Catholic Evangelization?

[Malachi4U]

Why are so many Catholics relutant to evangelize or speak about Jesus? I know many Catholics that seem to hide their Faith. Are we taught this or is it some adverse byproduct of some Catholic doctrine?

Do we suffer from an evangelization gap?

 

[consuela]

I know what you mean but I don’t know the answer. The older Catholics that I know don’t seem to want to talk about their religion maybe because they don’t know their catechism very well.?? Or maybe they’ve been in too many arguments with Protestants or others during their life and are tired of it.
???

I am a member of Legion of Mary and our whole reason for being is prayer and evangelization. We are encouraged to share our faith with everyone and I encourage everyone to look into joining through your parish!!

 

[cradlecatholic]

I don’t have a reference, but my understanding is that after Vatican II, the majority of priests mistakenly got the impression that they should no longer try to win converts to the Catholic faith. They seemed to misunderstand the intent of ecumenism. As a result, this mistaken notion has carried over to the lay public.

 

[dhgray]

I use to feel the same way until I met the Catholic ministry called Couples for Christ. The basis of their ministry is ACTS 1:8 … to the ends of the earth

 

[JGC]

The most effective evangelisation is through our lives being examples. I believe few are convinced by street corner preaching or by being stopped in the street / knocking on doors. We must know our faith if people enquire though, this is generally from people we know in my experience.

There would be no need for sermons, if our lives were shining; there would be no need for words, if we bore witness with our deeds. There would be no pagans, if we were true Christians.
St. John Chrysostom

 

[tru_dvotion]

The older Catholics that I know don’t seem to want to talk about their religion maybe because they don’t know their catechism very well

Consuela that is definitely one of the reasons. The other one is good manners. It is considered bad manners in a pluralistic society to push one’s views on another. We are to respect each other’s individual truth. What ever that is… Pluralism recognizes as many truths as individuals. This is the world we live in. For lack of knowledge, for fear of being shot down, for the sake of false ecumenism, for fear of not fitting in, for fear of offending others, most Catholics shy away from witnessing their faith. How often do we see people making the sign of the cross at a restaurant? Yet Catholics eat out as often as anyone else. Shame on all of us.