College Evangelization

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I am a college student looking to promote the catholic faith. I am intimidated by the thought but I feel the need to do this.

Does anyone have any experience with evangelization on a college campus?

Any advice for a young person like myself?
 
Wow…that is fantastic to hear! 👍

The best thing you can do is be educated, becuase when you make your beliefs known in that environment, you will be attacked (intellectually, not physically I hope!).

I can say this from first hand knowledge because I used to do the attacking. As a lapsed cradle Catholic, I routinely got into religious arguments when I could, feeling that I knew more than most because I went to Catholic school for 12 years. In fact, I’ve learned that I knew little.

Topics to brush up on: Papal Infallibility, The Paschal Mystery & Real Presense in the Eucharist, Celibacy for Priests, Why Women Can’t Be Priests, The Sex Abuse Scandal, The Sacrements (particularly Confession - read John 20!).

Is there a Catholic society on campus?
 
I have been trying to soak up everything I could in the past few months. I have been reading Peter Kreeft, a book called “The One Minute Apologist,” the catechism, scripture… to name a few. Reading the topics on these forums helps also.

I am mostly intimidated because I can’t quote scripture.

Also, we do have a Catholic Student Organization, which I belong to. Actually, my main motive is to get CSA involved with some type of evangilization.

Thanks for the tips also, I will study those topics.
Nate415 said:
Wow…that is fantastic to hear! 👍

The best thing you can do is be educated, becuase when you make your beliefs known in that environment, you will be attacked (intellectually, not physically I hope!).

I can say this from first hand knowledge because I used to do the attacking. As a lapsed cradle Catholic, I routinely got into religious arguments when I could, feeling that I knew more than most because I went to Catholic school for 12 years. In fact, I’ve learned that I knew little.

Topics to brush up on: Papal Infallibility, The Paschal Mystery & Real Presense in the Eucharist, Celibacy for Priests, Why Women Can’t Be Priests, The Sex Abuse Scandal, The Sacrements (particularly Confession - read John 20!).

Is there a Catholic society on campus?
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kib said:
I am a college student looking to promote the catholic faith. I am intimidated by the thought but I feel the need to do this.

Does anyone have any experience with evangelization on a college campus?

Any advice for a young person like myself?
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I remember one time a leader of an evangelical Christian ministry came to my campus to talk to the campus. He had put up a poster in the hall for students to make comments on it. Well he had written on there, “How do you feel to know that Christ left you a Bible so you can know Him?” I put on there, “Christ left us a Church, not a Bible.” I remember going to his talk later that night and he was more upset and talked more about that little comment than about all the comments about how God didn’t exist and how “unreasonable” Christianity is. He wanted the person who wrote it to stand up to, “face the music.” Looking back I probably should have.

Anyways leave fliers on peoples windshields if you are intimidated. And in the mean time keep learning and researching your faith. The more you know about it, the more comfortable you will be sharing it with others.

God bless
 
I suggest Karl Keating’s book Catholicism & Fundamentalism as a good place for research as well. Its a wealth of information and provides a lot of scriptural evidence.

If you can’t quote scripture, keep scripture close. Also, memorize the general meaning of certain chapters in certain books (For example, John 6 provides solid evidence for the Real Presence) that way when you get into discussions you can pull the Bible out of your backpack and get into it.

Having a good argument against solo scriptura and solo fide are also good ideas. Solo scriptura is the easiest to debunk (the Bible never references itself as a whole). Solo fide takes a little more study.

I don’t know the quote but Archbishop Fulton Sheen said something along the lines of: people don’t hate the Catholic Church, they hate what they think the Catholic Church is.

As Catholics, its our duty to know our Church, and be able to clear the air whenever called to.

Maybe those Pillar of FIre, Pillar of Truth pamphlets would be a start?
 
Read Christopher West’s Introduction to Theology of the Body…TOB is just awesome, and will help with a lot of the sexual issues that come up (particularly contreception and celibacy).
 
Nate415 said:
Read Christopher West’s Introduction to Theology of the Body…TOB is just awesome, and will help with a lot of the sexual issues that come up (particularly contreception and celibacy).
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I have his book “Theology of the Body for Beginners,” I will move on to his others from there!

Thanks again everyone, the support makes me feel like I can actually do this.
 
Have you talked to existing programs like FOCUS or Theology on Tap?
 
