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pianistclare
Guest
I believe there is a Catholic version of this…any in a previous thread a couple of months ago have had good things to say about it.
Use the search function.
Use the search function.
- Status
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SecretCatholic
Guest
See here churchmilitant.com/main/generic/faq-alpha and here churchmilitant.com/news/article/history-of-alpha and here churchmilitant.com/video/episode/wheres-the-beef
I concur with their take on ALPHA. It’s not fit for Catholics. If this is the best the original apostolic Christian Church can do- a generic, emotions-based outsourced anti-catechism program- then we should throw in the towel and call it quits right now.
I concur with their take on ALPHA. It’s not fit for Catholics. If this is the best the original apostolic Christian Church can do- a generic, emotions-based outsourced anti-catechism program- then we should throw in the towel and call it quits right now.
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Casilda
Guest
Yes, in the mid-1990’s this course was hitting the non-denominational Christian churches in the US. I was spared from participating (God intervened) and I was recruited to babysit. I personally witnessed a vibrant but stagnant community of Christians totally become unraveled by this course. Sadly, 20 years later, the church does not exist, many of those participants are unchurched Christians.
I would prefer a good traditional Catholic Catechism.
I would prefer a good traditional Catholic Catechism.
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Reuben_J
Guest
Before you start an Alpha program, you must have a group of people who will run it to go for training first. That would be a time to know what it entails, and the whys of it. Based on hearsay will not help much to discuss about this subject and it can be futile.
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SecretCatholic
Guest
Thanks for the info. But I am reading that “Alpha for Catholics” still does not appear to be Catholic, but rather a protestant program tweaked to look more Catholic. But, according to this:
Michael Voris:
Michael Voris:
Is this still not the case, Deacon? Does Alpha now include a Catholic understanding of the Sacraments, Scripture, the Virgin Mary, the Mass, Mortal sin and so on?
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SecretCatholic
Guest
Although a very impressive list, that doesn’t really answer the question. The question is about the program. There is no need to appeal to authority. Rather, going into what the program teaches (and what it does not) is what we need.
It is too easy to dismiss inconvenient facts as “opinions” and state your own opinions as facts. Your belittling of Mr. Voris is irrelevant and uncalled for. He is simply reporting on what the program lacks (or lacked, if it has been updated, in which case, we would like to know).
It is too easy to dismiss inconvenient facts as “opinions” and state your own opinions as facts. Your belittling of Mr. Voris is irrelevant and uncalled for. He is simply reporting on what the program lacks (or lacked, if it has been updated, in which case, we would like to know).
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ChikaisHis
Guest
Even though the original founder may not agree with the Catholic understanding of Sacraments, Scripture, Mary, etc, Alpha for Catholics does not teach anything that would contradict or even put to doubt the Catholic understanding. It does not, from my understanding, go through these teachings in great detail, but focuses more on the very basics of the Catholic faith- “knowing that ‘Jesus Christ loves you; he gave his life to save you, and now he is living at your side to enlighten, strengthen and free you’”, sharing it with others, and transforming the parish.
One course is not going to teach Catholics everything about the Sacraments, Mary, etc. I am still learning!
See for yourself here: alphacanada.org/alpha-for-catholics/
My (very orthodox) parish has Alpha for Catholics, and while I have not participated, I have been part of very similar programs that have done nothing but strengthen my faith as a Catholic. I have also heard great things about Alpha from friends, fellow parishioners, and priests in my parish.
Michael Voris objects to Alpha because it was founded by a Protestant. But even Protestants can get many things right- we are still all Christians. And it is important to remember, this is Alpha for Catholics, so it has been specifically modified so that nothing would go against the Catholic faith.
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Reuben_J
Guest
The churchmilitant website appears pretty much focuses on Marian spirituality. It is not surprising that it objects to any program that does not focus on this spirituality.
Michael Voris’ comment on Alpha for Catholic is missing the program’s objective which is an evangelization tool to introduce peripheral Catholics to come back to the Church.
More importantly would be the courses or modules after the introductory Alpha for Catholics. These are pure Catholic materials, for example series by Bishop Robert Baron which deal in depth on Catechism, the Bible, Sacraments and the mass.
Still, listening to one critic without balancing the endorsement by the many Catholic Bishops and the Pope on this program for a more balanced review would be insufficient information on what it actually is.
