How do we, Practicing Catholics, convince Lukewarm Catholics to become more obedient to the teaching of the Church?

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How do we, Practicing Catholics, convince ** Lukewarm Catholics (Caferia Catholics)** to become more obedient to the teaching of the Church?

I know the majority of Catholics are Caferia Catholics while those who practice and are obedient to the Magisterium are a few. How do we convince our fallen away Catholics to be more devote and to be obedient to the teachings of the Magisterium?

Moderators, I’m not sure if this goes here but feel free to move it.
 
Well, I’ll tell you how it worked for me, anyway.
I spent most of my life as a “lukewarm catholic”.
Always believed in God and Jesus as my saviour, but still not going to church, fornicating, etc.

Here’s what it took for ME to change…a very difficult life financially.
Always a struggle to find a job, keep a job, and make enough money to even survive.

One day, I realized that if this present life was so hard for me, it would all be worth it to have eternity in heaven to look forward to.
In other words, I became selfishly aware that NOTHING in this world would be worse than the loss of my salvation.

So, for a time, I started going to church again regularly, and gave up my sins of the flesh. Still, though, at that point, I was still just giving God “lip service”, going to church just in case it really was a sin to miss, not because I really wanted to.

Over time, however, God increased my faith, and now I strive to do everything according to the Catholic beliefs, but now it is because I WANT to. I feel closer to God than ever before. I regret my past sins tearfully, and avoid lustful thoughts as much as I can for the love of God, not because I am told I should.

As I get older and realize that I could die at any time, and most likely will for sure within 20 or 30 years, I anticipate this meeting with God with peace and hope.

I still struggle with life’s burdens, but now I welcome them, and it is God’s way of nudging me into the life I should lead, not being concerned with worldly things, but trying to keep focused on Him.
 
I think the best way is to live by example. Show others what it’s like to be a practicing Catholic and the joy and peace it brings us. We live the Sacraments, we pray, we get excited about going to Mass. When we mess-up, we confess it humbly and seek forgiveness.

I believe, when we live our faith, others see our example and will want to follow it.

Scout :tiphat:
 
Manny,
I think the answer is to help people understand the mass. Once they start to understand more, I believe that it will light a fire and escalate or even start them on their spiritual journey to learning more about Christ’s church.
Mannyfit75 said:
How do we, Practicing Catholics, convince Lukewarm Catholics (Caferia Catholics) to become more obedient to the teaching of the Church?

I know the majority of Catholics are Caferia Catholics while those who practice and are obedient to the Magisterium are a few. How do we convince our fallen away Catholics to be more devote and to be obedient to the teachings of the Magisterium?

Moderators, I’m not sure if this goes here but feel free to move it.
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dmelosi said:
Manny,
I think the answer is to help people understand the mass. Once they start to understand more, I believe that it will light a fire and escalate or even start them on their spiritual journey to learning more about Christ’s church.
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True because in essence in the Mass, we received the Body and Blood of the Lord. To received him, we must be free of mortal sin.
 
Scout said:
I think the best way is to live by example. Show others what it’s like to be a practicing Catholic and the joy and peace it brings us. We live the Sacraments, we pray, we get excited about going to Mass. When we mess-up, we confess it humbly and seek forgiveness.

I believe, when we live our faith, others see our example and will want to follow it.

Scout :tiphat:
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Well said!!!👍
 
About half of the more strict Catholics I know are unfriendly, aloof, and don’t reach out in anyway to people outside of their closed circle.
 
jrnami said:
About half of the more strict Catholics I know are unfriendly, aloof, and don’t reach out in anyway to people outside of their closed circle.
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They need to be more charitable. Using force or any form of hostility bears little fruit.
 
Mannyfit75 said:
They need to be more charitable. Using force or any form of hostility bears little fruit.
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I agree. But in my parish they stand apart and won’t participate in any parish activities. They bad mouth our priest who is a faithful priest. He is very tolerant of practises that other priests don’t tolerate, such as receiving while kneeling.

One man who is extremely traditional will even not shake hands during the sign of peace. He acts angry often.🤷
 
We do it by our personal apostolate of friendship and confidence. We make friends with people, one by one, and as we get to know them, we are able to lead them to Christ and His Church. We become like informal spiritual directors to each of our close friends. Because we are close with them, we listen carefully to their struggles and objections about the Faith, and help them to overcome them, chiefly by bringing them to Confession.

