How many Catholic missionaries plant churches?

[lak611]

I have noticed several threads on this forum and on the Non-Catholic Religion forum regarding evangelisation by Catholics and Protestants. It seems to me that most Protestants go on a mission primarily to convert people and start churches (and in many cases convert Catholics). Catholic missionaries seem to be more focused on charity work, not starting churches. What are the statistics of new church building in places where Catholic missionaries go? Do Catholic missionaries evangelise the people that they give food to? How many of the people who are served by charity work of Catholic missionaries actually convert to the Catholic faith?

 

[bankerdavid]

I have noticed several threads on this forum and on the Non-Catholic Religion forum regarding evangelisation by Catholics and Protestants. It seems to me that most Protestants go on a mission primarily to convert people and start churches (and in many cases convert Catholics). Catholic missionaries seem to be more focused on charity work, not starting churches. What are the statistics of new church building in places where Catholic missionaries go? Do Catholic missionaries evangelise the people that they give food to? How many of the people who are served by charity work of Catholic missionaries actually convert to the Catholic faith?

Catholic missionaries tend to lead by example, letting those who show interest in, and gently showing them God’s plan.

That said, we are all missionaries, and we do establish churches-in our homes. The family is the most intimate of all the Churches on earth.

 

[rien]

I have noticed several threads on this forum and on the Non-Catholic Religion forum regarding evangelisation by Catholics and Protestants. It seems to me that most Protestants go on a mission primarily to convert people and start churches (and in many cases convert Catholics). Catholic missionaries seem to be more focused on charity work, not starting churches. What are the statistics of new church building in places where Catholic missionaries go? Do Catholic missionaries evangelise the people that they give food to? How many of the people who are served by charity work of Catholic missionaries actually convert to the Catholic faith?

I think this is why there are 10,000 Catholics in Tibet and almost a million Protestant evengalicals. During the repression the catholics obeyed the national law and didn’t try to convert. The evangelicals didn’t openly disobey but from home chuirches and such went about converting Tibetans to Christianity.

CWR had a terrific article on this in the past 6 months. One point I recall. A catholic school was established in a poor mountain area. It did not try to convert but brought good education the the villages nearby. This was like 20 years ago. it is the only catholic school in Tibet. or was. However, the mountain villages around the school are now predominatly Christian - you guessed it - evangelical Christian.

I remember reading once re: South America. When poor folks wanted food they went to the catholic missionaries. When they wanted to learn about God/the Bible they went to the evangelicals. Its why Central and South America are on their way to becoming predominatly evangelical in the next 50 years.

As to how many served by charity work actually convert? Look at India. The MOC have been there decades and the Catholic church is stagnant/growing very little in India. Evangelicals and Muslims are growing rapidly there.

 

[lak611]

I think this is why there are 10,000 Catholics in Tibet and almost a million Protestant evengalicals. During the repression the catholics obeyed the national law and didn’t try to convert. The evangelicals didn’t openly disobey but from home chuirches and such went about converting Tibetans to Christianity.

CWR had a terrific article on this in the past 6 months. One point I recall. A catholic school was established in a poor mountain area. It did not try to convert but brought good education the the villages nearby. This was like 20 years ago. it is the only catholic school in Tibet. or was. However, the mountain villages around the school are now predominatly Christian - you guessed it - evangelical Christian.

I remember reading once re: South America. When poor folks wanted food they went to the catholic missionaries. When they wanted to learn about God/the Bible they went to the evangelicals. Its why Central and South America are on their way to becoming predominatly evangelical in the next 50 years.

As to how many served by charity work actually convert? Look at India. The MOC have been there decades and the Catholic church is stagnant/growing very little in India. Evangelicals and Muslims are growing rapidly there.

Why do the Catholic missionaries not teach the Catholic faith? There are plenty of martyrs who were missionaries. Why do the modern missionaries have such indifference?

 

[Bennie_P]

I think this is why there are 10,000 Catholics in Tibet and almost a million Protestant evengalicals. During the repression the catholics obeyed the national law and didn’t try to convert. The evangelicals didn’t openly disobey but from home chuirches and such went about converting Tibetans to Christianity.

CWR had a terrific article on this in the past 6 months. One point I recall. A catholic school was established in a poor mountain area. It did not try to convert but brought good education the the villages nearby. This was like 20 years ago. it is the only catholic school in Tibet. or was. However, the mountain villages around the school are now predominatly Christian - you guessed it - evangelical Christian.