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SecretCatholic
Guest
I can’t speak for Mr. Voris, but if I understand him correctly and if I understand the focus of the course correctly, which coincides with what you stated, the issue at hand is not merely that it was started by a protestant, but that it is a rather superficial course that focuses more on the emotional aspect of Jesus’ love instead than a proper, Catholic understanding of what he did for us and the Church he founded.
Of course protestants get some things right and I know many who are far more on fire for and faithful to Christ in their limited understanding than many Catholics. But you can’t love someone you don’t know and while protestants view Jesus as apart from the Catholic Church, we correctly view the Catholic Church as Jesus’ body.
It is said that St. Joan of Arc said:
"St. Joan of Arc:
The Catechism of the Catholic Church says that as well (it actually includes the above quote too):
Catechism of the Catholic Church:
But when you don’t teach about that union from the get-go and about the role of the saints and Mary, that leaves a lot to be desired. While you can’t dump all of Catholic doctrine on new or prospective Catholics all at once, I believe that it is essential to give them a proper thumbnail sketch or summary of the most important doctrine and beliefs of our faith. I don’t believe that Alpha does that. A lot of things that the Catholic church recognizes as essential are simply not so for protestants. The Eucharist is a glaring, glaring example.
It’s great that all these prominent Catholic clergy, etc. are for Alpha, but I’m not very impressed considering that our Church is failing in its mission to evangelize and keep Christians and these are the people at the helm.
Show me good evidence that Alpha is not only attracting Catholics, but that most of these people stay Catholic and go on to become knowledgeable Catholics capable of appreciating the beauty and fullness of the truth that only the Catholic church can provide and I’ll change my tune. Perhaps if this were used as a “Part 1” of a true Catechisis this might be the case, but I don’t think it is and I think we could do far better.
Why not use Fr. Barron’s materials or Fr. Spitzers’ or Catholic Answers’? Has it really come to the point that we require a watered-down protestant commercial product to evangelize Catholics into the Church? How was it that we had so many more Catholics before- even before electronic media? Even worse, too often these watered-down programs are the ONLY ones that are shown to new Catholics, at which point they are on their own.
The OP, Elzee asked about alpha. I am contributing what I know and the serious deficiencies it appears to have.
Although surely there should be an emphasis on Mary in any truly Catholic program, I think one of the big problems with Alpha is that it is rather emotions-based and doctrine-light. And while emotions are also important, it is knowledge of Christ and his Church that really brings somebody in and keeps them in the Church.
I mean, WHY stay in the Catholic Church, when any other one will do? What makes the Catholic Church different than all the other Christian “churches” out there? When the protestants split from the Catholic Church they did miss out on many of the essentials- some of the sacraments, for instance. This is basic stuff. This is not a Christian “non-essential”, in spite of what other Christians may think.
This is a generic Christian program. But there is no such thing. To be fully Christian is to be fully Catholic. To be Catholic but not Christian is to be a Christian separated from the fullness of the Church. It’s not as if other churches are “Christian Basic” and we are the “Christian Plus”. No, we are the only fully Christian Church. Others only have it partially right, which is to say that they also have a lot wrong- which puts their souls in peril!
I assure you that if I had gotten in the Church for emotional reasons rather than because of the knowledge that this is truly the Church that Christ founded and that he truly rose from the dead and truly is God then I would have left a long time ago. And most people do. They experience an emotional high and then move on when it becomes a low and they realize that their fellow church-goers aren’t really that great and neither are many of the clergy in the Church, because we’re all in a fallen state.
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SecretCatholic
Guest
I wouldn’t take the opinions of many bishops and even the Pope as ringing endorsement these days. Remember these are the people who have not only failed to increase the number of souls in the Church, but have failed even to keep the number of souls we used to have before, even as the human population increases.
The Church has failed to evangelize right for many decades and a protestant-based evangelization program is not the answer. Instead, we should look at those bishops who actually have developed fully Catholic programs and are being successful at bring new people in, unlike most of their peers.
I’m not taking Micheal Voris’ word on this, nor am I balancing it out against any other authority’s word- What he is reporting appears accurate- the program is not truly Catholic. The program’s website does not contradict this. If it covered the Catholic sacraments, for instance, it would probably say so on the site. But it does not seem to- even in its most recent incarnation. I doubt that it COULD cover Catholic doctrine properly, since it is not founded on the wholeness of the Catholic truth, but only on one improperly separated aspect of it.
