Door to Door visitors

[JKS]

But I used to sit beside a JW at work and I quoted the same verse. His reaction? “Eww. You really think that you’re eating his body?” The same reaction as some of the disciples in the next paragraph…

Yup, "this saying is hard; who can accept it? " “As a result of this, many of his disciples return… to their former way of life and no longer follow… Him.” (John 6: 60, 66)

Anyway, did your friend think it’s disgusting that he subsisted on his mother’s body and blood for his first year or so of existence? (For his first 8 1/2 months, for sure.) So, was that an act of cannibalism on his part, or a supreme act of love on his mother’s?

 

[bettyg51]

Secondly, there is no reason whatsoever to do what the cults do in most parts of the world as there are Catholic parishes in almost every single decent-sized community on earth.

miki,
Shepherds don’t make sheep. Sheep make sheep.

I am in the door-to-door ministry for my parish. We go out two by two to INVITE our neighbors to come to Mass. I am not a priest, but I want to lead others to one. We give people the opportunity to ask questions, but we don’t push like the JWs and LDS do.
I do this because I love them enought to evangelize them. I do not have the attitude that they are wrong and we are right.

We invite inactive Catholics to come back. After we started, the parish had an increase in people coming to Reconcilliation that had been away for many years and there was increase enrollment in the religion classes for the public school students. One person joined the RCIA.
We leave a brochure and literature that fits what we talked about. And yes, Pillar of Fire, Pillar of Truth is one of them.
The normal reaction we get is very polite. When we come upon a pastor of a Protestant church, they often say, “We should be out doing this.”
We never know when the seeds will sprout. At least people have the opportunity to learn about us and witness our love for Jesus.
Betty

 

[CatholicCajun]

I actually gave an SDA who had given me materials to review, and then returned later, a CD I had burned of a Journey Home program from an ex-Adventist.
I thanked him for the materials and asked him if he would take it the spirit of reciprocity.
He took it and I pray he listened…but you never know. I think I will print out some CAF tracts and have them ready near the door. I’ll take their materials if they"ll take mine!

I was just getting ready to type this! I think it’s a good idea, I’ll take yours if you’ll take mine.

 

[duskyjewel]

I usually have a sign on my door stating “No solicitors.” Followed by, “We have all the magazines we can read, we can find the products we need for ourselves, and we are very happy in our Catholic Faith.” I change it sometimes… I have even had a graphic of a priest elevating the Host on it. Right now I have a shamrock with “Father, Son, Holy Spirit” on it from one of my kids’ RE projects.

I need to make a new one as a storm damaged my last one…

Usually I do not get bothered, and we have a lot of Mormon missionaries out here. I actually live less than a block from an LDS “Institute of Religion.” I think that is where they train them…

 

[SarahR]

The JWs are the only people in my neighborhood who ignore my “No Solicitors” sign…posted RIGHT next to the doorbell.
I have seen them drive down the street and only stop at my house, to try to engage me, then drive away. Hmmmm.

I think it is wonderful that a pp was praying her rosary when they showed up. I might stash a Halloween costume nun’s habit in my front closet for just that reason.

 

[Prague]

I was dusting my crucifix which is by my front door with a rosary on it. I had it in my hands when the doorbell rang. Answered the door with two people standing there.
They looked at me, looked at the crucifix which I was holding up and facing out towards them. Looked back at me and turned around and ran back down the sidwalk.
That happened 12 years ago just after we moved in, and to this day we have never had anyone knocking on our door.

 

[graceandglory]

What bothers me is that they are carring out Jesus’ last instructions and we don’t. Catholics need to get out and spread the Good News!

Then that is where I would start with them. You know and I know that they aren’t spreading a faithful Gospel, but a twisted version of it. How do they know their gospel is the correct one? How do they know that their way of interpreting scripture is the true way?

I find that I have so much more faith in my ability to evangelize a JW or a Mormon now that I am Catholic than I did when I was a protestant. We have 2,000 years of Tradition and Church History on our side, while they don’t. When I was a protestant it was my interpretation vs their interpretation. Now I believe there is only ONE interpretation, and that is to interpret Scripture through the lens of the Catholic Church and the Magisterium.The JWs and the Mormons don’t have that going for them. Neither do any of the protestants.

 

[graceandglory]

First, the context of the passage quoted is directed to the Apostles, first and formost. This charge is given to the priesthood by Christ–and then the priesthood sends out who they will, if needed.

With all due respect, Pointless Shrew, I have never heard the Great Commission was NOT intended for all believers. We are all called to fulfill the Great Commission, it is our responsibility that came with our Baptism, and our Confirmation when we became Soldiers of Christ. We are the Church Militant.

How will they know unless someone tells them? I don’t believe everyone is called to “door-to-door” evangelization, but a few are. Not everyone has the spiritual gift of evangelization.

