Knocking on doors?

[converting2024]

I am a recent convert to Catholicism and a revert to faith in general. I feel a call to go door to door to spread the Gospel, but am not sure where to begin. Do I need the permission of my pastor to do so? Are there any nationwide groups that I can join who are already doing this? I am no apologist, just someone who wishes to light the fire in others that was lit in me.

 

[SurlyMermaid]

In all reality, how helpful is the door-to-door approach? Many people find it intrusive. Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t answer the door when I know it’s someone trying to sell me something.

I’m wondering if Catholicism wouldn’t be better served in a less invasive way. One things people (non-Catholics) tend to enjoy is that Catholics don’t “bug” them at home.

I don’t know.

As a former (recent) non-Christian, I’ll be thinking of things that spoke to/helped me. I just don’t respond well to the door-to-door thing. Maybe you could go out into the community in some other way, like volunteer work. Some of the best examples I’ve had were people who lived there faith, in the trenches. When asked why the person responds with a humble, “Oh, because my Lord guides me to.” That’s what I have always loved about the Church.

 

[asia53]

My parish did the door-to-door two summers ago. We had a few training sessions with our RE Director. With our Priest’s permission, we canvassed a specific neighborhood in our parish boundaries.

Please talk to your priest. There are a few rules, and specific protocol you must follow.

 

[Catholic1954]

Check out the Legion of Mary. If your parish doesn’t have one, a nearby one should. Ours goes out door to door every once in a while and also downtown to the street people.

 

[domandcarols]

I think going door to door is obnoxious and comes across as kind of desperate. If someone is interested in Catholicism they’ll come towards it on their own. I think it’s better to evangelize with people you know personally who want to talk to you.

 

[ora_pro_nobis]

The Legion of Mary go door to door, and have been doing so for years. Of course we’re used to people slamming doors in our faces, but I’m saddened that fellow Catholics would find us “obnoxious”. The reality is that most people are quite friendly and usually relieved that we’re not JWs!

 

[blueadept]

I’ve done door-to-door through our Legion of Mary. What I found was that many were happy someone else besides JWs and Mormons were doing it and they found it refreshing. Overall, I would say it was a positive experience in my community. We tended to be more successful in the poorer neighborhoods.

 

[bz5]

I’ve often thought that people don’t convert to the JWs or LDS because of the beliefs, but because wholesome looking people come to the door and care about them enough to invite them to church. There are lonely, vulnerable people out there thirsting for God. Maybe you could leave a Pillar of Fire, Pillar of Truth pamphlet with people and a schedule of mass times and locations. Our (military chapel - Protestants and Catholics together) group went around once and just invited people to church, maybe offered to pray with them if they seemed open to it, but mostly just did the invitation and left info. Please, for your own safety, don’t go alone or enter homes.

 

[converting2024]

Thanks for the wonderful responses! I have made an appointment with my pastor to speak with him and am going to a Legion of Mary meeting next week.

To those who find it obnoxious, I can see your point. JW’s and Mormons can be obnoxious because in their eyes, their way in the only way to salvation and they are desperate to get you to join them. I am wanting to go just to talk with people and educate them on the faith that you and I share. Many people(myself included) are unaware about the Church. Before my conversion I thought the Catholic Church was just another Christian denomination. I had no idea what Protestant meant. No idea about the Eucharist or the wonderful sacrament of reconciliation.

 

[Bezant]

I am a recent convert to Catholicism and a revert to faith in general. I feel a call to go door to door to spread the Gospel, but am not sure where to begin. Do I need the permission of my pastor to do so? Are there any nationwide groups that I can join who are already doing this? I am no apologist, just someone who wishes to light the fire in others that was lit in me.

I would highly discourage this approach.

For one matter, non-believers tend not to answer and take offense or annoyance when they do.

For a second matter, it’s bad PR. This is not how the Church evangelises and you could unintentionally misrepresent yourself (and us) going this route.

 

[glamourdollxoxo]

I find it obnoxious what drew me to converting was seeing the people live out their faith and not having to go door to door or hand out tracts like many protestant churches do.

 

[asia53]

Thanks for the wonderful responses! I have made an appointment with my pastor to speak with him and am going to a Legion of Mary meeting next week.

To those who find it obnoxious, I can see your point. JW’s and Mormons can be obnoxious because in their eyes, their way in the only way to salvation and they are desperate to get you to join them. I am wanting to go just to talk with people and educate them on the faith that you and I share. Many people(myself included) are unaware about the Church. Before my conversion I thought the Catholic Church was just another Christian denomination. I had no idea what Protestant meant. No idea about the Eucharist or the wonderful sacrament of reconciliation.

Good!

We had a different approach for our evangelizing teams. Our RE made up a 20 question survey, questions about catholic faith, questions about catholic practices, questions about participants’ personal feelings about certain issues, etc.

Our teams would ask the people who answered doors, if they would take a survey to help the Catholic church. If they said no, our team thanked them, and left. Three times out of five, people would say yes. It took a total of 15 minutes with people, who were uninterested in any dialog. Sometimes, our team could engage people in a conversation about our Church.

People were far more receptive to participating in a survey. We did this for 2 months, only 2 bad experiences, people upset over the scandal.

 

[David_Castlen]

I am a recent convert to Catholicism and a revert to faith in general. I feel a call to go door to door to spread the Gospel, but am not sure where to begin. Do I need the permission of my pastor to do so? Are there any nationwide groups that I can join who are already doing this? I am no apologist, just someone who wishes to light the fire in others that was lit in me.

You go you go you go read the first 4 chapters of ACts go go go … God bless you

Don’t let anyone talk you out of this…

 

[domandcarols]

Thanks for the wonderful responses! I have made an appointment with my pastor to speak with him and am going to a Legion of Mary meeting next week.

To those who find it obnoxious, I can see your point. JW’s and Mormons can be obnoxious because in their eyes, their way in the only way to salvation and they are desperate to get you to join them. I am wanting to go just to talk with people and educate them on the faith that you and I share. Many people(myself included) are unaware about the Church. Before my conversion I thought the Catholic Church was just another Christian denomination. I had no idea what Protestant meant. No idea about the Eucharist or the wonderful sacrament of reconciliation.

I’m sorry if I offended anyone by saying it was obnoxious.
I just meant in general. I think it’s a really great idea if it’s done in the right way. God bless you & good luck. I’ll pray for you.

 

[ora_pro_nobis]

Thanks for the wonderful responses! I have made an appointment with my pastor to speak with him and am going to a Legion of Mary meeting next week.

that’s great! I hope all goes well with your talk with your pastor, and I do hope you enjoy the Legion of Mary meeting. If you decide to join, you’ll be joining over 10 million members worldwide!

 

[fred_conty]

My parish did the door-to-door two summers ago. We had a few training sessions with our RE Director. With our Priest’s permission, we canvassed a specific neighborhood in our parish boundaries.

Please talk to your priest. There are a few rules, and specific protocol you must follow.

So what did you experience? Good, bad, hostile, indifferent , success, worthwhile,etc.?
What approach did you use?