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Reuben_J
Guest
Well said.
What do you think is the objective for Alpha for Catholics?
I mentioned that it is an evangelization tool whereby it is non-threatening and allow participants, particularly peripheral and lapsed Catholics to be introduced into a gathering where they can fellowship (usually meal) and get to know each other and listen to talks about Jesus.
Evangelization is to introduce Jesus to someone, plant a seed and perhaps for him/her to make a further commitment for Christian life.
Nominal people in the religion do tend to resist a very heavy religious program. They would not come. Alpha has some success in bringing those who do not mind to come together with a friend (Alpha uses personal invitation) who acts like a sponsor to introduce a person to the gathering and thereafter to make friends in the grouping facilitates by the dynamic of the program.
In this way, the Alpha course has brought many lapsed Catholics back to the Church and introduced new ones to enter RCIA.
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ChikaisHis
Guest
I understand where I am coming from, I really do. I too would probably have left a long time ago if I had gotten in the Church for emotional reasons- I am Catholic because it is the Church the Christ founded. I love being Catholic, I love the richness of our faith, and definitely agree that all the Church’s teachings on the Sacraments, the saints, Mary, etc are important.
But at the end of the day, the central focus of our Church’s teaching is Jesus and the core gospel message- the Kerygma. All of the other teachings of the Church are based on this message. It can be easy, perhaps not for you, but for many people, to lose sight of this. In many parishes, we focus a lot on the catechesis (which don’t get me wrong, is essential), and forget about the kerygma- it is just assumed that we have internalized it, when it is often not the case.
For years, I could explain the sacraments, quote Church documents, and defend teachings on Mary and the saints. I prayed regularly and had a close relationship with Jesus. I knew that He came to die for my sins out of love for me. But I couldn’t really express that simply or in a clear manner. If you asked me to sum up the key teaching of the Church in one sentence, the most important one, I would not know where to begin.
I think this is what Alpha seeks to address. It is not a complete “learn everything about Catholicism” course, but it is definitely beneficial to all. Simple enough for those who do not know much about Catholicism, but also challenging enough for those who have been lifelong Catholics- a good reminder not to lose sight of the big picture and also a stepping stone for evangelization. This new lens has not made me forget about the richness of the Catholic faith, but better understand and appreciate our Church and all her teachings.
I know I rambled a lot; here is a CA article that better expresses what I want to say:
catholic.com/blog/hector-molina/the-kerygma-enigma
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Reuben_J
Guest
Alpha program comes in stages.
The basic Alpha for Catholic is introductory and is generic. That’s the idea.
The follow up Alpha uses pure Catholic materials for the participants. The organizers can choose any of the talk in Catholic series for use. Bishop Barron series are quite good but also are other speakers like Scott Hann or Fr. Cantalamessa who would have talk series of their own on Catholic issues like the Catechism, Bible, Sacraments and the mass.
The Alpha course is not all in all. It is just one way to bring non-Christians and lapsed Catholics back to the Church.
More importantly is to get these people to come. As can be seen today, the churches are usually empty and Catholics not practicing.
Individual Catholics do try their bit to care for these category of people but what do they do after that? At some point they can always tell them to go to the church and attend a program whereby they would be taken care of, until at some point where they would make a decision whether to become Catholic or not.
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SecretCatholic
Guest
Thanks for the charitable responses to my critical post on Alpha.
I think what I’m hearing is: This works to bring lapsed or new Catholics into the Church and then other Catholic materials are used to give new Catholics a more profound foundation of the Catholic faith.
To this I respond: If it works, then use it. But it must lead to a fullness or truth and a firm Catholic foundation, otherwise it is a tool to lead people to an incomplete and emotional generic Christianity, rather than to the fullness of the Catholic faith. This of course, would produce bad fruit which will whither and die in time, rather than good fruit which will lead a Catholic into eternal salvation.
Now, I have serious reservations about a program which is not fundamentally Catholic being able to properly introduce people into the Catholic Church. Additionally, I find it objectionable, admittedly with a dose of Catholic pride, that the Church herself cannot come up with a proper evangelization program and instead has to rely on rather commercialized, external protestant program. I think its shameful and I think we can do better.
I think what I’m hearing is: This works to bring lapsed or new Catholics into the Church and then other Catholic materials are used to give new Catholics a more profound foundation of the Catholic faith.
