Catholics must evangelize fellow Catholics

[Mannyfit75]

I’m making a generalization here to most Catholics. I know many Catholics here have basic apologetic skills. We also know that the majority of Catholics (Cafeteria Catholics) don’t practice their faith.

It is either they are poorly catechized in the faith. I think there is a call for all of us to re-educate our fellow Catholics the basic. It should be enough to give them the correct teachings of the Church, and give some some apologetic skills when confronted by a Non-Catholic Christian, Non-Christians, and non-believers.

What do you think should be done? We need to evangelize our fellow Catholics who knows little about what our faith is. We should cover everything from who God is, His Church, and moral issues like abortions, and social justice.

 

[Mike_Brick]

I’m making a generalization here to most Catholics…It is either they are poorly catechized in the faith. I think there is a call for all of us to re-educate our fellow Catholics the basic. It should be enough to give them the correct teachings of the Church, and give some some apologetic skills when confronted by a Non-Catholic Christian, Non-Christians, and non-believers.

Mannyfit, you are 100% absolutely dead on correct! In late 1975 Pope Paul VI wrote in “On Evangelization in the Modern World, Evangelii Nuntiandi”, the following quoting Vatican II: “We wish to confirm once more that the task of evangelizing all people constitutes the essential mission of the Church”(Paragraph 14). He went on to say in paragraph 15, “The Church is an evangelizer, but she begins by being evangelized herself…and She always needs to hear the proclamation of the ‘mighty works of God’, which converted her to the Lord”.

This is not a new problem, nor is the need for Catholics to be re-evangelized something new either, Pope Paul VI and Pope John Paul II both recognized the need, for over 30 years.

I am a member of a new parish, which was started by our Bishop about 18 months ago, who appointed a vibrant spiritually alive priest as our pastor. Since then we have registered over 1,000 families, see over 1,500 at weekly masses, and have over 650 children in religious education. Our Pastor began right away to build our Church, and we’ll probably break ground on the building in the current year. He hosts what he calls Catholicism 101nights every quarter year where he gives a talk on Catholic teaching and belief, and answers as many questions he can. Those questions he cannot answer at the event he tries to answer in our weekly bulletin as space allows.

We have an active Evangelization Commission, which with his encouragement has decided to evangelize the Church before going to the outside community.

I could go on, and on, but will stop here with one more comment. I recently read that in the US alone there are 93 million fallen away or otherwise inactive Catholics, and if we could put all of them in their own denomination, that would be the second largest denomination in the country. Isn’t that sad!!!

So yes, re-evangelization is despirately needed for all Catholics to bring them to a deeper and more personal relationship with God through Jesus and His Church! It doesn’t happen by accident, it must be by design.

Anyone interested in our website check out www.oviedocatholic.org. You can even download our Pastor’s homilies if you are interested in his inspired preaching. We are truly blessed, and one sister parish in the diocese started at the same time is too with our Pastor’s brother who is a Godly priest as well.

 

[ReginaNova]

As one who tries to evangelize my fallen-away or cafeteria Catholic family members, I will point out that evangelization is often a thankless task. The results are often not apparent, except perhaps over the long-term. In any case, I think it is important to evangelize. Maybe because I feel most passionate about my adult siblings and parents in my family that’s who I focus on.

 

[Mike_Brick]

What do you think should be done? We need to evangelize our fellow Catholics who knows little about what our faith is. We should cover everything from who God is, His Church, and moral issues like abortions, and social justice.

In my humble opinion one of the biggest mistakes many Catholic Church leaders in the U.S. made in the time the Popes were pleading for re-evangilization was to try to first teach social justice, and a watered down faith to people who did not have a foundational faith in Jesus the Christ. It was like trying to build a house on the sand like we read about in scripture. When the water rises and the wind blows, the house gives up.

With a strong faith in God through Christ and the Church He established on the “Rock” of Peter coming first, all other things can be later attached. In 1992, some 17 years after Pope Paul VI’s urging, the American Bishops printed its National Plan and Strategy for Catholic Evangelization in the U.S. and wrote *“Evangelization means bringing the Good News of Jesus into every human situation and seeking to convert the individuals and society by the Divine power of the Gospel itself. At its essence are the proclamation of salvation in Jesus Christ and the response of a person in faith, which are both works of the Holy Spirit”, *(Go and Make Disciples USCCB, pg. 7.)

I don’t know how many Dioceses in the U.S. have already begun to actually implement the plan, (now 14 yrs. after it was published), but hopefully all the rest will soon as well. Re-evangelization is very badly needed now before that second largest denomination I reported on in my first post in this thread grows bigger!