If it seems that Catholics mirror the cults, who evangelize door-to-door, remember WHO came first. It’s actually the cults who are copying our Biblical mandate of going into all the world.
Remember also, WHO gave us the Bible.

There are Catholic apostolates that are devoted to just this kind of ministry. It is legitimate.

 

[St_Gabriel]

OK. So I am alone here. It sounds like no one else gets the butterflies before they open the door.

Prague, there was something in what you said about them running at the site of a cruxifix… I had my JW co worker hold my St. Benedict medal cruxifix and said it was, “Neat!”

 

[St_Gabriel]

This doesn’t sound like door to door ministry. It’s very specific.

Matthew 10

11 And into whatsoever city or town you shall enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and there abide till you go thence. 12 And when you come into the house, salute it, saying: Peace be to this house. 13 And if that house be worthy, your peace shall come upon it; but if it be not worthy, your peace shall return to you.

 

[Prague]

I was really surprised when they just took off. Did say a wee prayer for them though.
Prague

 

[Traditional_Ang]

Wonderful. :clapping: I only quote this verse if they start quoting scripture. But it’s great you get it out right away.

The last fellow didn’t quote anything. But I used to sit beside a JW at work and I quoted the same verse. His reaction? “Eww. You really think that you’re eating his body?” The same reaction as some of the disciples in the next paragraph.

Also, his translation of the last supper also said, “This means my body”. not “This is my body”. So there was a debate about that.

St. Gabriel:

The JW’s have their own Mistranslation of the Sacred Scriptures - Get yourself a Greek-English Interlinear and show him where his mistranslation is just that - It will probably help you if you can point to the literally hundreds of translations into various languages which got it right, including the Latin Vulgate… The WEB can be a help on this:

New American Bible
vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/_INDEX.HTM
**Revised Standard Version w/ Apocrypha
**quod.lib.umich.edu/r/rsv/
Etext Center - KJV w/ Apocrypha
etext.virginia.edu/kjv.browse.html
New Advent - Douay-Rheims Challoner
newadvent.org/bible/
Knights of Columbus - New Jerusalem Bible
kofc.duq.edu/scripture/
Jerusalem Bible - IN FRENCH
bibliotheque.editionsducerf.fr/par%20page/84/TM.htm
BIBLE GATEWAY - 35 Translations (Including other languages)
biblegateway.com/
UNBOUND BIBLE - Biola College (Including other Languages)
unbound.biola.edu/
J.P. Phillips Translation of the New Testament
ccel.org/bible/phillips/JBPNT.htm
Greek New Testament (Greek-English Interlinear) - Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader
www-users.cs.york.ac.uk/~fisher/gnt/
**STUDYLIGHT.ORG - Includes Parallel Bible & Online Interlinear
**studylight.org/
CROSSWALK - includes Greek Lexicon, Concordance & Greek- English Interlinear
biblestudytools.net/

I’m sure there are others some of the brothers & sisters can show you, but that pretty much wears out my “Bookmarks” & should pretty much demonstrate to the satisfaction of all but the most hardened JW’s that their “Translation” is a “Mistranslation” at best.

We can argue matters of opinion, but facts are facts. It will probably be emotionally impossible for him to admit it at the time, but it will also probably be impossible for him to admit otherwise later if he’s capable of being honest with himself.

Your Brother in Christ, Michael

 

[Traditional_Ang]

This doesn’t sound like door to door ministry. It’s very specific.

Matthew 10

St Gabriel:

Our Lord was sending his disciples our to proclaim the Kingdom of God…

*And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every infirmity. *
*
The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zeb’edee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
**
*
These twelve Jesus sent out, charging them, "Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, *but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And preach as you go, saying, `The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ *
"Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying, give without pay. Take no gold, nor silver, nor copper in your belts, no bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor a staff; for the laborer deserves his food.

"And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it, and stay with him until you depart. As you enter the house, salute it. And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. And if any one will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town. Truly, I say to you, it shall be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomor’rah than for that town.

**"Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves…
*
*
*
“When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next; for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel, before the Son of man comes.”

**Matthew 10:1-16, 23 RSV

**I think you can see that our Lord was stressing the need for alacrity in announcing the Kingdom of God - He didn’t want them to get bogged down in “House to House Operations”. Aside from some remote parts of the world in which the Gospel has never been preached, can you honestly say most of the people in our communities haven’t heard of the Lord or His Church?

What we’re dealing with in our communities are primarily people who’ve been taught that Christ and/or His Church is irrelevant, or who’ve fallen away from the Lord because because their needs weren’t met in our “Megaparishes”, or who’ve become hurt and angry over some perceived wrong that was dne to them or a friend or family member.

Big assemblies with megaphones in the town squares or missions in “Megaparishes” just aren’t going to reach these people. You need to go to where they live and work - their coffeehouses, cafes, parks, schools, colleges, places of work and, yes, their homes.

