Catholic proselytizing

[I_A]

God created us because of his love.
Every individual is a unique miracle, created to know him and find joy in him.
Jesus Christ is God who became flesh.
He loves us so much he died for us.
We are not worthy of anything at all, most especially him!
He sends us the Holy Spirit to be with us always.
He made us into his church, his body.

I want to share this with the world. I want everyone to be Catholic.

What constitutes proselytizing? Is proselytizing even bad? Is it one of those roses by any other name (except in reverse), because I have heard proselytizing is bad, or at the least from context, voice indicators, so on, that several people I respect don’t like it, but I can’t see how it si bad unless my definition of it is wrong.

The definition as I understand it (quoted from dictionary.com):
To induce someone to convert to one’s own religious faith.

Personal Note:
I also am unsure of my motives. I am praying about them, but not praying enough. I do not know if my desire to share flows from altruistic love for my brothers and sisters, or rather from vainglory or pride, either thinking my religion is better than yours therefore I’m better than you, or wanting to think I’m so great by taking credit in my own mind for the work of the Holy Spirit.

So:
What constitutes proselytizing?
Is proselytizing bad?

 

[LittleDeb]

Been there done that. Spent a lot of time :banghead: .

I don’t like the nature of proselytizing. I also don’t like spelling it. I have found that just by living my life as it is the opportunities to share the faith just come up. The more I work on my humility the more chances God gives me to share.

 

[Fidelis]

Proselytizing, as opposed to evangelization, is targeting specific groups of individuals for the express purpose of converting them from the religion they now hold, to whatever religion you are. This is also known as “sheep-stealing.”

Catholics do not condone proselytizing, unlike members of non-Catholic groups that target Catholics (admittedly because your average Catholic is a soft target). These groups include Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons, or organizations like “Missions to Catholics” and “Christians Evangelizing Catholics,” to name a few. There are simply no Catholic equivalents.

 

[bengeorge]

Fidelis:

This is also known as “sheep-stealing.”

Catholics do not condone proselytizing,

Why not?

It’s not “sheep stealing” to return the sheep to their rightful owner.

I can see why we would want to proselytize in a way that doens’t overly-alienate or cause scandal, but I have to wonder what the apostles would have thought about this supposed blanket statement that “Catholics do not condone proselytizing.”

 

[USMC]

Fidelis:

Proselytizing, as opposed to evangelization, is targeting specific groups of individuals for the express purpose of converting them from the religion they now hold, to whatever religion you are. This is also known as “sheep-stealing.”

Catholics do not condone proselytizing, unlike members of non-Catholic groups that target Catholics (admittedly because your average Catholic is a soft target). These groups include Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons, or organizations like “Missions to Catholics” and “Christians Evangelizing Catholics,” to name a few. There are simply no Catholic equivalents.

The very mission of the Church is to proselytize. “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, etc.”. The apostles were sent to convert the Jews first [a specific group], then the Gentiles.

It should be every Catholics goal - and especially the goal of the Bishops and Priests - to proselytize and convert every Jew, every Muslim, every Protestant, and any other “group” that rejects the truth.

The false ecumenism of our day is destroying the very mission of the Church. God help us!

 

[AloysiusBologna]

Epiphany 2014 ! - Pope Francis offered another gesture to Catholics who are estranged from the church, saying Monday he respects them but that God is waiting for them.

Francis made the comments after he celebrated Epiphany, a major Catholic feast day that recalls the visit to the infant Jesus Christ by three kings.

“I would like to tell all those who feel far from God and the church — and I say this respectfully to those who are afraid or indifferent: The Lord calls you and wants you to be part of his people and does so with great respect and love!” Francis said.*** “The Lord doesn’t proselytize, he gives love ***and this love looks for you, waits for you — for you who don’t believe or have drifted away. This is the love :heartf God.”

 

[Tablefor9]

The difference in proselytize and evangelize: the first is verboten and the second is our sacred duty. And the definitions seem like splitting hairs, unless it’s a very good dictionary. It comes down to shades of meaning: proselytize carries the connotation of inducing a reluctant person of one religious belief to convert to another, whereas evangelizing means to convert others by preaching the Gospel, with and without words.

So how would this play out in our daily lives? If I have a rental property, and I am trying to convert my renters, who happen to be Southern Baptist. Let’s say I mention RCIA or Mass, somehow they get the feeling the terms of the lease that’s up to renew might be better if they did sign up for RCIA-that’s prosetylizing. If those same renters just mention to me that their children are sick and I pray with them, and later, as I bring them by a casserole and some cold medicines, mention I offered a Mass for them, that is evangelization.