chewchoo,
yup, i’m listening all the time, mainly via podcasts tho.
)
About 10 yrs or so ago (it doesn’t really matter when) a couple in our parish who were in the Charismatic mvmt decided they were called to teach Rel. Ed. classes. The man was a pub. schl teacher and sincere convert, and the lady was/is a warm person, cradle Catholic. They talked to the students about the infilling of the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues, but also praying the rosary, and the kids really got into it; they started seeing true spirituality develop. The DRE (who is no longer there) questioned them aboutwow, you’re like in my head. i keep having these same thoughts too! even my sister and her husband, who are faithful catholics, think i am overboard, and everybody else just thinks i’m wacky. if people perceive you as wacky, what chance do you have of helping them see the light?
right now i am trying to compose a letter to my aunt, who altho she just had her son confirmed in may, is going to be entering an invalid marriage this weekend. she called me “too catholic” 3 years ago at a family event and at that time i was a nominal catholic myself! where does all of this hostility come from? i mean catholic hostility, not protestant hostility. i want to support her, but i also want to let her know that she is doing certain things in error according to the church. and how to use the most charitable language that will keep her reading the entire letter, instead of just throwing it away.
if anyone discovers the secret of sharing the Light, please pass it along.
Here’s an answer that’s ALWAYS right (as long as you keep your promises): “I don’t know how to answer that, but I’ll find out and get back to you.” That’s one of the things John Martignoni recommends when someone hits you with a question to which you don’t know the precise answer. It’s better than winging it on something on which you’re not sure and making yourself look like a fool.yup, i’m listening all the time, mainly via podcasts tho.
but unfortunately i have never had the gift of saying the right thing
(okay once in awhile
I’ve seen chewchoo recently, and she ain’t lookin’ like nobody’s brother I’ve ever known
thanksAbout 10 yrs or so ago (it doesn’t really matter when) a couple in our parish who were in the Charismatic mvmt decided they were called to teach Rel. Ed. classes. The man was a pub. schl teacher and sincere convert, and the lady was/is a warm person, cradle Catholic. They talked to the students about the infilling of the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues, but also praying the rosary, and the kids really got into it; they started seeing true spirituality develop. The DRE (who is no longer there) questioned them about
it, and they eventually quit (maybe they were told to; can’t recall), and got called “fundamentalists”. I think that is a sort of problem among a lot of Catholics; act too religious or talk about Jesus, and you’re labeled a “holy roller” or “Bible thumper”. Sheesh!
I’ve decided I don’t care about that anymore. I just do what needs to be done, try to know what Catholic teaching is, and pray, read, study. Listening to Catholic Radio is a great time saver, along with talks/teachings on CD.
Our current DRE doesn’t like to push Reconciliation too much. Sigh. I know our pastor would appreciate more programs and help, but there are too few who know how to lead, organize, and just take the ball and run with it.
God bless and keep hangin’ in there!
Mimi
There is neither man nor woman, slave nor free, Jew nor Greek. OK, so I’m really trying to salvage something here…I’ve seen chewchoo recently, and she ain’t lookin’ like nobody’s brother I’ve ever known
I know there would be a lot less subscribed if we had to post a pic! I would certainly use my son’s pic!There is neither man nor woman, slave nor free, Jew nor Greek. OK, so I’m really trying to salvage something here…
Since it comes from Human Life International and Fr. Thomas Euteneuer, it’s definitely good stuff. He’s an amazing priest and heads an amazing organization!
I don’t think we need to ask them “How did you miss the boat?” . I think those of us who have had this experience have to ask why we didn’t reach them also? Are we as a church providing our members with the opportunity to have an experience of the type that gave us a Fr. Corapi? I’m afraid in many cases the answer is no. While we won’t win every person, I think we need to be doing better than we are currently. I’m sad to say that this past spring I took a very good course at a parish about 20 miles from where I live. The priest there told me that he asked the bishop why they don’t bring a Fr. Corapi or a Fr. Groeschel to the priests retreat in our diocese. The answer he told me he was given was that Fr. Corapi and Fr. Groeschel would rub too many of the priests the wrong way. That’s what needed, but the bishops won’t do what is needed. THAT’S THE PROBLEM!
This is something I have found and do find very disturbing. I am a fairly new convert to the Church ( '06 ) and this malaise among many priests and bishops is something I don’t get
. Do we really have priests and bishops who have never themselves been touched by the Spirit of God, that awakening that happens in the spirit and soul of a person that can’t be denied, what we would call a conversion of the heart? Or am I, having been an Evangelical my whole life, describing something that the Catholic world in general finds distasteful? Don’t get me wrong, when I study the faith and the lives of the great Catholics, I don’t feel my “Evangelical” understanding of a spirit alive in Christ is unCatholic, but when I do look around the Catholic world, especially in the West, I wonder what has happened and how will it change with the prevailing attitudes like that of these priests and bishops?Jeanette, ABSOLUTELY NOT. You are right on the mark! To me one of the most wonderful things happening in the Catholic Church is evangelicals who are finding the “good tradition” of the early fathers in the Catholic Church and bringing their evangelical tradition with them. This gives me hope for the future. If you would like to read a wonderful book about what IS the answer, please read “The Sober Intoxication of the Spirit” by Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa. He is a Capuchin Franciscan priest who has been Baptised in the Holy Spirit. He also happens to be a former member of the Vatican’s International Theological Commission, former professor emeritus of the History of Christian Origins at the University of Milan, and is currently preacher to the Papal Household. You don’t get more orthodox than him!
You know, I was continuing to think about this after my last post, and I know that the Church has been mourning the loss of so many of it’s members to the Evangelical world. And here are some thoughts concerning this.
Amen, and AMEN!
and also amen!!
I found this book on Amazon and put it on my wish list. Fr. Cantalamessa has quite a number of books, many sound very interesting, I actually put a few of them on the list.
It’s always heartwarming to see young people making an extra effort in the faith, apart from what you would expect to see from being involved in say, youth group or even just family time at Mass, it gives us hope!and also amen!!
i went to mass this morning. i usually don’t have opportunity to attend during the week due to working full time…
but anyways, at mass were two young men. they appeared to have great reverence for the mass. i am hopeful that these are some vocations in the making
A good suggestion for a starting point for any parish is to take a look at Dr. Ray Guarendi’s website, www.ninevehscrossing.com. Years ago Dr. Ray left the Church and spent quite a bit of time wandering through protestant-world searching for the truth, only to find it where he left it. He has since returned to full communion with the Church and his ministry is awesome.thanks
in my efforts to try to get something going for adult education, my pastor has suggested i attend the education committee meeting this fall. i am praying for guidance on what to present to them. hopefully i’ll acquire a little eloquence for this adventure