I’m also a catholic college student and I’ve also be feeling compelled to evangelize…but not the entire campus…not yet.

i wanna start off with those around me, roommate and such.

My question for you guys here is how do i get through to my roommate and other “friends” They tease me about praying before meals and before i go to bed and having a crucifix over my bed. Also they go off to get high most nights. I found out last night that one is a confirmed catholic, and he was the one that teased me the most! How do i reach them without sounding crazy :confused:
 
kib said:
I am a college student looking to promote the catholic faith. I am intimidated by the thought but I feel the need to do this.

Does anyone have any experience with evangelization on a college campus?

Any advice for a young person like myself?
Click to expand...
I am in the same boat. I have actually found that the catholic club itself here is a good place to evengelize; even the “Catholics” that go to Newman Club meetings are often so lukewarm they might as well be non-believers. At these meetings I have an excuse to really talk about religion, and win people over to true catholicism, unlike other circumstances where I will be shut up.
 
Also, you’re going to find more people in a standard college that are anti-God and anti-religion more often than protestants who are specifically anti-Catholic.

The most common reason for this is sexuality. Be well versed in the negative effects of sexual deviancy; be able to point out where it hurts people, and how you benefit from living life in accordance to God on this issue.
 
RCWarrior821 said:
I’m also a catholic college student and I’ve also be feeling compelled to evangelize…but not the entire campus…not yet.

i wanna start off with those around me, roommate and such.

My question for you guys here is how do i get through to my roommate and other “friends” They tease me about praying before meals and before i go to bed and having a crucifix over my bed. Also they go off to get high most nights. I found out last night that one is a confirmed catholic, and he was the one that teased me the most! How do i reach them without sounding crazy :confused:
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My advice would be to continue on as you have been. I’m guessing the reason they act that way is because of a lack of maturity. Many college freshman, (almost all of my best friends form high school, actually), compromise their values to fit in as soon as they get to college. I think they’ve watched too many episodes of “The Real World.” Some people wise up before they graduate, some don’t. The best thing you can do is live the faith. Leave books out that they may read out of curiosity (the bible, catholic books etc.). Don’t worry about sounding crazy, live the faith and teach it to anyone willing to listen. If you carry yourself with confidence I think you will be just fine. Jesus seemed crazy to some people too, right?

Also, being a confirmed Catholic doesn’t mean much to a lot of young people. Most of the people I went to CCD with have left the Church, or are living in a state of mortal sin.
 
If you’re really looking to start evangelizing, start with the lapsed Catholics. 🙂
Perhaps get some small cards of the Divine Mercy devotion and give them out. Say the chaplet daily for people to return to the faith. Jesus promises that whatever graces we ask for through his Divine Mercy will be granted. From personal experience … it WORKS.
Most of all, though, focus on being the best, kindest, most loving you can be. Receive communion frequently (daily Mass!!) and go to Confession. Ask Jesus to help you. These people won’t pick up a Bible - like my priest said this Sunday, you may be the only Bible people ever read.
And what did St. Francis say? Something like “Evangelize often. Speak if necessary.”
 
St.Francis of Assisi said…preach often and when necessary use words.

I think just by the way you witness your faith, go to mass, say your prayers…invite them them to come with you to your Newman center all are positive ways to show your faith. Get a subscription to a catholic magazine, like Catholic digest or Faith and Family…and just leave it in plain sight so your roommates see them and may pick them up. Gentle discussions not head on confrontations will do more for evangelization.

Our own son’s roommate is a Campus Crusade for Christ member who formerly was a nothing but got caught up because our son introduced him to church. Now the roommate challenges our son left and right about how he is not reading his bible…but our son reminds him that he does and wears his kairos cross everywhere.
It’s a bit nerve wracking in those situations…but keep praying and each time you get into a discussion, send up a quick prayer to the Holy Spirit to put the right words in your mouth, and you will be surprised what comes out. Make me an instrument of your peace, Lord…and He will! Keep up the good work!
 
I remember years ago when I was a college student, I used to host periodic “Bible Questions and Answers” session on campus.

We reserved a room, put out posters to announce the coming event, invited a priest, and arranged some group members as basic audience and co-hosts to help the discussion, then we would have an open forum on campus. It was pretty interesting.

If I did not read your thread, I almost forgot those experiences. Those were the days!
 
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