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Ambassadors for Christ is a year-long video series aimed at building witnesses for Jesus and His Church

As the number of people joining the Catholic Church in England and Wales continues to rise, the Archdiocese of Southwark has launched a landmark apologetics project to provide evidence-based answers to the burning questions of both new and practicing Catholics.

The project, named “Ambassadors for Christ”, is the first of its kind in a Catholic diocese in England and Wales and is designed to equip the faithful with a deeper understanding of their faith.

While the journey to faith of each person is unique, they often grapple with similar questions and doubts, and find themselves searching for answers.

As more people become interested in the faith, practicing Catholics are experiencing more questions from their family, friends, and colleagues but often remain unsure where to look for evidence-based answers.

These can range from fundamental questions like "Is Jesus really God?" or "How do we know God is real?" to more practical questions about the Catholic faith, such as "Why do Catholics make the Sign of the Cross?" or "What is happening during Mass?”.

This project aims to not only help people find answers to their burning questions, but also to provide a reliable resource that can be relied upon when teaching about the Catholic faith.

In a statement announcing the launch, Archbishop John Wilson, Archbishop of Southwark, said:

"As someone who converted to Catholicism as a teenager myself, I know what it is like to search for answers, to thirst for the truth which only the Lord Jesus offers. Every day, people are searching for the same answers I did, thirsting for the truth I found, and it is our job to guide them on the right path.  

“As Catholics, leading people to Christ has to be at the heart of everything we do, because it is the Lord Jesus who is the way, the truth and the life. It is the Catholic Church, founded by Jesus, where people will find the answers to their burning questions, where their thirst for truth will be sated.

“As the Archbishop of the diocese, I am responsible for catechesis and ensuring the faithful know and understand their faith. That’s why this project goes beyond providing answers, it is about building Ambassadors for Christ in our parishes and schools.

“I want the faithful – from converts to cradle Catholics – to feel confident and assured of their faith, so that when they are asked the reason for the hope within them, they can confidently speak of the Lord Jesus and his saving work."

The project will consist of 52 videos, posted every Monday on YouTube in 2026. To provide assurances for the viewer that the information is from a trusted source, each video will feature a Catholic priest.

To ensure doctrinal accuracy, each script draws from a foundation of Scripture, primary Church Father documents, the Catechism of the Catholic Church and official papal and Church teachings. All have been robustly checked by expert theologians prior to publication.

The video format has been chosen to respond to reality that young people increasingly turn to social media for answers, including matters of faith.

Father Dermott O'Gorman, the Director of Youth for the Archdiocese of Southwark said:

“We are often told that young people are not interested in religion or that they don’t care about God. But this could not be further from the truth. In a world where they feel disillusioned and lost, our young people are searching for meaning.

“The Church needs to meet them where they are, and that is what we’re doing with Ambassadors for Christ. By providing engaging content that directly answers their questions, we hope to help them discover meaning and purpose that can be found only in Jesus Christ and His Church”.

Worksheets will also be produced alongside each video to enable parishes, schools, and youth groups to use them as part of their faith formation.

This is a crucial element of the project, helping people to connect the truth of the Catholic faith within the context of their parish. Pope Leo XIV previously warned of the dangers of social media programmes, which are limited to “individual experiences” but remain “detached from the ecclesial body”.

Dr. Mark Nash, the director of the Archdiocese’s Agency for Evangelisation and Catechesis, said:

"The Holy Spirit is already hard at work in our diocese, with consistently high numbers of people joining the Church. Ambassadors for Christ is about capturing this moment, through joyful evangelisation, and deepening the faith of Catholics through education and formation”.

This apologetics project is a small step toward helping people to understand their faith and build a deeper relationship with God. Those seeking more detailed catechesis and formation are encouraged to take part in the Archbishop’s Certificate, which is a two-year training course to help people know their Catholic faith more deeply.

A key aspect of the project is addressing misconceptions and myths about the Catholic faith, with videos directly responding to claims such as "Catholics worship Mary" and "Catholics hate science”.

Each video will follow a similar format:

• Objection/Question: It begins with a common objection, question, or myth
• Scripture: The issue is first looked at through Scripture, drawing on solid biblical teaching
• Church Fathers: To provide a historical understanding and demonstrate the Church’s link to the apostles, each video will then draw on the teaching of the Church Fathers
• Church Teaching: The final part of the video will highlight Church teaching on the subject, drawing on papal and Church documents, as well as quotes from Saints

The bitesize videos are perfect for those seeking answers but are unsure where to start. Further study guides will be provided throughout the project, including where people can go to find out more about their questions.

Find out more about this project at rcaos.org.uk/AmbassadorsforChrist.

The Archdiocese is hugely thankful to all the clergy who have contributed to this exciting project.