Are We Evangelizing?

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Yes it seems obvious that every form of spiritualism Evangelizes, and we Catholics get hammered because we quote doctrine.
Maybe we need to accept that God is teaching us all differently as the overwhelming majority of religions may be pointing at the same thing, (how to enter and exist in gods kingdom) What we see as lies may merely be a consequence of indoctrination to the one faith. Just because I believe the doctrine to be true does not justify why somebody else’s doctrine may not be true, this is merely a reflection on it self (from who’s perspective) These are the challenges facing all religions today.
 
gama232 said:
What is happening now is that some are continuing with their faith and some are purging the poison from their veins, but a majority are not.
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Well, given that in about 1957, about 67% of Catholics attended Mass weekly, and now it is about 22% +/-, yeah, a lot went astray, and for a number of reasons. But the Church is alive and doing well; among those who do attend Mass, they re doing well; and within the world wide Church, the faith is thriving elsewhere.

We can look at the glass half empty or half full. I choose to follow Christ, and will work with anyone who wishes to do likewise. And I can pray for the rest. And for those who still are faithful, much has improved (as I have noted above).
 
otjm said:
Wherever Christ is, the devil is not far behind.

I am going to presume that you are not indicating that Vatican 2 was a mistake; I never presume to tell the Holy Spirit what is right or wrong.

So, one can dwell on what was occurring 30 or 40 years ago, or one can recognize what is occurring now.
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And one can dwell on both … and everything in between - so as to see the Trend -
along with where it appears to be going - as always - exactly according to Script(ures) !

Where Christ dwells - so does Satan and those who follow his lead.

Vatican II was not a mistake…

Bamboozling ‘theologians’ easily nudged - even Laity - to repeat their ‘abracadabra’
that all any had to invoke, “IN THE SPIRIT OF VATICAN II” -
in order to manufacture change -
in the Liturgy - in Theology - In Universities - in Seminaries, Novitiates, Convents, Monasteries…
 
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That is exactly what happened and there are ongoing attempts to keep the laity going in the wrong direction along with those in religious service.
 
Sigh…this topic started out with such promise. Somehow it turned into a mess. Do we really need another thread on how everything has gone to hell in a handbasket since Vatican II?
 
No. And Catholics need to understand why things went south after Vatican II. That history is very important. Not… well, I don’t know.
 
gama232 said:
That is exactly what happened and there are ongoing attempts to keep the laity going in the wrong direction along with those in religious service.
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According to Scriptures, Church Teachings and tradition - God’s Enemies shall - once again - appear to have been Victorious in a manner similar to their Condemning Jesus to Death - Yet, Failed…

This Time?

Our Enemies - Are heading toward the Biggest Failure Ever - this side of the final end of this Age.
 
I believe that when I die and am judged by God, I will be judged on what I have done, definitely not on what I knew or believed. However, what I have done, as I see it, will include what I have spoken, or not spoken when I had the opportunity.

There’s a world out there with a ton of people like the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:27-32) not knowing because there is no one to show them…
 
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SuscipeMeDomine said:
Sigh…this topic started out with such promise. Somehow it turned into a mess. Do we really need another thread on how everything has gone to hell in a handbasket since Vatican II?
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No, we do not. As the OP guy, I know very little about what Vat II changed, and don’t need to know except for whatever I’m bound by conscience to do. The intent, as you point out (thanks), was to talk about spreading our Faith, not arguing about details of it.

Blessings,
 
I am glad you are asking this. I am a convert too–celebrating 15 years–and ON FIRE with love for the Lord and the Church. I read, and read, and read so I can defend the faith. Scriptures, the Catechism, the church fathers, etc. I teach RCIA and sponsor new converts each year. I talk to friends and colleagues about my faith, not in a pushy way; in fact, they usually bring stuff up. I invite neighbors and friends to Mass. You’d be surprised how many accept. I have a long list of names I bring before God in prayer, asking that He might use me to bring them closer.

I think the answer to your question is that Catholics themselves need to be evangelized as much as anyone else. So many, it seems, are lukewarm in their faith. They haven’t been properly catechized. They’re going through the motions. I don’t judge them for this. They might just need someone to help them catch fire! 🙂 My Nazarene grandfather taught me early on to evangelize. Now I’m doing it within the Catholic Church. ❤️
 
That history is history. The Church has weathered storms since not long after the Ascension (Paul and Peter got into it - those pesky non-Jewish heathens) and it has weathered the storm after Vatican 2.

