S
scapularkid8
Guest
I want to start an apostolate. How do I? Does it just…come together?
- Status
A
Arrowood
Guest
My understanding is that an apostolate is simply any activity of the laity. Some people form into an official group to accomplish the lay vocation, and give themselves a name. They will call their group an “apostolate.” I sell Catholic books and put on Catholic catechetical programs. My apostolate is called FAITH Matters. The name and the formal status as an apostolate is mainly tied to the fact that it is officially a business. It’s not a money-maker, though, and I do it to serve Christ and His Church, so I call it an apostolate.
G
GoldenArrow
Guest
Hey Scapular8Kid,
Good to see you again!
My understanding is that an “apostolate” is ones calling or one’s role within the Church.
My present apostolate is:
** Internet Missionary.** I take interest in several subjects as an Internet Missionary:
A. I like to spread the teachings of the Church to Catholics through the Internet. There’s a great need for this because there has been a whole generation of us (Gen Xers like me) that were poorly catechised.
B. I expose False Apparitions on the Internet. The reason for adherence to False Apparitions is because of point “A,” lack of education in the faith. There are wolves out there exploiting this fact. I love the Church, and I feel called to protect her.
**
C.** Promotion of True Devotion to Mary by St. Louis De Montfort on the Internet. This is a remedy for many ills the Church faces today.
D. I counsel people (privately) who have Sexual Addictions on the Internet. This one’s “a whole other country.”
(I bounce around a lot between these four main subjects).
My whole “apostolate” is supported by CONSTANT education. I am always learning. I’m always in a class at my Church. I have a huge library of good books for consultation. I’m always reading. If I don’t know something, I pop into the Apologetics forum. LOL!!!
I support my “apostolate” by attending Daily Mass as often as is possible, with prayer, frequent confession and trying to live up to what I preach. I despise hypocrits, and I don’t plan on being one. I must practice what I preach, or I’m a liar.
I often pray the Litany of Humility, to keep me on track — because I know my weak nature. I must keep it on a leash.
You asked how to start an Apostolate? I just grew into it. I started out as a curious George, studying prophecy for a hobby, approved and unapproved, posting wild theories on fringe boards here and there. I was slowly seduced into believing those prophecies. Then, someone on those boards converted ME by making me realize that what I was promoting against the teachings of the Church.
Then, fueled by zeal and great guilt, I used the Internet to UNDO what I’d done.
For me … I just grew into it. I’m still growing, too.
Apostolates can also change. Someone at my Church recently asked me to give a formal class on Montfort’s True Devotion to Mary. I told him … someday. I need more education first. I haven’t even read all of the Bible yet (but don’t tell anyone). LOL!!! I really feel, at this point, unqualified to teach this stuff in front of a group of people. I’m still studying for preparation of this. I would like to do this someday. Grown up stuff. Maybe in a year or two my apostolate will move from the virtual world to the real world. Scary! Being a real world missionary is much more difficult than being a virtual missionary!
Anyway, Apostolates can be formal or informal, personal or with a group.
My advice is … embrace what you’re passionate about. Teach what you know. Be true to yourself.
For instance, I was once asked to march five miles in the Right to Life parade. I said no. Why? I have Fibromyalgia, and that would cause me to flare. Marching for five miles would put me in bed for a week! Not all of us are suited for every apostolate. I’d love to fight for the cause of the unborn, but my health would be a deterrent. I do my part though by voting responsibly and by supporting pro-life organizations.
At one time, my “apostolate” was having some very militant pro-life bumper stickers on my car. People have tried to run me off the road! My mother stepped in and ordered me to remove them. I obeyed. Mom ended that apostolate. She was worried about me. She sleeps better now. LOL!!!
So, an apostolate can be anything.
There is a man in our Church who has an apostolate of walking around town and smiling and waving at people. He walks five miles a day, every day, smiling and waving at cars on busy streets. I’ll see him standing on street corners, smiling and waving. That’s his apostolate. Spreading joy! I see him at Mass, too, waving and smiling when we’re going up to receive Holy Communion. He does it IN Chuch, too. I get a kick out of him!
Use your imagination!
You don’t have to be involved in every single group in your church either. It’s better to do one thing excellently than many things well.
And there’s no shame in quitting an apostolate for another if you think something doesn’t suit you. Just do some praying, and see if God’s calling you somewhere. You might not be called to an Apostolate right away. You may also be called to learn and then called into an apostolate later. Get to know yourself, too.
We are One Body with many parts.
God Bless!
Good to see you again!
My understanding is that an “apostolate” is ones calling or one’s role within the Church.
My present apostolate is:
** Internet Missionary.** I take interest in several subjects as an Internet Missionary:
A. I like to spread the teachings of the Church to Catholics through the Internet. There’s a great need for this because there has been a whole generation of us (Gen Xers like me) that were poorly catechised.
