Issue with "Pentecostal" congregation

[Jonathan_1995]

Hi, I have an issue, because I said yes, when someone in our local “Pentecostal” congregation asked if I could invite friends to their event which is on Friday evening (tomorrow that will say). A missionary from Somalia will hold a youth meeting then.

But since I’m not sure if he’ll teach sound doctrine or lay hands on these people and pray for them, I feel it could be morally wrong, since then I feel I’d in a way be responsible if the people I invited are affected negatively.

I also heard from one in the “Pentecostal” congregation that when he prays for someone, they can fall to the ground. He’s also a Charismatic, and many of those are into heresies (well all Protestants are, but all aren’t in heresy to the same degree maybe, if you understand what I mean).

I also said that I’d be praying for those whom I’d invite to the event before asking them.

I have also been thinking if I should even go to that meeting.

Many people from that congregation are in the same cell group as I.

If I’d chose not to go then they might ask why.

Instead I have thought it wouldn’t be wrong to go to that meeting and to the cell group, as long as it’s not to worship together with them or so (since I read that it’s sinful to worship together with non-Catholics), if I have good reasons for going.

I want to go, so that I can get opportunity later on to share my testimony (of how I came to faith in Christ, how I was set free from sleep issues, anxiety etc), and share how I got convinced of the Catholic Faith at the same time.

But would it be sin if I break my promise that I’d invite someone to the event? I doubt that he’d even want to go.

 

[BlueEyedLady]

Why is Pentecostal in quotation marks?

 

[crystal_waters]

Just say thank you for inviting me but after thinking about it i wont be attending…if they ask if your friends are attending…just say you dont feel comfortable asking roman catholic friends to attend a pentecost service when you arent a pentecostal yourself…

 

[PaulfromIowa]

It is not sinful for a Catholic to worship with Protestant Christians, but he should be aware of erroneous teaching. A Catholic may not receive a Protestant communion.

Are you taking steps to go from wanting to be Catholic to actually becoming Catholic?

 

[Jonathan_1995]

Just say thank you for inviting me but after thinking about it i wont be attending…if they ask if your friends are attending…just say you dont feel comfortable asking roman catholic friends to attend a pentecost service when you arent a pentecostal yourself…

I should have made it clear. I was mainly supposed to invite unbelievers (atheists for example).

I’m not officially a Roman Catholic myself, since I just recently got convinced of the Catholic Faith after reading on the Internet and so.

I want to attend the meeting, since if I don’t, I’ll most likely have to explain why, and if I do, I might not be allowed to share my testimony and such.

However, the issue is that I said that I’d pray and invite someone to the meeting.

Why is Pentecostal in quotation marks?

Because how can one truly be a Pentecostal if he has not received the sacrament of confirmation and don’t have the fulness of the Faith found in the Catholic Church?

 

[Jonathan_1995]

It is not sinful for a Catholic to worship with Protestant Christians, but he should be aware of erroneous teaching.

Hmm. I have noticed there are different opinions, yes. I’m not very well rooted in the Catholic Faith. I don’t know how to interpret everything that the Catechism says etc. There are different interpretations there too.

Someone said this to me:

*"To be clear, there is a difference between prayer and worship. The Catholic church teaches that "worship in common (communicatio in sacris) is not to be considered as a means to be used indiscriminately for the restoration of Christian unity” since “witness to the unity of the Church very generally forbids common worship to Christians” No. 8 from Decree on Ecumenism (Unitatis Redintegratio).

vatican.va/archive/hist_c…gratio_en.html

Since Catholics are bound to maintain communion with the Catholic church and to be true witness to the Christian Faith, they must avoid giving scandal. To worship in a non-Catholic church gives scandal. It testifies to a non-existent unity which undermines the fundamental integrity of the Church."*

A Catholic may not receive a Protestant communion.

I know they cannot take Protestant communion.

Are you taking steps to go from wanting to be Catholic to actually becoming Catholic?

Read my thread here: forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=853654

Sorry for double post

 

[pewvivace]

I want to attend the meeting, since if I don’t, I’ll most likely have to explain why, and if I do, I might not be allowed to share my testimony and such.