Here’s what St. Josemaria Escriva said in The Way that really resonates with me:
835 You long to shine like a star, to shed your light from high in the heavens?
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Better to burn like a hidden torch, setting your fire to all that you touch. That’s your apostolate: that’s why you are on earth.
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We are like the hidden torch - we get close to our friends and set them on fire with the love of God. And it’s always with a spirit of service to souls. God gave us friends so we can help them and serve them.

Betsy
 
I was lukewarm, then liberal, then fallen away, then pagan, now I am am a semi-Trad revert.

what brought me home? My parents’ and friends’ loving patience. They stood there and let me muddle. They lived the life of a good Catholic, and lived out St. Francis’ words beautifully.
What initally brought me home? A very lukewarm practice- recieving without the proper dispensation. Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, knocked me for a loop. I spent the next 4 hours crying- that nasty soul wrenching, headache inducing kind of crying. I went to confession the next day 😃

In two words- Love and Patience (part of the reason that my sn is Patience and Love, because that is what brought me home)
 
jrnami said:
About half of the more strict Catholics I know are unfriendly, aloof, and don’t reach out in anyway to people outside of their closed circle.
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That is a separate problem from lukewarmness. They need to be helped as well. Being strict does not make someone a Catholic. What makes people Catholic is charity. Christ teaches, lives, and is Charity itself.

Also, it is one thing to love those close to you, but yet another to love and help those outside your circle - even your enemies. THIS IS MY STUMBLING BLOCK, if anything is. I find it difficult to seek to help those outside my daily life. What does this profit me? What does Christ say?

So, we have another group that needs help, and those are the ones (me included) that need help from you who seek to help others no matter of their relationship to you … God bless all of you on this wonderful Thanksgiving!!

God grant you patience and perseverance. 👍
 
Manny, I think that first of all, we need to humbly set an example to others (I’m still working on this, btw). Maybe another 10 or 20 years, I’ll have the humility part down.

I also think that many Catholics, including myself at one time, just don’t think they NEED to follow the magisterium on some matters. Not everyone is well catechised, either. I think many are just acting out of ignorance.
 
mommyof4 said:
Not everyone is well catechised, either. I think many are just acting out of ignorance.
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This is a good point. Maybe for some people, all we need to do is say that the Church has a new catechism out and give them a copy.
 
  1. Live out your faith and life example
  2. Be a sincere and caring friend with them, first
  3. Lend a listening ear to them, when talking to them must have eye contact and show interest in your conversation
  4. Help them when in need, not necessarily money
  5. Pray for them
  6. For a start, don’t talk anything about faith, unless being asked, if not next time the person sees you, will try to hide from you.
  7. have patience and wait for the Lord’s time
  8. sometimes when have gathering, ask them whether they’ll like to go. Respect thier decision. A few more times may work out
    …etc
 
Define lukewarm and then I will answer the question. It is not our call to determine the hearts and minds of our fellow Catholics by labelling them cafeteria Catholics or to say the majority are that way.
 
goofyjim said:
Define lukewarm and then I will answer the question. It is not our call to determine the hearts and minds of our fellow Catholics by labelling them cafeteria Catholics or to say the majority are that way.
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I wholeheartedly agree with you. A question like this always brings to mind the story of the Pharisees and the Publicans.

Kathy
 
I would define lukewarm as anyone who is not on fire to learn more about how to live more like Christ and learn more about the church he founded.
goofyjim said:
Define lukewarm and then I will answer the question. It is not our call to determine the hearts and minds of our fellow Catholics by labelling them cafeteria Catholics or to say the majority are that way.
Click to expand...
 
chrislky said:
  1. Live out your faith and life example
  2. Be a sincere and caring friend with them, first
  3. Lend a listening ear to them, when talking to them must have eye contact and show interest in your conversation
  4. Help them when in need, not necessarily money
  5. Pray for them
  6. For a start, don’t talk anything about faith, unless being asked, if not next time the person sees you, will try to hide from you.
  7. have patience and wait for the Lord’s time
  8. sometimes when have gathering, ask them whether they’ll like to go. Respect thier decision. A few more times may work out
    …etc
Click to expand...
All excellent points. Welcome to CAF. I look forward to more great posts from you!

I will add #9 - Enlist the aid of the person’s guardian angel.

Betsy
 
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