Proselytism (/ˈprɒsəlɪtɪzəm/ ⓘ) is the policy of attempting to convert people's religious or political beliefs.[1][2][3] Carrying out attempts to instill beliefs can be called proselytization.[4]
Proselytism is illegal in some countries.[5] Some draw distinctions between Christian evangelism and proselytism, regarding proselytism as involuntary or coerced; the two terms can also be understood to merely be synonyms.[6][7][8]
proselytism [...]
1. the act or fact of becoming a proselyte; conversion.
2. the state or condition of a proselyte.
to convert or attempt to convert as a proselyte; recruit to a religion or other belief system.
To summarize the Holy Father's points, you could say that evangelization is all about trust, and proselytization is all about fear.
Evangelizing the word — or 'proselytizing,' to use another word for it — has been the business of the Church since her foundation. Now we have heard in recent years that 'proselytism' is a bad thing.
'Sharing the gospel today is made harder than at any time in recent memory by an overall cultural resistance to conversations that highlight people's differences,' Barna said. 'Society today also casts a negative light on proselytization that many older Christians do not fully appreciate.'
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