To this I respond: If it works, then use it. But it must lead to a fullness or truth and a firm Catholic foundation, otherwise it is a tool to lead people to an incomplete and emotional generic Christianity, rather than to the fullness of the Catholic faith. This of course, would produce bad fruit which will whither and die in time, rather than good fruit which will lead a Catholic into eternal salvation.
Now, I have serious reservations about a program which is not fundamentally Catholic being able to properly introduce people into the Catholic Church. Additionally, I find it objectionable, admittedly with a dose of Catholic pride, that the Church herself cannot come up with a proper evangelization program and instead has to rely on rather commercialized, external protestant program. I think its shameful and I think we can do better.
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Reuben_J
Guest
Generally Catholics are not strong on evangelization. Our strong point being the true Church where we have the Sacraments is our weakness too in this aspect. Often the idea is, authentic product does not need promotion, people will come and look for it to buy it.
We do not have a really strong evangelization program that matches the changing world of the twentieth and twenty first centuries. We have the Vatican radio in many languages broadcasted throughout the world, but how many Catholics, let alone non-Catholics know about it, let alone listen to it? Yes, there is the ETWN. In other countries it is virtually unheard of.
The example is extreme but that’s the picture.
The Church sees this. I remember in the nineties we have a Vatican inititiated Evangelization 2000. Much budget was allocated for this purpose. We tried to reach out to the youth thus the inclusion of youth program in the Church, some of which are still running today.
The late Pope, JP II, started his own website, something similar to Facebook today.
Still a purely evangelical module for the purpose of bringing back lasped Catholics and to increase their faith is hard to come by.
In the seventies and eigthies we had the Charismatic Renewal went on strong and through such program like the Life in the Spirit Seminar, had brough back many lasped Catholics into the Church and those in turn became more Catholic in their lifestyle to evangelize those around them. But this nearly split the Church when there was strong objection from Catholics not involved in it.
Like the Popes did, the Church needs to see the modern reality and where possible to incorporate it to be used for the good of the Church.
Alpha is rather recent but there were Catholics themselves being involved in it, not just the Protestants. We can trust them that they will see to it to protect the interest of the Church and the program is commended by the hierachies of the Catholic Church.
Alpha is for unbaptized persons and lasped Catholics. If one is already practicing and deep in the faith, one does not have to attend it but instead can become a ‘facilitator’ albeit incognito - to prepare the meal, venue, LCD and audio system, lead a discussion group or keep record of the participants’ particulars, to contact and update them on the activites and meetings.
How does Alpha works? A facilitator or someone in the parish can recommend their non-Catholic co-workers, family members or lapsed Catholics to come to attend Alpha. The focus is more on fellowship, light and easy, no threatening, just come and see and watch.
After a meal, the participants would regroup to a small hall and watch video to listen to a talk for thirty-forty minutes.
Then they are divided into small groups discussion which they will be in for the next ten - thirteen weeks. Each group has a leader and one or two facilitators incognito.
The discussion is on the talk but participants are free to say out their opinion. It is not a teaching session. A meeting would finished in about two hours including the fellowhsip earlier on.
Another important aspect would be for the participants to develope comradeship as a result of in the group, and that is a strong factor too in evagelization.
After the Alpha program, they can decide to enter RCIA or for the Catholics participants to continue on. This is called the Alpha follow up program and where exclusively Catholic teaching series are being used.
So it is only a tool for evagelization but it works in some parishes. There is no reason why it can be negative as it is not meant to be.
We do not have a really strong evangelization program that matches the changing world of the twentieth and twenty first centuries. We have the Vatican radio in many languages broadcasted throughout the world, but how many Catholics, let alone non-Catholics know about it, let alone listen to it? Yes, there is the ETWN. In other countries it is virtually unheard of.
The example is extreme but that’s the picture.
The Church sees this. I remember in the nineties we have a Vatican inititiated Evangelization 2000. Much budget was allocated for this purpose. We tried to reach out to the youth thus the inclusion of youth program in the Church, some of which are still running today.
The late Pope, JP II, started his own website, something similar to Facebook today.
Still a purely evangelical module for the purpose of bringing back lasped Catholics and to increase their faith is hard to come by.