B. I expose False Apparitions on the Internet. The reason for adherence to False Apparitions is because of point “A,” lack of education in the faith. There are wolves out there exploiting this fact. I love the Church, and I feel called to protect her.
**
C.** Promotion of True Devotion to Mary by St. Louis De Montfort on the Internet. This is a remedy for many ills the Church faces today.
D. I counsel people (privately) who have Sexual Addictions on the Internet. This one’s “a whole other country.”
(I bounce around a lot between these four main subjects).
My whole “apostolate” is supported by CONSTANT education. I am always learning. I’m always in a class at my Church. I have a huge library of good books for consultation. I’m always reading. If I don’t know something, I pop into the Apologetics forum. LOL!!!
I support my “apostolate” by attending Daily Mass as often as is possible, with prayer, frequent confession and trying to live up to what I preach. I despise hypocrits, and I don’t plan on being one. I must practice what I preach, or I’m a liar.
I often pray the Litany of Humility, to keep me on track — because I know my weak nature. I must keep it on a leash.
You asked how to start an Apostolate? I just grew into it. I started out as a curious George, studying prophecy for a hobby, approved and unapproved, posting wild theories on fringe boards here and there. I was slowly seduced into believing those prophecies. Then, someone on those boards converted ME by making me realize that what I was promoting against the teachings of the Church.
Then, fueled by zeal and great guilt, I used the Internet to UNDO what I’d done.
For me … I just grew into it. I’m still growing, too.
Apostolates can also change. Someone at my Church recently asked me to give a formal class on Montfort’s True Devotion to Mary. I told him … someday. I need more education first. I haven’t even read all of the Bible yet (but don’t tell anyone). LOL!!! I really feel, at this point, unqualified to teach this stuff in front of a group of people. I’m still studying for preparation of this. I would like to do this someday. Grown up stuff. Maybe in a year or two my apostolate will move from the virtual world to the real world. Scary! Being a real world missionary is much more difficult than being a virtual missionary!
Anyway, Apostolates can be formal or informal, personal or with a group.
My advice is … embrace what you’re passionate about. Teach what you know. Be true to yourself.
For instance, I was once asked to march five miles in the Right to Life parade. I said no. Why? I have Fibromyalgia, and that would cause me to flare. Marching for five miles would put me in bed for a week! Not all of us are suited for every apostolate. I’d love to fight for the cause of the unborn, but my health would be a deterrent. I do my part though by voting responsibly and by supporting pro-life organizations.
At one time, my “apostolate” was having some very militant pro-life bumper stickers on my car. People have tried to run me off the road! My mother stepped in and ordered me to remove them. I obeyed. Mom ended that apostolate. She was worried about me. She sleeps better now. LOL!!!
So, an apostolate can be anything.
There is a man in our Church who has an apostolate of walking around town and smiling and waving at people. He walks five miles a day, every day, smiling and waving at cars on busy streets. I’ll see him standing on street corners, smiling and waving. That’s his apostolate. Spreading joy! I see him at Mass, too, waving and smiling when we’re going up to receive Holy Communion. He does it IN Chuch, too. I get a kick out of him!
Use your imagination!
You don’t have to be involved in every single group in your church either. It’s better to do one thing excellently than many things well.
And there’s no shame in quitting an apostolate for another if you think something doesn’t suit you. Just do some praying, and see if God’s calling you somewhere. You might not be called to an Apostolate right away. You may also be called to learn and then called into an apostolate later. Get to know yourself, too.
We are One Body with many parts.
God Bless!
P
Polish
Guest
Goodness, what good news … for awhile there I thought I was maybe the only one doing this.
I paint sacred art/icons. The Lord brings someone’s request to me in sometimes the oddest ways and I send one on to them - no charge, but because Our Lord asked me to. For a couple of years I thought of starting up a “business”, but the same thought always nagged at me - namely: to give to others what you have been freely given.
So that’s my apostolate of one … no, not really - it’s an apostolate of two, my Lord and me.
I paint sacred art/icons. The Lord brings someone’s request to me in sometimes the oddest ways and I send one on to them - no charge, but because Our Lord asked me to. For a couple of years I thought of starting up a “business”, but the same thought always nagged at me - namely: to give to others what you have been freely given.
So that’s my apostolate of one … no, not really - it’s an apostolate of two, my Lord and me.
S
scapularkid8
Guest
Good to see you too GoldenArrow 
Polish,
Is your signature the Christos Anesti? That line sounds really farmiliar to me for some reason…
Polish,
Is your signature the Christos Anesti? That line sounds really farmiliar to me for some reason…
P
Polish
Guest
I have enough trouble with English 
, so I can only say that this is the prayer that is sung numerous times during the Easter Season during Divine Liturgy (Mass). We also greet each other by saying “Christ is Risen!” and the response is “Indeed He is Risen!”
, so I can only say that this is the prayer that is sung numerous times during the Easter Season during Divine Liturgy (Mass). We also greet each other by saying “Christ is Risen!” and the response is “Indeed He is Risen!”- Status