I have no problem discussing it; except that too often the conversation seems to carry either a hint that Vatican 2 was wrong, misguided, or something else worse, and/or that the problems of several decades ago are still with us.

This thread is about now, and the question is, are we now evangelizing. It is not about 30 or 40 yea;rs ago.

Perhaps you can share with us about how you are evangelizing now?
 
I agree with how you evangelize! That is also how I go about it!
I’m not the original poster, but in reading your post I thought of:
John 4:37 One sows and another reaps.
 
I meet people, like the homeless. Some talk with me, some do not. I help them. I ask them if they have sought help from a Church. I never point to this one or that one. Those that talk with me usually say that the local church cannot help them. I only offer a God bless along with my help. Some recognize me when they see me again. I have also passed out tracts. Some accept them, some do not. I never force anyone to do anything, including listening to me. Every person is different and I will start up a conversation with those who are willing to have one.
 
I used to volunteer at an all volunteer run women’s homeless shelter.
I was in charge of running a prayer group for anyone wanting to attend.
Most of the homeless were Baptist’s. We would pray together and for
each other and each other’s intentions. At the end of the prayer group
I always offered holy cards and/or rosaries. Of course many would refuse
saying “We are Baptist’s”. My response was I thought you were Bible believers.
They would emphatically say “YES”, and then I would tell them that the rosary
is actually biblically based. I’d say you know the Our Father is in the Bible,
the Glory Be is in the Bible, and the mysteries of faith are in the Bible. After
naming each they would say “yes” and then I would say and you know the
Hail Mary is in the Bible. They would gasp and say: where? I’d explain that the
angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and said: "Hail, Mary full of grace… They would
be shocked and then they would ask for a rosary which of course was glad to
give them with a sheet explaining how to pray it.

Another time I volunteered at a Catholic Liturgical Center had a woman who was
about to be ordained a Baptist Minister the following weekend ask me about what
the tabernacle was and what the rosary was. After explaining them she asked if
she could by 10 rosaries which I obliged even throwing in free booklets of how
to pray it. She got ordained, was assigned to a Baptist congregation in D.C. and
a month later she came back saying she gave them to 10 of her parishioners, and
asked if it was possible to purchase 30 more. I again obliged and of course again
throwing in free booklets on how to pray it. I pray that our Lady of the Rosary will
intercede and bring her and her congregation into the Catholic faith.
 
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The Holy Spirit works in strange ways; we just need to cooperate and get “ourselves” out of the way.
 
Sometimes, the least among us need to hear the word God and know He’s there. A simple God bless does that.
 
otjm said:
Perhaps you can share with us about how you are evangelizing now?
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Personally, my evangelizing efforts are mostly in defending my faith to the entirety of the maternal side of my birth family, whom are all some flavor of Evangelical.
I’ve put a ton of effort into learning more about and studying the Faith, as well as apologetics stuff.
Also, I have been able to be in contact with people from my mother’s (Assemblies of God) church and engage in theological debates. I’ve had no one convert to Catholicism as a result, but have corrected many misunderstandings, myths, etc., and educated some people who made statements such as “We have a lady who was a Catholic and came and got saved. She is so happy to learn her Bible.” – For that issue, I’ve been clear that if they didn’t know the Bible after being a Catholic for (x) years, it is because they were not paying attention at mass.
I have also found, sadly, occasion to quote an audiobook by Jeff Cavins (“I’m not being Fed”(?)) and tell some that either the convert they’re speaking of didn’t know their faith, or they’re being blasphemous.
Further, when I’ve asked questions about things and been told to “ask a priest,” instead of asking a priest, I’ve researched or looked up the answer and then taken the info to the person who referred me to a priest, then with a smile chastised them for not knowing.
That has kind of made me the “go ask him” person at times, esp. in my KofC council.
We should NOT be losing cradle Catholics to Evangelical Churches, but we are. Why? Because they’re made to feel very welcome, they see excitement about that faith, and people are able to convince them that they’re not “saved.” THAT is a reflection of people not knowing their Catholic Faith well enough to not be fooled. So yeh, a lot of Catholics need to be evangelized as well as those outside the Church, no doubt.
 
I knew someone who was a Charismatic Christian. These people are active and encouraging. They are also the kind of people who pray together. This kind of active outreach to others does happen in some Catholic parishes. If you look online at the kinds of ministries offered by different Catholic parishes, there are likely to be some that fit various people. There are the Knights of Columbus as well. The primary thing they had was that outside of their church service, they got together. They talked about what it was like to live out being a Christian at home and at work. How to make that work. I’m glad I saw that.
 
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