In the seventies and eigthies we had the Charismatic Renewal went on strong and through such program like the Life in the Spirit Seminar, had brough back many lasped Catholics into the Church and those in turn became more Catholic in their lifestyle to evangelize those around them. But this nearly split the Church when there was strong objection from Catholics not involved in it.
Like the Popes did, the Church needs to see the modern reality and where possible to incorporate it to be used for the good of the Church.
Alpha is rather recent but there were Catholics themselves being involved in it, not just the Protestants. We can trust them that they will see to it to protect the interest of the Church and the program is commended by the hierachies of the Catholic Church.
Alpha is for unbaptized persons and lasped Catholics. If one is already practicing and deep in the faith, one does not have to attend it but instead can become a ‘facilitator’ albeit incognito - to prepare the meal, venue, LCD and audio system, lead a discussion group or keep record of the participants’ particulars, to contact and update them on the activites and meetings.
How does Alpha works? A facilitator or someone in the parish can recommend their non-Catholic co-workers, family members or lapsed Catholics to come to attend Alpha. The focus is more on fellowship, light and easy, no threatening, just come and see and watch.
After a meal, the participants would regroup to a small hall and watch video to listen to a talk for thirty-forty minutes.
Then they are divided into small groups discussion which they will be in for the next ten - thirteen weeks. Each group has a leader and one or two facilitators incognito.
The discussion is on the talk but participants are free to say out their opinion. It is not a teaching session. A meeting would finished in about two hours including the fellowhsip earlier on.
Another important aspect would be for the participants to develope comradeship as a result of in the group, and that is a strong factor too in evagelization.
After the Alpha program, they can decide to enter RCIA or for the Catholics participants to continue on. This is called the Alpha follow up program and where exclusively Catholic teaching series are being used.
So it is only a tool for evagelization but it works in some parishes. There is no reason why it can be negative as it is not meant to be.
S
SecretCatholic
Guest
I believe that one of our biggest problems is that we keep looking for another gimmick to make it work. Something cool, popular and exciting! Instead, I think we need to stop being cute! Just tell it like it is- The pure unadulterated truth. And people will respond to truth as they always have- some will recoil and blame the “hard sayings” while others will come to the truth like a moth to the light.
Instead, we keep dumbing down the doctrines till there’s not much potency there. Particularly, failing to teach the doctrine of Hell properly, or dismissing it as some remote possibility does incredible damage to the faith and the faithful. If Hell’s not a real possibility and everyone gets saved at the end, then what’s all the fuss about! Just live your life like you want- seeking comfort and pleasures above all else and, as long as you don’t kill or rape anyone, you’ll be fine in the end! That’s not the Christian message.
But the bishops and priests have to keep catering to the faithful- most of them dare not huff and puff too much at the pulpit lest the patrons disappear out the door. The desire to preach the truth by those in power in the Church has diminished greatly over the decades and therefore so has its appeal from those thirsty for the genuine article.
I know I’ll get criticized for having said this, but please be aware that I am not criticizing any particular individual nor am I saying that this is the case for all the clergy.
No, programs like Alpha won’t save us. Can it bring more people into the Church? Maybe. But we need a lot more than this feel-good emotional thing to keep them in the faith, where the truth and the sacraments are at. Let’s hope those extra truly Catholic materials are forthcoming as well. We need Catholics with a real foundation, not just good feelings.
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Reuben_J
Guest
2/2
I would summarize the Alpha as evangelistic tool to:
It is a matter of getting people to come, to participate. Those good Catholic materials amount to nothing if nobody comes.
The feeling of gladness was when they return to God, to the Church and to know that God forgives them and accepts them.
If there is just ‘good feeling’ alone, it will not last because the reality of real life would prevail. These are not always bed of roses and a person faithfulness to God only will ensure that he/she will not fall into despair.
God bless.
Reuben
I was just trying to explain what Alpha is. I am sorry if I come across as saying it is the only thing or that the Church salvation depends entirely on it.
I would summarize the Alpha as evangelistic tool to:
- Introduce Jesus to the non-baptized and to lapsed Catholics, not to Catholics who are practicing and already deep in the faith. The latter, of course can join in but preferably as one of the organizers.
- The material being used are simple and basic, which a practicing Catholics would know already, like, who is Jesus, why we sin and why we need him.
- The thrust of the program is fellowship, that a person steps foot into a church and participating in it.
