Does Catholicism need a revitalization with evangelizing?

[jas84173]

For the record I know many Catholic missionary groups and FOCUS on campus is amazing. But let’s be real, the Church seems to be stagnant. At the end of Mass we are told to proclaim the Gospel, but how many do? Catholics need a new approach. As we worship every week in our pews, we hardly go beyond that. I go to daily Mass and adoration as much as possible but something seems to tell me in my heart it isn’t enough. We are meant to bring those to truth. While groups like Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Seventh Day Adventists etc have a firm established missionary activity, to the point the youth are encouraged to do a mission, this is not required at all by Catholics. Some do it but it’s mostly a self driven calling. In the mean time these “Christian” heresies, I quote it because although they claim to be Christian, many would say they aren’t, are going door to door prowling on the weak in faith for some truth and meaning in their beliefs. And unfortunately it works. There’s some 14 million Mormons, 8 million Jehovah’s Witnesses, and up to 20 million Seventh Day Adventists. Although the Catholic Church has about 1.2 billion adherents, how many are really truly comfortable in their faith? I feel like we need to change in how we teach, how we evangelize otherwise more will be seduced by these wolves in sheep’s clothing.

 

[DignumEtJustum]

There are discrepancies. We’re told to go preach the gospel but then when some want to convert they’re told by churchmen they don’t need to do that! We even have documents from the Vatican telling us not to try to convert certain groups. What a time to be alive.

 

[NoelFitz]

Jes84173

great post. Thanks.

It is a challenge to all of us. How can I do more to spread the kingdom? The starting point is the parish. One can be more active there, perhaps as a reader or a minister of Holy Communion or Iin other services. You can also join groups such as the Legion of Mary, St Vincent de Paul Society etc. Would courses suit you?

It is a fact that the commitment of others can encourage us.

 

[johnnyc176]

There are discrepancies. We’re told to go preach the gospel but then when some want to convert they’re told by churchmen they don’t need to do that! We even have documents from the Vatican telling us not to try to convert certain groups. What a time to be alive.

Yeah it seems the new evangelization is really the new enablization lol. I’m okay your okay . Then we have those who say we only need to live our Faith. Because as you know Jesus said those who see you, see me…

 

[Brendan_64]

There is nothing to really stop us setting up and evangelising in public places or go8ng door to door, either in our own area of further afield. Or public street prayer group, even if it is just one person praying. Or there is also a range of Catholic organisations to join.

You don’t need to necessarily start at your parish either. We belong to the Universal Church. I don’t think it makes any real difference whether what you do is in or linked to your parish or not.

As for evangelising others, I personally wouldn’t make a point of specifically standing outside the doors of the local synagogue or any other place of worship (the local Baptist hall, Methodist church, or JW Kingdom Hall etc) but in a general public place evangelising all and sundry and hoping they are moved to convert (whatever faith they currently are) then what is the issue? Were we not told to go and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit? So long as we are not being deceitful or coercing people, then what is the problem? We do the evangelisation, the Holy Spirit does the conversion.

 

[Dempsey1919]

After Vatican II the Church lost her missionary spirit - at least in Europe and the West. I’ve often thought about the reasons for this and I believe the culprits are ecumenism, the new ecclesiology and inter-religious dialogue.

As DignumEtJustum mentioned, many Churchmen tell Protestants not to convert. Pope Francis has said that proselytism is solemn nonsense and he discouraged a South African pastor named Tony Palmer from converting to Catholicism; see catholicherald.co.uk/issues/july-24th-2015/the-popes-great-evangelical-gamble/ This article explains how Catholics have abandoned evangelism in favour of ecumenism.

The second reason is that Vatican II ushered in a new ecclesiology which seemed to suggest that the Catholic Church as not the only Church of Christ. The Council teaches that the Church of Christ subsists in the Catholic Church. Many people interpreted this as meaning that the Church of Christ also subsists in other traditions; hence, there was no need for anybody to become a Catholic.

The third reason for the lack of missionary zeal is that many Catholics now prefer inter-religious dialogue. Vatican II taught that the Muslims and Catholics worship the same God. There were events such as the Assisi gatherings, which gave the impression that conversation was more important than conversion.

My conclusion is that interpretations of Vatican II have weakened the missionary spirit of the Church. The Fathers of Vatican II certainly did not intend this outcome. In Evangelical Catholicism, George Weigel points out that the main goal of Vatican II was evangelism. Pope St. John Paul II also supported this interpretation of Vatican II and continuously called for a New Evangelisation.