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Mxer240
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I’m currently working on starting my confirmation
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Dan_Defender
Guest
I prefer to pray for the conversion of unbelievers.
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Mxer240
Guest
How has that been working? Do you think it works?
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GiftofMercy
Guest
Have you undertaken the Sacraments? First Communion, First Confession and are now working on starting your Confirmation?
I have heard a few religious speak of how their parents and grandparents prayed for them through their young and wild days before they converted
Yes I believe praying for others and their conversion can be heard by God and granted. I think of the mother of that great saint Augustine. She prayed for him for 15 years or so before he converted.
I have heard a few religious speak of how their parents and grandparents prayed for them through their young and wild days before they converted
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Shelion
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How could prayer NOT work?.. If you mean do people convert after people prayed for them - sometimes they seemingly don’t convert (but only God and the person involved plus all the saints and Angels know what happened at the moment of death, so you always can hope until the very end). Sometimes they really don’t convert (an example from saint Charbel’s life, who prayed over a soul but that soul chose hell; and one example from saint Faustina who said some souls reflect - bounce back? - prayers for conversion).
However, it is very important to remember God hears all prayers, especially for spiritual goods. Therefore, if it doesn’t benefit a particular soul, it will benefit yourself because you are practising charity, and you are merciful, and also it might benefit some other souls.
Now, it is good to know what sort of prayers God listens to more willingly - all the criteria are enumerated and explained in detail by st Alphonsus de Liguori. I will try to give you a shortened version, but I still strongly recommend my wonderful patron saint (I have a few, but this one is my mentor, right after God himself). So, you should be humble, you should persevere, your intentions should be pure, you should strive for holiness, and so not to be attached to any, even venial, sin; sometimes you need to fast too. Offering your suffering and work to God for particular sinner or causes is also very powerful with God. Basically, the closer you imitate Jesus, and pray asking God for things in the Name of Jesus, the more efficient your prayer. And forget not Our Lady, the Blessed Virgin, the greatest intercessor after Jesus Christ. When I say that a prayer is “efficient” please don’t take it I treat prayer as some automatic vending machine – you press the button and out comes the desirable product. It doesn’t work that way. God is omnipotent, but He is also infinite Wisdom and Mercy – and HE knows best what is better for us, or some particular persons. Unless it’s conversion – you can always pray for that, or for holiness etc, or for souls in purgatory. But God’s ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts…
However, it is very important to remember God hears all prayers, especially for spiritual goods. Therefore, if it doesn’t benefit a particular soul, it will benefit yourself because you are practising charity, and you are merciful, and also it might benefit some other souls.
Now, it is good to know what sort of prayers God listens to more willingly - all the criteria are enumerated and explained in detail by st Alphonsus de Liguori. I will try to give you a shortened version, but I still strongly recommend my wonderful patron saint (I have a few, but this one is my mentor, right after God himself). So, you should be humble, you should persevere, your intentions should be pure, you should strive for holiness, and so not to be attached to any, even venial, sin; sometimes you need to fast too. Offering your suffering and work to God for particular sinner or causes is also very powerful with God. Basically, the closer you imitate Jesus, and pray asking God for things in the Name of Jesus, the more efficient your prayer. And forget not Our Lady, the Blessed Virgin, the greatest intercessor after Jesus Christ. When I say that a prayer is “efficient” please don’t take it I treat prayer as some automatic vending machine – you press the button and out comes the desirable product. It doesn’t work that way. God is omnipotent, but He is also infinite Wisdom and Mercy – and HE knows best what is better for us, or some particular persons. Unless it’s conversion – you can always pray for that, or for holiness etc, or for souls in purgatory. But God’s ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts…
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Mxer240
Guest
What is the sacraments? I’ve made my first confession already. I haven’t taken my first communion I don’t think, what is that technically? I am working on my confirmation, my mom is trying to be involved with it, I respect her, so I’m letting her sort it out for me, if I didn’t respect her I would ignore her and just sort it out on my own.
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TheLittleLady
Guest
This!
Street evengelization is very different for Catholics. We are bringing people the fullness of truth, inviting them to a radical encounter with Christ in His Church. The “listen to what I say, say the ‘sinner’s prayer’ and go to heaven” formula is lacking that fullness.
Street evengelization is very different for Catholics. We are bringing people the fullness of truth, inviting them to a radical encounter with Christ in His Church. The “listen to what I say, say the ‘sinner’s prayer’ and go to heaven” formula is lacking that fullness.
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TheLittleLady
Guest
Prayer is vital.
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on_the_hill
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I’m not familiar with “the sinner’s prayer,” aside from what I just read on Wikipedia. I take it that there’s nothing wrong with praying a ‘sinner’s prayer’ but that the prayer in and of itself is insufficient.
It seems very much like the Jesus Prayer, which I think we Catholics are ok with.
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TheLittleLady
Guest
We would be doing a great disservice to simply have someone pray one prayer and then abandon them.
Street Evangelization for Catholics is about bring the Gospel, meeting people where they are and then bringing them into the Church.
Street Evangelization for Catholics is about bring the Gospel, meeting people where they are and then bringing them into the Church.
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Justin_Mary
Guest
The sacraments are gifts given to us by God. Confession (reconciliation) is one. Marriage is another. Holy Orders, anointing the sick, baptism, confession, & Eucharist (communion).
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Dan_Defender
Guest
Yes, in one instance someone I never expected to, approached me to inquire about Christianity. Prayer is powerful.
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Elf01
Guest
Based on your questions I’d advise you to look into adult fairh formation. You may receive it in preperation for Confirmation. Or perhaps there is a language barrier.
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