- It is a preliminary for a person to come back to the church, or for the unbaptised, to give them some information about Jesus for them to reflect on whether they want to enter the Church or not, in Baptism.
They do, as I have said, in the follow-up Alpha program. Bishop Baron has some ten or so talk series, say on the Sacrament alone. Besides, we can choose some of the best Catholic speakers who have ample knowledge and materials to feed on the participants.
It is a matter of getting people to come, to participate. Those good Catholic materials amount to nothing if nobody comes.
I do not see those ‘good feeling’. In fact, on the contrary. Mainly it was sadness and remorse on the realization that they have turned their back on God.
The feeling of gladness was when they return to God, to the Church and to know that God forgives them and accepts them.
If there is just ‘good feeling’ alone, it will not last because the reality of real life would prevail. These are not always bed of roses and a person faithfulness to God only will ensure that he/she will not fall into despair.
God bless.
Reuben
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Reuben_J
Guest
1/2
However, there are many different situations for many people who need to encounter Jesus. Those fallen away Catholics or non-baptized people would simply not go to the church if we are to invite them, say to pray the Rosary, which is a very Catholic prayer.
The reality of today’s variety of population, as it was in ancient times, for those who lapsed from the religion would tend to be hostile to it.
We can let them be or try to bring them back to the Church or to introduce those who do not know Jesus to know him. While we should not water down our religious belief and doctrines, we are also called to be wise like a fox, so that the end result would be to get them to our objective.
For that, we need to strategize our method while at the same time not at the expense of the truth of our doctrines.
Sometimes those things can be done in stages; sometimes if people are already prepared for it, they can just get baptized. Then again, we do not that generally, but they have to go through the RCIA process, in which time they are given time to decide whether to go ahead with the Baptism or not.
Our Catechism manual was thin, what needed to be known was there and things were not theologized, so to speak.
I lapsed after college but thanks God I reverted to the Church, probably through one of those gimmicks. And so here I am today. I could be one of the long list of Catholics who left the faith but by the grace of God I did not.
The Life in the Spirit Seminar in which I made a u-turn to come back to God may be a gimmick, if one sees it that way, but my realization that I had forsaken my God through its program was real. My new found enthusiasm for God and the Church was **real **too. So those things have some useful side to them.
I would agree that religious instructions if they are, should not be based on gimmick.
However, there are many different situations for many people who need to encounter Jesus. Those fallen away Catholics or non-baptized people would simply not go to the church if we are to invite them, say to pray the Rosary, which is a very Catholic prayer.
The reality of today’s variety of population, as it was in ancient times, for those who lapsed from the religion would tend to be hostile to it.
We can let them be or try to bring them back to the Church or to introduce those who do not know Jesus to know him. While we should not water down our religious belief and doctrines, we are also called to be wise like a fox, so that the end result would be to get them to our objective.
For that, we need to strategize our method while at the same time not at the expense of the truth of our doctrines.
Sometimes those things can be done in stages; sometimes if people are already prepared for it, they can just get baptized. Then again, we do not that generally, but they have to go through the RCIA process, in which time they are given time to decide whether to go ahead with the Baptism or not.
I can understand why you say that. I came from a generation, though I am not that old, where hell was taught as early as seven years old. I remember getting traumatized by it, sometimes in nightmares. And the fear of hell was what largely that made me go for Confession and the mass.
Our Catechism manual was thin, what needed to be known was there and things were not theologized, so to speak.
I lapsed after college but thanks God I reverted to the Church, probably through one of those gimmicks. And so here I am today. I could be one of the long list of Catholics who left the faith but by the grace of God I did not.
The Life in the Spirit Seminar in which I made a u-turn to come back to God may be a gimmick, if one sees it that way, but my realization that I had forsaken my God through its program was real. My new found enthusiasm for God and the Church was **real **too. So those things have some useful side to them.
How true. I agree with you totally here. It indeed does happen and it is sad. One really has to look for good clergies and lay people who still preach authentic Catholicism. Thanks God, there are also plenty of them around too.
No problem. You are saying your heart out. We do have our ways of thinking individually and we may not agree on certain things. It is alright with me.
C
ChikaisHis
Guest
I agree with you that dumbing our rich and beautiful Catholic faith is not the answer. Emphasizing feel-good emotions won’t either.
