Bringing back the lost folks

[rodriguezco]

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
I am Sundar Rodriguez, a Catholic from the city of Chennai, India, where the tomb of St. Thomas exists. Originally the fisher flock (from which I come) were converted to christianity, and we have beautiful big churches along the eastern coast.
But this coastal lines faces is now changing with independent and so called charismatic churches or full gospel churches making in road. Instead of blaming the priests for that I would as it is stated that evanglisation is responsibility for all christians, take up the catholic church to the departing brothern. How do I go about it.
Sundar Rodriguez

 

[RPRPsych]

Hi there, my fellow countryman! (I work in Pondicherry, but Chennai is where I was born, brought up and married.)

I think a lot of the Charismatic / Pentecostal / A.G. Churches appeal to middle-class people, especially their “prosperity gospel”. The golden opportunity for the Church would be to cut across such lines, and reach out to those who are not that well off. A solid apologetics ministry in the vernacular (Tamil, but also possibly Telugu / Malayalam) and a television channel along the lines of EWTN would also be good ideas.

 

[rodriguezco]

Dear Countryman,
Thanks for the prompt reply.
Yes, TV is a good media, but how to make it an habit of watching it.
Sermons are done more carelessly and without preparation.
Right now I work in Congo. If I go to the church here, the Philipines Priests who celebrate mass in English (official language here is French) they come with a prepared sermon, and move well with the parishioners. I feel there should be a need for change on the attitude of the parish priest, and they should bring back of visiting the families regularly, starting prayer groups etc.
I will on my part prepare myself more studiously the bible and other catholic literature so that when I go back to my country, I could start influensing my own family members who had left the Catholic Church.
Soliciting your prayers.
Sundar Rodriguez

 

[getysbg]

Another reason for their success is their energetic style of preaching. Granted, this is technique, not message. But look at Paul! He changed his ‘style’ when he taught the Greeks.

 

[rodriguezco]

True changing the style would help. But is there a willingness atleast to try.
Vatican Council if I remember correctly had greatly enhanced the role of the lay people within the parish, however, in my country, the parish council is just a council of person who always says yes to the priest.
Rodriguez, Sundar

 

[RPRPsych]

Sermons are done more carelessly and without preparation.
Right now I work in Congo. If I go to the church here, the Philipines Priests who celebrate mass in English (official language here is French) they come with a prepared sermon, and move well with the parishioners. I feel there should be a need for change on the attitude of the parish priest, and they should bring back of visiting the families regularly, starting prayer groups etc.
I will on my part prepare myself more studiously the bible and other catholic literature so that when I go back to my country, I could start influensing my own family members who had left the Catholic Church.
Soliciting your prayers.
Sundar Rodriguez

Fully agreed with you on most sermons. They often sound like the works of John Gray or Stephen Covey rather than authentic Catholic teaching.

All the very best with your efforts. I’ll pray for you.

 

[ClearWater]

…as it is stated that evanglisation is responsibility for **all **christians, take up the catholic church to the departing brothern. QUOTE]

**Amen! ** I applaud you for your initiative! :clapping::yup::bounce:

I would like to hear what others respond, because I have the same question!

God bless!

 

[svid2]

Pax Christi!

My prayers are with you and this great intention.

It seems to me that most successful mission work is done with personality and charisma. St. Paul, St. John Chrysostom and so many others. Bishop Sheen. Billy Graham. We need their ilk. Let us pray for many such apostles tp be sent. The harvest is great; the workers are few.

Side question: what is the fisher flock?

God bless!

 

[fred_conty]

France at one time had lost thousands of catholics to the protestant churches. And it was St. Philip Neri (I think) that wrote a note of apologetics showing that the catholic church was really the true one to follow. It was so successful that 70,000 returned to the church.

My suggestion is to write small one page apologetic explainations showing the strengths and origin of the catholic church before all the other churches, and start passing them out.
These should raise questions in the minds of the readers.

For instance, the catholic church in 397 and 419 already had listed what writtings belonged to the New Testament. This is where we have received the correct new testament. Protestants as we know them, including evangelicals, were not yet born again by that time. In addition if they claim that the bible only is necessary, then what happened to the salvation of all those people before 397 who didn’t have the new testament, and this includes those in the majority who were illiterate in reading even if they did have one. There was no printing press at that time. There were only hand copies of various individual writtings which were expensive to own.

Just short one pagers stating the truth in the catholic church whereby protestants have their knowledge today. Where did the truth of the Trinity come from? About the third century when the church wrangled with some who did not believe in the Trinity. This truth then is passed down to us today from that time, not from the time of the reformation.

There are so many of these origins of christian belief that stem from the catholic church.
Just bring this to their attention.

You might also show just when evangelicals started. Use the book CATHOLICS AND FUNDAMENTALISM by Keating. There are many good ideas in there to present to them. You can always reword it. Just plant info correcting what they are being taught or what they might not know.

This too is a good website for info.

catholicbridge.com/catholic/timeline_of_catholic_church.php

Here are some apologetic sites with all kinds of ideas for you to use.

www.theworkofgod.org/library/apologtc/r_haddad/course/contents.htm
www.info/apologeticsprotestantism/wbible.htm
www.biblechristiansociety.com/home.php
www.chnetwork.org/journals/justification/justify_8.htm
//justingridveritasluxmea.blogspot.com/2011/04/why-i-am-catholic-and-not-orthodox.html
www.philvaz.com/apologetics/apolog.htm
//blackieschurchmilitant-apocalypsis.blogspot.com/
www.catholic-convert.com/category/apologetics/
www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/most/getwork.cfm?worknum=216
www.catholicapologetics.info/apologetics/protestantism/wbible.htm
www.catholicapologetics.org/
www.catholiceducation.org/articles/sexuality/se0217.htm
www.scripturecatholic.com/oral_tradition.html#tradition-I
www.ovrlnd.com/Apologetics/101contradictions.html
www.biblechristiansociety.com/apologetics/two_minute
www.twopaths.com/faq_OldTestamentLaw.htm
www.catholicculture.org/cultu…archid=1067554
www.catholic.com
//thecatholicvoyager.blogspot.com/2011/03/book-review-rite.html
www.sensustraditionis.org/multimedia.html
www.askacatholic.com/

May God bless and keep you. May God’s face shine on you. May God be kind to you and give you peace.