Pax Vobiscum

 

[Mannyfit75]

In my humble opinion one of the biggest mistakes many Catholic Church leaders in the U.S. made in the time the Popes were pleading for re-evangilization was to try to first teach social justice, and a watered down faith to people who did not have a foundational faith in Jesus the Christ. It was like trying to build a house on the sand like we read about in scripture. When the water rises and the wind blows, the house gives up.

With a strong faith in God through Christ and the Church He established on the “Rock” of Peter coming first, all other things can be later attached. In 1992, some 17 years after Pope Paul VI’s urging, the American Bishops printed its National Plan and Strategy for Catholic Evangelization in the U.S. and wrote *“Evangelization means bringing the Good News of Jesus into every human situation and seeking to convert the individuals and society by the Divine power of the Gospel itself. At its essence are the proclamation of salvation in Jesus Christ and the response of a person in faith, which are both works of the Holy Spirit”, *(Go and Make Disciples USCCB, pg. 7.)

I don’t know how many Dioceses in the U.S. have already begun to actually implement the plan, (now 14 yrs. after it was published), but hopefully all the rest will soon as well. Re-evangelization is very badly needed now before that second largest denomination I reported on in my first post in this thread grows bigger!

Pax Vobiscum

Evangelizing Catholics must come from the parents. Fr. Copari said that Catholics parent have a responsibility to teach their children about the Church. I was listening to him on ETWN, and he pointed out that those who leave the Church are not properly trained. In most cases, the parents themselves doesn’t know what we actually teach.

They say, that its the priest and the religious responsibility, but they are only there to guide. Most of the evangelizing must first come from the parents.

If the adult Catholic knows little about the Church, or we must ask them what they believe. Do you in believe in God? Do you believe God the Father, send his only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ to save us from our sins?

From there we can slowly bring them back into the Church. I must credit my parents prayers for bringing me back into the faith, and the Holy Spirit guided me in seeking the Truth.

I wasn’t trained well by my parents. I had to learn on my own. Yet many Catholics (cafeteria Catholics) are either lazy or no time for going to Church.

The need for re-evangelicalizing Catholics is very important. Otherwise, we will lose many Catholics to other Churches or religions.

Who is at stake? The souls of our brothers and sisters.

 

[Fidelis]

Evangelizing Catholics must come from the parents. Fr. Copari said that Catholics parent have a responsibility to teach their children about the Church. I was listening to him on ETWN, and he pointed out that those who leave the Church are not properly trained. In most cases, the parents themselves doesn’t know what we actually teach.

They say, that its the priest and the religious responsibility, but they are only there to guide. Most of the evangelizing must first come from the parents.

I whoreheartedly agree with you on the first point, but somewhat disagree with you on the second. Parents definitely have the responsibility to pass on the Faith, both through explicit instruction, and by example. That is the BEST way to hand on the Faith – raising convicted, knowledgable, and properly formed Catholics.

However, the OP was talking about the mass of lukewarm or MIA Catholics that might not have had the benefit of a solid Catholic upbringing, or weren’t encouraged to build upon it after they left CCD or Catholic school. These people need to be re-evangelized – by lay evangelists AND priests. We lay people should share our faith with them, correct their stunted or erroneous understanding of Catholic teaching, and give them examples and encouragement to live holy, Catholic lives.

We should if at all possible, get involved in teaching Catholic adults the beauty of the Scriptures and other teaching of the Church, including apologetics.

But all of this will go to naught if it isn’t preached, taught, and encouraged by the pastor from the pulpit on Sunday! You can offer Bible studies, catechesis, and apologetics classes til you bust, but it is an absolute guarantee that almost no one will come unless father explicitly encourages it from the pulpit.

 

[vince2paul]

I think we must be careful if we want to evangelise the cafetaria catholic, for sure we want to bring them closer to God, not the opposite. However, most people that I’ve met can get easily offended if we talk about something that he doesn’t know. Usually, I start from the people I’m close to; my mum, fellow legioners in the Legion of Mary (we’re already like a family), friends, etc. Most of them listen when I talk.

I find it hard to talk to the more experienced people, those who are active in church, but ignorant to the church’s teaching, because they think they know everything. I know a person in the parish where my mum attends who is very generous when doing church activities, but he can’t even say Hail Mary and never attend Sunday mass. When my mum asked him why he never attend mass, he said he’s busy with work and no time for it. What are we supposed to do to these people? For sure, we don’t want to scare them away and end up not leaving the church.

 

[Orionthehunter]

I’m making a generalization here to most Catholics. I know many Catholics here have basic apologetic skills. We also know that the majority of Catholics (Cafeteria Catholics) don’t practice their faith.

