Fr Tom Forrest (1927-2018) was the founder of Evangelization 2000 in 1985 and he set up, together with other co-founding Continental Directors,  Evangelization 2000 so that the People of God in the Catholic Church would be trained in Evangelization and Mission.  The early initiatives was a huge Priests’ Retreat in Rome in 1990 and the dedication of the decade 1990-2000 which was described as "A Project Promoting a Decade of Evangelization in Anticipation of the Great Jubilee Year."

After the Year 2000 was over, in line with Pope John Paul II vision of the New Millenium, it was not a time for resting our oars but to “go forward in hope! A new Millennium is opening before the Church like a vast ocean upon which we are obliged to venture" (NMI #58).

In 2009 the name was changed to EVANGELIZATION 2033. The Greatest of All Jubilees, the Year 2033, marks the 2000 Anniversary of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of All Mankind. And in anticipation of this Greatest Jubilee EVANGELIZATION 2033 continues with the same vision of Evangelization 2000: making Christ known to the very ends of the Earth.

Because we are in need of divine power to accomplish our supernatural mission, EVANGELIZATION 2033 remains dedicated to promoting an international Prayer Campaign for world evangelization by:

• Placing emphasis on the absolute need for prayer in all our efforts of evangelization;
• Seeking to incorporate into our campaign: contemplative communities, prayer groups, the sick and elderly, parish associations, lay movements and various other groups throughout the Church;
• Making creative and imaginative use of media, with special emphasis on the potential of the internet in maintaining a persevering commitment and ongoing interest inIntercessory Prayer;
• Being constantly alert to utilize every preaching and teaching opportunity for instilling an intensified commitment to prayer.

The Gospel must be proclaimed as a message of hope, and as the most relevant and practical response to our modern needs and wants. In attempting to do this, Evangelization 2033 hopes to specifically serve:

• Jesus Christ, Our Saviour and Lord, by PROCLAIMING HIM through the Kerygma so that He becomes more known, loved, served and shared throughout the whole world.
• Priests, Religious and Seminarians, in order to bring about a more faithful and convincing proclamation of Gospel truths;
• The lay faithful who serve in roles of formation and leadership, in order to improve the spiritual content, technical quality and holistic impact of their presentations and evangelistic efforts.

Evangelization 2033 is commited to:

• A world-wide proliferation of Catholic Schools and Centres of Evangelization;
• The ideals of enculturation respecting and supporting the styles, techniques and distinctive charismas of the various schools;
• Making such Schools available on a diocesan and parochial level in order to foster the vital Evangelistic ministry of the lay faithful, and empowering them in "imparting the word of truth without deviation" (2 Tim. 2:15)
• Maintaining an ecumenical character to these efforts on inter-faith, inter-religious, inter-cultural levels;
• Developing and employing new efforts and techniques in the area of fund raising, to guarantee the extended future of the schools and their outreach.