I remember reading once re: South America. When poor folks wanted food they went to the catholic missionaries. When they wanted to learn about God/the Bible they went to the evangelicals. Its why Central and South America are on their way to becoming predominatly evangelical in the next 50 years.

As to how many served by charity work actually convert? Look at India. The MOC have been there decades and the Catholic church is stagnant/growing very little in India. Evangelicals and Muslims are growing rapidly there.

How can you predict what is going to happen in fifty years? IMHO after many of these new protestant Churchs grow and divide as they always do, the “ex” Catholics in Century/South America will see the Catholic Church is still there and revert back. and the reverts will bring a new viltality back into Church.The same in Tibet. Besides didn’t Jesus say;

Matt 13:18 Hear you therefore the parable of the sower.
Matt 13:19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, there cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart: this is he that received the seed by the way side. Matt 13:20 And he that received the seed upon stony ground, is he that heareth the word, and immediately receiveth it with joy.Matt 13:21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but is only for a time: and when there ariseth tribulation and persecution because of the word, he is presently scandalized. Matt 13:22 And he that received the seed among thorns, is he that heareth the word, and the care of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choketh up the word, and he becometh fruitless. Matt 13:23 But he that received the seed upon good ground, is he that heareth the word, and understandeth, and beareth fruit, and yieldeth the one an hundredfold, and another sixty, and another thirty.

The Church has it work cut out for it, but I truly believe it is the Holy Spirit that does the true cultivation.

 

[Suz21]

As to how many served by charity work actually convert? Look at India. The MOC have been there decades and the Catholic church is stagnant/growing very little in India. Evangelicals and Muslims are growing rapidly there.

That’s true. Here in India, very few speak about our faith. Probably because of the anti-conversion feeling. And a tolerant ‘All paths lead to the same mountain tip’ kind of philosophy.

 

[puzzleannie]

just read the life of Pere DeSmet, the Jesuit missionary who planted Churches all over the west in his day, also visited (again) the San Antonion mission trail, and read a book on the California Missions, and Death Comes to the Archbishop, history of missions in New Mexico. We look for missions and mission history sites wherever we travel. Just participated in an event to commemorate the Oblate Trail and the history of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate in missions here in the RG valley.

 

[lak611]

just read the life of Pere DeSmet, the Jesuit missionary who planted Churches all over the west in his day, also visited (again) the San Antonion mission trail, and read a book on the California Missions, and Death Comes to the Archbishop, history of missions in New Mexico. We look for missions and mission history sites wherever we travel. Just participated in an event to commemorate the Oblate Trail and the history of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate in missions here in the RG valley.

But do any Catholic missionaries do that nowadays? Are the Protestants the only missionaries who plant churches currently?

 

[rien]

But do any Catholic missionaries do that nowadays? Are the Protestants the only missionaries who plant churches currently?

That and Muslims are sure planting mosques.

 

[rien]

Why do the Catholic missionaries not teach the Catholic faith? There are plenty of martyrs who were missionaries. Why do the modern missionaries have such indifference?

IMO, most don’t believe anymore.

 

[YinYangMom]

But do any Catholic missionaries do that nowadays? Are the Protestants the only missionaries who plant churches currently?

I think you expect to much from the missionaries. They’re job is to spread the good news and that usually takes the form of planting mustard seeds, not churches.

The establishment of Catholic churches is an obligation of the diocese of the region and Rome. Catholic missionaries aren’t in the financial or physical position to go into a community, raise funds to purchase land, contract with builders to design and construct a church on behalf of Rome.

The purpose of missionary life is to devote one’s life to praying for others and serving those in need, not erecting buildings.

The protestants can and do build churches because they have not authoritative body to stop them. They build them in the name of Jesus as they are so moved. But there is but ONE Catholic church and only She can determine where her church buildings will be located.

 

[lak611]

I think you expect to much from the missionaries. They’re job is to spread the good news and that usually takes the form of planting mustard seeds, not churches.

The establishment of Catholic churches is an obligation of the diocese of the region and Rome. Catholic missionaries aren’t in the financial or physical position to go into a community, raise funds to purchase land, contract with builders to design and construct a church on behalf of Rome.

The purpose of missionary life is to devote one’s life to praying for others and serving those in need, not erecting buildings.

The protestants can and do build churches because they have not authoritative body to stop them. They build them in the name of Jesus as they are so moved. But there is but ONE Catholic church and only She can determine where her church buildings will be located.