It is either they are poorly catechized in the faith. I think there is a call for all of us to re-educate our fellow Catholics the basic. It should be enough to give them the correct teachings of the Church, and give some some apologetic skills when confronted by a Non-Catholic Christian, Non-Christians, and non-believers.

What do you think should be done? We need to evangelize our fellow Catholics who knows little about what our faith is. We should cover everything from who God is, His Church, and moral issues like abortions, and social justice.

I totally agree. For five years I was on the RCIA team in my parish. It was a great learning experience for me and gave me a chance to evangalize/teach budding Catholics about the faith. I have however moved on to teaching catechesis to five H.S. boys in my house as I saw that as a new “ministry” for me to do what I did in RCIA. However, as a marriage sponsor couple, my wife and I have found a real powerful way to evangalize young adults. During this process we get to stress the fruits that come from making the Holy Spirit a central partner in our marriage the fruits of living a unified Catholic life help us fulfill our primary obligation (help our spouse get to Heaven). During these meetings, issues like ABC come up. We share with them how we didn’t understand the teaching when we were first married and practiced ABC. But we then talk about how much better it all was when we more fully grasped and lived what the Church teaches. Our admission that we weren’t perfect has seemed to give them greater freedom to discuss this and other issues without fear of just getting admonished. This open dialogue allows for greater evangalization.

While I’m sure that few on CAF will be surprised at how much misuderstanding there is among the laity, I have been given great appreciation that the “misunderstanding” is not something sinister and done with ill-intent. It is the fruits of poor catechesis clouded by information that didn’t come from the Church but society. Because I can’t see into their medicine cabinet, I have no idea how they are doing after they got married. But I do see them at Mass, I sense from them a great effort to be prayerful Catholics. And, so long as they are going the right direction in their journey, I have great hope that they will come to the right understanding. My prayers, their involvement in the Church, good example from the parishioners will provide very fertile soil for the Holy Spirit to effect change in their hearts.

IBut all of this will go to naught if it isn’t preached, taught, and encouraged by the pastor from the pulpit on Sunday! You can offer Bible studies, catechesis, and apologetics classes til you bust, but it is an absolute guarantee that almost no one will come unless father explicitly encourages it from the pulpit.

I disagree with your last point. While assistance from the pulpit will have great impact, it doesn’t mean that evangalization efforts of the laity will go for naught. We have focus on what we can do and not be discouraged or fail to do what we are called to do.

 

[Orionthehunter]

I totally agree. For five years I was on the RCIA team in my parish. It was a great learning experience for me and gave me a chance to evangalize/teach budding Catholics about the faith. I have however moved on to teaching catechesis to five H.S. boys in my house as I saw that as a new “ministry” for me to do what I did in RCIA. However, as a marriage sponsor couple, my wife and I have found a real powerful way to evangalize young adults. During this process we get to stress the fruits that come from making the Holy Spirit a central partner in our marriage the fruits of living a unified Catholic life help us fulfill our primary obligation (help our spouse get to Heaven). During these meetings, issues like ABC come up. We share with them how we didn’t understand the teaching when we were first married and practiced ABC. But we then talk about how much better it all was when we more fully grasped and lived what the Church teaches. Our admission that we weren’t perfect has seemed to give them greater freedom to discuss this and other issues without fear of just getting admonished. This open dialogue allows for greater evangalization.

While I’m sure that few on CAF will be surprised at how much misuderstanding there is among the laity, I have been given great appreciation that the “misunderstanding” is not something sinister and done with ill-intent. It is the fruits of poor catechesis clouded by information that didn’t come from the Church but society. Because I can’t see into their medicine cabinet, I have no idea how they are doing after they got married. But I do see them at Mass, I sense from them a great effort to be prayerful Catholics. And, so long as they are going the right direction in their journey, I have great hope that they will come to the right understanding. My prayers, their involvement in the Church, good example from the parishioners will provide very fertile soil for the Holy Spirit to effect change in their hearts.

I disagree with your last point. While assistance from the pulpit will have great impact, it doesn’t mean that evangalization efforts of the laity will go for naught. We have focus on what we can do and not be discouraged or fail to do what we are called to do just because another isn’t doing what he is supposed to do. We are accountable for what we do and don’t do. We are not accountable for the failings of others.

 

[Fidelis]

I disagree with your last point. While assistance from the pulpit will have great impact, it doesn’t mean that evangalization efforts of the laity will go for naught. We have focus on what we can do and not be discouraged or fail to do what we are called to do.

“For naught” might, admittedly, be too strong a word. But it has been my long (20 years of apologetics and Adult RE) and consistent experience that opportunities of the type I enumerated will have next to no participation if not even mentioned, let alone encouraged by the pastor. If the pastor – from the pulpit – never speaks of the benefits of, say, Scripture study, and that the parish offers opportunities for such, any level of participation is going to be dismal, at best.