Read these Website:

John Paul II Training Center for Mercy Evangelism
jp2trainingcenter.com/home

Archdiocese of Denver - John Paul II Center for the New Evangelization archden.org/john-paul-ii-center-for-the-new-evangelization/index.php

I hope this will help you to understand better what we could do to “bring back the lost sheep of Israel”. Remember, I was brought back by an Ultra-Orthodox Rabbi because he was the one who cared enough about me to do what God told him to do.

Your Brother in Christ, Michael

 

[St_Gabriel]

Thank you Traditional Ang for both of your posts.
The links are very useful and the interpretation of the verse makes a lot of sense to me.

Keep up the good works!

 

[AngloCatholic1]

Traditional Ang,

Thanks for that post. I think your insight into this activity is spot on!

I only WISH that churches who hold to the Nicene Creed had come around to my door when I was a young seeker. Believe me, it would have saved me YEARS of trouble walking down spiritual blind alleys!

As for JW’s and Mormons… I used to get nervous when they came around. Then I decided to read up on their beliefs on my own time, so that when they came around I could ask them intelligent questions. I ended up attending a Mormon church for a couple of months before I began asking questions that only senior members in Utah could answer! Their answers started to become more and more convoluted, sometimes even contradictory, and so I decided it was all hogwash. The nail in the coffin was when I discovered that the ancient Egyptian tablet in “Doctrines & Covenants” - miraculously translated by Joseph Smith to be a story about Abraham’s sojourn into Egypt - was later determined by Egyptologists to simply be instructions for the embalming and mummification of corpses!

Later, I let the JW’s in for a chat and asked them why a modern secular Greek translation of John 1 reads “and the Word was God”… but their “Bible” reads “a god”. I gave them plenty of time to explain, and offered them refreshments. I ended up going to a number of their meetings, but the more questions I asked the LESS the religion made sense! When I found out they didn’t participate in the Lord’s Supper, I HAD to ask them what they thought of John 6? I NEVER got a straight and clear answer!!! They seemed more preoccupied with avoiding the Apocalypse than they did with enjoying the blessings of living a Christian life… so I walked away from them also.

So NOW, when they come around I’m not nervous anymore! I treat them with genuine Christian hospitality, and gently point out to them the shortcomings of their religions. I find some of them know even less about their “church” than I do!

 

[Tartini]

Greetings in Christ!

Many a time and I am sure we have all been there; I will receive visits from Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses. They each have a method that never seems to change and I understand why they do what they do due to their training process. I show them nothing but respect and courtesy and they are usually very polite people. I enjoy the company and the discussions we have about Jesus Christ alone. I immediately tell them I am a Catholic (which takes them aback a bit), but do not go into details. Many have misconceptions of the Church that I try to correct (but I don’t expect them to understand them in a limited discussion)

If they ask a question about the Catholic Church, and I cannot answer it, I give many reliable online resources, such as this one, to research for themselves. When the discussion comes around to histories and origins of their respective churches, they become perplexed that I understand, in most cases, how their churches originated and who founded them. Then, in turn, I am truly amazed that they know very little, if nothing, about their own churches! This frightens me, because ignorance of one’s faith is not only dangerous, it is utter foolishness.

They will quote only certain scripture and attempt to convert me. I politely allow them to speak their piece, and when they are through attempting to convince me that they are the only true church/faith, I effectively end the conversation by saying:” Let us remain steadfast in our duty that Christ has called us to, but you have more chance of changing the course of the Planets of our Solar System, then you would have me deny my Catholic Faith!

Dominus Vobiscum,
Jerald Franklin Archer

Laudetur Jesus Christus!

 

[mdzialo]

Very good. Really good! I like your style.

 

[Layp3rs0n]

Round where I live we have a lot of Catholics. We also have a lot of evangelicals…you know the kind; they stand at the bus stations and hand out “Are you born again?” flyers. Well they DO attract a lot of attention, and many people listen and consider what they say. They ARE bringing people to Christ…but I’m in a quandrary. Do I openly correct the mistaks they make? “Pray this prayer and you are automatically saved!” It doesn’t work that way! Do I let them continue and help them bring in souls and then say to whoever listened “he’s right about this but wrong about this”? What do I do? The people receiving instructions from the evangelicals will only see division within the Christian commnity if I object.

 

[strngrnrth]

If it were up to me I’d want to (not that I’d probably make the time nowadays) bring a friend or two and set up right across from them, kittycornered and hand out Catholic materials.
They would begin preaching to you. You would explain that you will not interrupt your work but would be happy to buy them all a donut and coffee afterward and tell them when. They would then talk and agree to pray for you and you would pray for them. Then you would meet for coffee. There you would show them what you have and walk them through your beliefs. They would then discuss it with you.
But that would take a lot of time and preparation.