Is It Okay If I Only Want Catholic Friends?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jovian90
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Group think. If you have more friends that are non-catholic more likely their attitude will rub off on you. As the saying goes
you are who you hang out with
 
I have had people from a evangelical church try to be friends with me and tried to invite me to their church,
Politely decline, explaining that as a Catholic you don’t wish to participate in their church services. If they keep pushing it and won’t take no for an answer then they are overstepping the mark.
 
Well, I’m glad I hung out with someone who turned me into a Catholic. I’m also glad he didn’t decide not to hang out with me because I wasn’t Catholic already.
 
So no one has ever converted based on their relationship with a Catholic? It’s impossible?
 
I know a fellow parishioner who converted a non-Catholic to the faith through his relationship with him. Of course, this person was open and receptive, and was willing to listen to another’s point of view and be educated. Yes, it’s entirely possible. When we seek, we shall find.
 
Evangelization is not predicated upon friendship. I am called to evangelize through my writing, but Iwill never meet, much less befriend, those who read it. I am also called to evangelize my middle school students; however, I cannot be their friend.
 
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Nonsense. Tolkien helped bring CS Lewis back to Christianity through their friendship. I brought a non-Catholic friend to Mass once and soon thereafter sponsored her for baptism. Of course friendship is a powerful tool for evangelization. I don’t know how you could make such a sweeping pronouncement.
 
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I am truly surprised that people on this thread would doubt the incredible power of using friendship to bring people to Christ/the Church. Our history is full of people doing just that. I’ve done it myself.

Of course, it’s not the only way to evangelize. But it is through love that we evangelize, and love is often expressed through friendship.

The Church requires all those seeking baptism to have a sponsor. What is a sponsor if not a friend in Christ?
 
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How many people can one evangelize, if one spends the requisite time to cultivate a genuine friendship with them first?

And “using friendship” seems like a problematic phrase.
 
You sound like a young person. Often, relationships with friends and family (when we are young) are the biggest indicator as to how we will navigate the “real” world once we are adults, making our way in it. Once you are grown and working and dealing with all sorts of people in the world who don’t share your beliefs (and often times have totally opposing beliefs to yours) how do you expect you will know how to handle yourself comfortably? No, I say have as many diverse friendships and associates that you can. It makes you stronger. Obviously, steer clear of people who are trouble and are trying to lead you down a bad path. But don’t exclude people because they aren’t the same as you. You need to be able to navigate in this world.
 
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Every soul counts. If friendship brings even one soul to Christ, that is a victory. When I was received into the Church, my priest told me it was my job to bring at least one other to the Church. I did so…through friendship. If I’m able to also touch others through other means all the better.

On the flip side… if we aren’t trying to be a witness for Christ for our friends and family, we are doing something wrong.

It doesn’t mean you’re manipulating them in any way… you simply live your Catholic life in and through the friendship and may, by the grace of the Holy Spirit, change hearts.
 
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Embrace diversity. If you have truly strong faith, no one will be able to shake you. No matter what!
 
In my own life, I’ve found that friends are incredibly valuable and have helped me though some very hard times in my life. Ironically, one of the only times I was really stabbed in the back was by a guy who considered himself a serious Catholic

You are, of course, free to associate with who you choose but setting a litmus test to determine who you become friends with might have you miss out on some great relationships.
 
So no one has ever converted based on their relationship with a Catholic? It’s impossible?
Nonsense. Tolkien helped bring CS Lewis back to Christianity through their friendship. I brought a non-Catholic friend to Mass once and soon thereafter sponsored her for baptism. Of course friendship is a powerful tool for evangelization. I don’t know how you could make such a sweeping pronouncement.
Conversions only happen occasionally and there are other means anyway, so no one’s obligated to chose a specific method if they don’t want to.
 
Tolkien helped bring CS Lewis back to Christianity through their friendship
Do you mean that he brought him from being an Anglican to Catholic or that he inspired him to be an Anglican? I’m not sure how good the latter really is.
 
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