and love others with the same vigor Christ loves us.”

Adore Ministries is a community of Catholic lay missionaries that works to bring opportunities to encounter the person of Christ to all people and communities. Through its missions across the country, Adore has provided outreach, pastoral ministry, and faith formation through a variety of events, such as worship nights, conferences, home gatherings and retreats. Among the most recent of its charitable efforts is its relief effort for those affected by Hurricane Harvey. For more information, visit adoreministries.com.

Interested in learning more about the good life? Be on the lookout for Paul George's new book "Rethink Happiness: Dare to Embrace God and Experience True Joy," scheduled to release May 2018 from Ave Maria Press. 

Is God calling you to learn more about your faith to serve others? Check out UD’s Master of Theological Studies.