Evangelizational Duty?

[TheApologist]

I recently had a talk with someone I can openly to to about faith. Her view is that one doesn’t have a duty to actively evangelize and doesn’t have a duty to passively evangelize(most of passive evangelization). She is very private about her faith and thinks that religion should be a personal thing, at least when you’re among nonCatholics. One of the few times she feels compelled to talk to nonCatholics about her faith is when it comes to abortion. Whenever she thinks it’s “on their mind,” then she’s open to talking about it.

She doesn’t think she should really bring up anything about her faith to nonCatholics, just talk about it if there’s a discussion already going on.
She also says that she doesn’t exactly “ooze” Catholicism(active evangelization), but her faith is still very dear to her in a personal sense. She doesn’t think we should force our religion on others.

I think as Catholics we have the duty of at least explaining our faith to others(somewhat passive evangelization).

What do you think Catholics are called to do? What should, say, a shy Catholic do in the least? What level of evangelization are we called to do?

 

[MidnightSun02]

Someone can correct me if I am wrong (because i might be) but I believe it was St. Francis that once said "Evangelize always…when necessary use words"I think it is our duty, as Catholics, to always evangelize…whether it be by influence or by knowledge. Always be open to discussion if someone is interested about the faith or has a question about a particular teaching…and if you are debating, make sure it is in a peaceful way. Most of all always welcome those interested with open arms. I actually have a very liberal friend who is against organized religion (happens to be a former Catholic). She is also a lesbian. But we are still open to each other and we always remain good friends not matter what. Although I am not pushing her into anything she mentioned to me the other day about how nice she thought it was that my fiancee and I can share our faith so lovingly. She bought a Bible! I don’t know what’ll come of it but I am praying that maybe this is a first step…I don’t know. I never thought I’d be an influence on anyone but it is amazing how the littlest things can change someone’s life. I love to talk with friends about my faith…I am not at all forceful but I do pray that perhaps some doors will open.

 

[TheApologist]

That’s just it…I think in her opinion “oozing” Catholicism is living completely in the faith, or trying to every moment. As in living outwardly Catholic…

I’m not sure. I still think there are the necessary times, such as when your friends sin and they don’t know how bad it is. That’s a situation in which I would speak up and tell them that it’s bad, or that I don’t appreciate it. I have friends who very often take the Lord’s name in vain, and I request they stop, at least around me, and it seems to work. I feel certain situations demand speaking up and not allowing sin to continue.

I also have Catholic friends who support abortion. After a discussion, I gently told them that one needs to follow the Church teachings and that the Church teaching is that abortion is wrong.

 

[Holly3278]

I definitely believe in the Great Commission. I often get those Pillar of Fire, Pillar of Truth tracts from my church and pass them out to people. Here is scripture relating to the Great Commission:

(NKJV) Mark 16:15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.

(NKJV) Luke 24:46-47 Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

(NKJV) Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

You can also look these up at Bible Gateway if you want. You’ll have to go into the Preferences link and enable Bible versions with apocrypha though.

 

[MidnightSun02]

That’s just it…I think in her opinion “oozing” Catholicism is living completely in the faith, or trying to every moment. As in living outwardly Catholic…

I’m not sure. I still think there are the necessary times, such as when your friends sin and they don’t know how bad it is. That’s a situation in which I would speak up and tell them that it’s bad, or that I don’t appreciate it. I have friends who very often take the Lord’s name in vain, and I request they stop, at least around me, and it seems to work. I feel certain situations demand speaking up and not allowing sin to continue.

I also have Catholic friends who support abortion. After a discussion, I gently told them that one needs to follow the Church teachings and that the Church teaching is that abortion is wrong.

I think you are definitely doing the right thing…it is good to open ones eyes about a particular issue (especially when a person who claims to be Catholic is pro abortion). By doing that you are saving souls, or attempting to anyways and that is our job as Catholics. To love and serve others. You must care about your friends very deeply. How wonderful.

 

[Genesis315]

As the Second Vatican Council’s Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity declared, if you’re not evangelizing, you’re useless http://www3.christianforums.com/images/smilies/eek.gif (this decree should be required reading for all lay people: Apostolicam Actuositatem )

1. The Church was founded for the purpose of spreading the kingdom of Christ throughout the earth for the glory of God the Father, to enable all men to share in His saving redemption,(1) and that through them the whole world might enter into a relationship with Christ. All activity of the Mystical Body directed to the attainment of this goal is called the apostolate, which the Church carries on in various ways through all her members. For the Christian vocation by its very nature is also a vocation to the apostolate. No part of the structure of a living body is merely passive but has a share in the functions as well as life of the body: so, too, in the body of Christ, which is the Church, “the whole body . . . in keeping with the proper activity of each part, derives its increase from its own internal development” (Eph. 4:16).

Indeed, the organic union in this body and the structure of the members are so compact that the member who fails to make his proper contribution to the development of the Church must be said to be useful neither to the Church nor to himself.

In the Church there is a diversity of ministry but a oneness of mission. Christ conferred on the Apostles and their successors the duty of teaching, sanctifying, and ruling in His name and power. But the laity likewise share in the priestly, prophetic, and royal office of Christ and therefore have their own share in the mission of the whole people of God in the Church and in the world.(2)**They exercise the apostolate in fact by their activity directed to the evangelization and sanctification of men and to the penetrating and perfecting of the temporal order through the spirit of the Gospel. **

 

[Flopfoot]

As the Second Vatican Council’s Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity declared, if you’re not evangelizing, you’re useless

I guess Vatican II just confirmed to me something I already knew about myself, then…

On another note - I can understand why some people don’t like to openly display their faith around non Catholics, one reason would be fear of being boastful (in regards to - when Jesus said that when we pray or fast etc. we should do this in private instead of showing off to others). The other reason of course is that we can be attacked (in various different ways) because of our faith - but then, we’ve always been taught that we’re supposed to be tough about this and expect persecution for being Catholics… at least these days we’re not being fed to the lions!

The only thing I can say with much certainty on this issue is that if someone asks you a direct question (like “Are you Catholic?”) then the only right thing to do is answer truthfully - anything else would either be a lie or an attempt to hide your faith (and let’s face it, being Catholic is nothing to be ashamed about). This in itself is at least a witness if not an evangelisation - even if only a small and not very often one.

Going looking for trouble (ie, actively seeking to evangelise) is another matter altogether and I’ll leave it to the others here to answer that issue since I wouldn’t have a clue.