But that is not what Alpha does. Yes, our faith is rich and beautiful, but sometimes to a newcomer, or even faithful Catholics, it can be overwhelming and easy to forget what is most important.
When we evangelize, we often can’t just hand people a copy of the Catechism when they ask us about our faith. If someone is curious, what is the first thing you will tell them about Catholicism?
It is kind of like how Jesus answered which of the commandments is most important- to love God with all your heart, soul and mind. Because really, all other commandments come from that. He is not saying that murder, or adultery are not important sins to avoid.
But we cannot forget why we keep those other commandments- it is out of love for God and neighbour.
Similarly, it is not that the details of the Church’s many teachings on Mary, Hell, Sacraments, etc are not important. They are important- but why? Because of Jesus. Mary is other Mother because Jesus made her our mother, so that we could become closer to Him, who leads us to the Father. The Sacraments are an encounter with Jesus, who comes to earth to restore our broken relationship to the Father. Hell is real… and that is why Jesus came to earth- to save us. I would argue that to focus on all the details without looking at the whole picture- that is really what is watering down the faith. Christianity at it’s very core is not about ideas, as Pope Benedict said. It is an encounter with an event and a person.
E
Ernie07
Guest
Hi,
My parish is also big into Alpha and I actually participated in the course. Many aspects were good, but I was amazed how Protestant the User Guide was. A 66 book Bible and Protestant Bible references throughout (the bibleinoneyear site is even touted which is not only based on the Protestant Bible, but then gets you into Nicky’s site which has Protestant teachings), becoming a child of God when we receive Christ (rather than at Baptism), asking yourself when it comes to interpreting the Bible (rather than the Church), calls out a misconception of church as belonging to a particular denomination (the Catholic Church is the one true Church), and states that “on questionable points, liberty” as if unity should come before the truth. I get the need to evangelize, but not to do so and sacrifice the truth. To teach this version in a Catholic Church was shocking to me.
So then I found the Catholic version of the User Guide and was very heartened by this until I read it. There is no way a Catholic wrote that guide. Within it again contains references to Protestant Bibles as well as the bibleinoneyear site (and it doesn’t have the guts to cite the Bible having 73 books), refers to justification “just as if I’d never sinned” which is straight from the Protestant playbook (and contradicts Catholic teaching on Purgatory), refers to eternal life through repentance and faith (rather than state of grace), basically recites “the sinner’s prayer” and states that after stating this prayer we now have a relationship with God (as if we didn’t have one before), still no Catholic Church in the practical steps, no mention of The Eucharist, sacraments, etc…I could go on. To call this version of the guide Catholic is sad and deeply concerning. Who wrote this version!?
To sacrifice even one truth, even for the sake of evangelization, is just not something we should stand for as Catholics. If Alpha is the answer for evangelization then a truly Catholic version must be created.
My parish is also big into Alpha and I actually participated in the course. Many aspects were good, but I was amazed how Protestant the User Guide was. A 66 book Bible and Protestant Bible references throughout (the bibleinoneyear site is even touted which is not only based on the Protestant Bible, but then gets you into Nicky’s site which has Protestant teachings), becoming a child of God when we receive Christ (rather than at Baptism), asking yourself when it comes to interpreting the Bible (rather than the Church), calls out a misconception of church as belonging to a particular denomination (the Catholic Church is the one true Church), and states that “on questionable points, liberty” as if unity should come before the truth. I get the need to evangelize, but not to do so and sacrifice the truth. To teach this version in a Catholic Church was shocking to me.
So then I found the Catholic version of the User Guide and was very heartened by this until I read it. There is no way a Catholic wrote that guide. Within it again contains references to Protestant Bibles as well as the bibleinoneyear site (and it doesn’t have the guts to cite the Bible having 73 books), refers to justification “just as if I’d never sinned” which is straight from the Protestant playbook (and contradicts Catholic teaching on Purgatory), refers to eternal life through repentance and faith (rather than state of grace), basically recites “the sinner’s prayer” and states that after stating this prayer we now have a relationship with God (as if we didn’t have one before), still no Catholic Church in the practical steps, no mention of The Eucharist, sacraments, etc…I could go on. To call this version of the guide Catholic is sad and deeply concerning. Who wrote this version!?
To sacrifice even one truth, even for the sake of evangelization, is just not something we should stand for as Catholics. If Alpha is the answer for evangelization then a truly Catholic version must be created.
- Status