They shouldn’t ask any explanation from you. If they become annoying, you could seize the opportunity to just leave without any explanation.

 

[grannymh]

I should have made it clear. I was mainly supposed to invite unbelievers (atheists for example).

I’m not officially a Roman Catholic myself, since I just recently got convinced of the Catholic Faith after reading on the Internet and so.

I want to attend the meeting, since if I don’t, I’ll most likely have to explain why, and if I do, I might not be allowed to share my testimony and such.

However, the issue is that I said that I’d pray and invite someone to the meeting.

May I address the issues that you said you would pray and the separate issue of inviting someone to the meeting.

Praying for someone is like giving them a wonderful gift. You do not have to tell the person that you are praying for him or her. All you have to do is to tell God that you are praying for this person and you would like God to bless this person. Sometimes, you know what a particular person needs and you can mention that to God as a special intention for your prayers. Sometimes you can use a formal prayer like the “Our Father” or the “Hail Mary” or pray, talking to God, in your own words. Remember to pray for yourself.

This praying for a person, you can do without inviting a person to go to the meeting. You can pray any time, any place for any reason.

As for inviting someone to the meeting. It sounds to me that you have examined the invitation and have seen possible negative things about it. When you are worried about the negative possibilities of the invitation, you can change your mind about the invitation. Maybe, you also see positive things about the invitation. When there are both positive and negative things, then you face the difficulty of choosing your action.

You simply have to accept the difficulty of your position and make the best choice in your judgment. An invitation to a friend to rob a store and kill anyone who tries to stop you would be a sinful matter. Wanting something good for a person is a good thing.
The difficulty is choosing what would be the best good thing.

 

[Jonathan_1995]

May I address the issues that you said you would pray and the separate issue of inviting someone to the meeting.

Praying for someone is like giving them a wonderful gift. You do not have to tell the person that you are praying for him or her. All you have to do is to tell God that you are praying for this person and you would like God to bless this person. Sometimes, you know what a particular person needs and you can mention that to God as a special intention for your prayers. Sometimes you can use a formal prayer like the “Our Father” or the “Hail Mary” or pray, talking to God, in your own words. Remember to pray for yourself.

This praying for a person, you can do without inviting a person to go to the meeting. You can pray any time, any place for any reason.

As for inviting someone to the meeting. It sounds to me that you have examined the invitation and have seen possible negative things about it. When you are worried about the negative possibilities of the invitation, you can change your mind about the invitation. Maybe, you also see positive things about the invitation. When there are both positive and negative things, then you face the difficulty of choosing your action.

You simply have to accept the difficulty of your position and make the best choice in your judgment. An invitation to a friend to rob a store and kill anyone who tries to stop you would be a sinful matter. Wanting something good for a person is a good thing.
The difficulty is choosing what would be the best good thing.

Well, so I don’t have to tell him that I changed my mind and don’t want to invite a person?

Regarding prayer, I agree I can pray anywhere, and at anytime. Though not all places are suitable for praying loudly.

 

[grannymh]

Well, so I don’t have to tell him that I changed my mind and don’t want to invite a person?

The issue is offering an invitation to someone you know.

You do not have to start a conversation with him about changing your mind.
The feelings of being uncomfortable or shy about inviting someone, which resulted in changing your mind, are a separate issue.

If you feel that you must report back to this person, simply tell the truth that you did not invite anyone. That is the issue you are reporting. You can apologize that you did not invite anyone. You can also put off talking about yourself until sometime in the future.

It sounds to me that you are worried that he will ask you to give your reasons for not inviting someone. To me, you sound very uncomfortable about inviting someone. Your evaluation of presenting the invitation, as explained in earlier posts, is what made you uncomfortable and unsure about what to do. You chose not to invite anyone this time because you were simply uncomfortable and unsure this time. That can be considered a valid explanation in your present situation. I say “present situation” because we cannot foresee what will happen in the future.

What led to those uncomfortable feelings can be considered personal or private. They are separate issues which you are working on and trying to understand.

You are in my prayers.

Regarding prayer, I agree I can pray anywhere, and at anytime. Though not all places are suitable for praying loudly.