How was it that Catholic missionaries did build churches years ago? Have the rules changed?

 

[puzzleannie]

why don’t we take a quick look at the gospels and see how Jesus embarked on his evangelization crusade and how he instructed his disciples when the sent them two by two on mission trips. Hmmm lots of healing, miracles, feeding crowds of hungry people, more healing, casting out demons, more food, more healing, more care for basic needs if individuals, more forgiveness of sin, more one on one care for individuals, families and towns.

There was no need to build churches because the synagogue was already the basic town meeting place for prayer and religious instruction.

A situation by the way that exists in many “mission” territories, there is already a community center of some type (or in the case of Central and South America, the local Catholic Church) that is the natural gathering place for the populace. Evangelical and Protestant missionaries often build their own churches specifically to prevent the locals from congregating in the local Catholic Church cum “community center” and in fact, community centers are often build before churches themselves.

 

[YinYangMom]

How was it that Catholic missionaries did build churches years ago? Have the rules changed?

What’s the last Catholic mission construction you recall?

Did it take place where the Catholic church was already established and the area was being served by priests and such, or was it in a place a Catholic diocese/cathedral/church had been never been before?

The last missions which come to mind are those of Junipero Serra in California and that was because the church was establishing itself there at that time. I don’t know his story exactly, but I believe he was commissioned to do the work that he did from Rome, that he wasn’t acting on his own initiative. I suspect others on this site could clarify the matter.

As for recent times, I agree with Puzzleannie. Protestants build churches in areas where Catholicism already exists as a way to draw them away from Catholicism. Remember that they truly believe the pope is the whore of babylon and that Rome has led millions of souls to hell. They honestly believe their mission is to rescue Catholics in all parts of the world so they go there to establish their version of the ‘true’ church.

 

[lak611]

As for recent times, I agree with Puzzleannie. Protestants build churches in areas where Catholicism already exists as a way to draw them away from Catholicism. Remember that they truly believe the pope is the whore of babylon and that Rome has led millions of souls to hell. They honestly believe their mission is to rescue Catholics in all parts of the world so they go there to establish their version of the ‘true’ church.

Are there any Catholic missionaries who are going to those areas to evangelize Catholics and counteract the Protestant missionaries?

 

[YinYangMom]

Are there any Catholic missionaries who are going to those areas to evangelize Catholics and counteract the Protestant missionaries?

The Protestant missionaries are going to places where the Catholic churches are already present and active. Why would there be a need to send Catholic missionaries to those places when there are already priests and lay people working?

The Catholic church offers the fullness of Truth to those who have been blessed by the Holy Spirit to seek and recognize it. We don’t go head-to-head with Protestant denominations for the sake of visibility. We pray and trust in the Lord that the faithful will not be swayed by the Protestant missionaries’ efforts, and that those non-Catholics the missionaries approach will turn to the Catholic church in the region as a result of being exposed to what the protestants are preaching.

Reading various conversion stories here on the boards it seems protestant efforts to evangelize serve as a catalyst toward Catholicism. It isn’t their intent, of course, but Truth is Truth, and the Spirit moves within those seeking Truth. Protestants preach enough truth to lead those who hear it to seek a deeper Truth. That search leads home to Rome.

It’s really not that simple, of course, and can take many years to cross the river, but I am appreciative of the protestant influence for bringing people **to **the river in the first place.

 

[puzzleannie]

What’s the last Catholic mission construction you recall?
.

Kentucky and W. VA, in the late 1990s by the Glenmary Fathers, and we were privileged to assist in the building as part of an Appalachian mininstry outreach partnership with our former parish and Glenmary. This program used to be called Connective Ministries, and now has a new name but is still going strong.

 

[KCT]

There are Regnum Christi members who are full time evangelizers in Central and South America. Many Legionary priests also work in those areas. The following is from a book on their history:

“In Quintana Roo, in the south of Mexico, in 20+ years the Legionary missionaries have built over 200 churches and chapels and are in charge of more than 40 small villages in the heart of the jungle. They live among the natives, adapt to their customs, and learn their dialect. To reach all the villages, it takes long journeys throught the thick jungle, by jeep or on muleback, endless days . . They work for the temporal and supernatural salvation of these natives (Mayans), forgotten by State and society. Next to the churches, they put up dispensaries and workshops for crafts and basic skills. They teach the gospel and how to till the soil . . . several schools, built with enormous effort in these years, are the first seeds.”

The pictures I’ve seen of these areas are amazing. What a life they lead. —KCT