Having said that, I agree that **no **effort at evangelization is ever wasted. I was speaking more in terms of organized opportunities for catechesis and spiritual growth.

 

[catholic-rcia]

Please visit my site at: www.catholicprinting then www.utahmission.com. We can talk about what I am doing here in Utah and the reception I have had from other Catholics.

God Bless
Rich

 

[uther]

What we are faced with is a generational gap in catechesis. So we are trying to make it up after the fact. The situation is improving at the grade-school level in a lot of places but there is still a lot of ground to make up.
It is the responsibility of parents to be the “home church” but they cannot give what they don’t have. So, at least for now, the problem belongs to all of us and Catholics must get the truths of the faith in one way or another. It falls to those of us who are given the burden, the “call”, to fill in the gaps, whether we are laity or clergy, especially when the priest(s) in charge are less than enthusiastic.
It may be out of the proper order in an ideal world, and I expect in another generation or two, if we get busy now, the parents will be teaching the children.
In the meantime, we are blessed by a massive array of technological aids, and fast communication all over North America and the world.
This little internet thing is the gateway to resources we might never have known about in times past.
So I guess its up to us to labor at the harvest, until there are those to help us or relieve us.

Personally, I am really encouraged by all these posts that indicate to me that there are Catholics with vision and willingness to get at it. God bless you all, and God bless his Church.

 

[dranzal]

Remember, it isn’t just the “cafeteria” or fallen away Catholics that suffered through erroneous catechesis. My choir leader did not realize that the “Immaculate Conception” celebrated Mary’s (not Jesus’) conception.
I am in a Bible study group. The members of this group are Catholic and have said many times that it doesn’t matter what faith you are as long as you love Jesus. One said that all you need is the Bible. This is not sound Catholic teaching.

As a result of our discussing Catholic teaching with friends, one couple who had previously said they would have no more children after their first two daughters is expecting their fourth in February. My sister and her husband were planning on getting hubby fixed after their third child (now 5 mos). Now they are planning on sticking with NFP.

Evangelizing is only thankless here and now. It is invaluable in the grand scheme of things. A tiny seed you plant now in a cynical athiest may bloom into a top notch apologist, priest, or even pope.

Bottom line: focus, in everything you do, on our eternal goal. It will show in your life and people will notice.

We lost a child last year. This usually comes up with strangers when they ask how many children we have. He was our fourth and we were pregnant at the time. When we tell people we lost a child and proceed to express joy at his heavenly joy and parental pride at his being a saint, people are surprised, though they may not say it. A friend told me his secular friends thought something was “wrong” with me. He told them that nothing was wrong with me–I simply have something they don’t have.

We must ever be ready to explain and defend the HOPE we have in us! This is the best evangelization. We have something they don’t have!!! Share it out of love and excitement for them–they are your brothers after all. Who here would not pick up the phone and share info about an exceptional movie or delicious meal at a restaurant? How much more important is this?

If it is your life, people will notice. They may not agree, but they cannot remain indifferent.

 

[uther]

Remember, it isn’t just the “cafeteria” or fallen away Catholics that suffered through erroneous catechesis. My choir leader did not realize that the “Immaculate Conception” celebrated Mary’s (not Jesus’) conception.
I am in a Bible study group. The members of this group are Catholic and have said many times that it doesn’t matter what faith you are as long as you love Jesus. One said that all you need is the Bible. This is not sound Catholic teaching.

As a result of our discussing Catholic teaching with friends, one couple who had previously said they would have no more children after their first two daughters is expecting their fourth in February. My sister and her husband were planning on getting hubby fixed after their third child (now 5 mos). Now they are planning on sticking with NFP.

Evangelizing is only thankless here and now. It is invaluable in the grand scheme of things. A tiny seed you plant now in a cynical athiest may bloom into a top notch apologist, priest, or even pope.

Bottom line: focus, in everything you do, on our eternal goal. It will show in your life and people will notice.

We lost a child last year. This usually comes up with strangers when they ask how many children we have. He was our fourth and we were pregnant at the time. When we tell people we lost a child and proceed to express joy at his heavenly joy and parental pride at his being a saint, people are surprised, though they may not say it. A friend told me his secular friends thought something was “wrong” with me. He told them that nothing was wrong with me–I simply have something they don’t have.

We must ever be ready to explain and defend the HOPE we have in us! This is the best evangelization. We have something they don’t have!!! Share it out of love and excitement for them–they are your brothers after all. Who here would not pick up the phone and share info about an exceptional movie or delicious meal at a restaurant? How much more important is this?

If it is your life, people will notice. They may not agree, but they cannot remain indifferent.

Amen.