Need some ideas.

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PulvisEtCinis

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Hello all,

I am searching around for some ideas on a particular Saint.

A friend of mine’s wife is Protestant (charismatic background by the way) and we have been trying to come up with some ideas as to how we might could get her more interested in the Church. As it stands right now she is very closed off to the idea of being Catholic. We are thinking that theological arguments are not going to do a lot of good given the situation, but we were thinking that maybe if we could get her personally interested in a Saint, it might ‘open the door’ as it were, to the idea that there is more to the Church and being Catholic than what she might see on the surface. I know that when I was a Protestant, one important factor for me being as open to the Church as I was (which, in the beginning wasn’t very open, but still) was my fondness of St. Augustine.

So, anyway! The problem is I have no idea which Saint would be good to suggest. I am most familiar with the Early Church Fathers, and none of them that I can think of really strikes me as someone that she would connect with. I was really thinking of a female Saint, but I am much less familiar with them and am not sure which one would be best. In addition, she does not tend to read much, so it would either have to be something that really catches her interest, is really short, or perhaps some other method than a book could be used.

Thank you all and God bless,

Pax Domini
 
Maybe a life of a saint? Those are usually inspiring and not as theological. There are audio books, too. Only thing about lives of the saints is that it’s usually not the saint himself doing the biography, so you’re at the mercy of the writer, good or bad.

St. Teresa of Avila wrote an autobiography, and was a mystic, which might appeal to your friend’s wife, but for someone who doesn’t read books, it may seem long (it’s around 350 pp). St. Therese of Lisieux also wrote an autobiography, around 300 pp.

There are compilations with an assortment of shorter sketches (an old classic is Butler’s Lives of the Saints), which might be good because she could pick one that interests her. The one by Frank Sheed is good. I’ve seen some compilations of women saints only. Your friend’s wife may find the male saints just as interesting, though.

A more recent female saint is Gianna Beretta Molla (1922-1962), who was married and mother of four. Maybe she could relate more to her.
 
Dorothy Day, Solanus Casey, Katherine Drexel, Maximilion Kolbe, Franz
Jagerstatter…
 
Rather then trying to get her interested in a saint how about asking several saints to pray for her conversion. I say this because charismatic types typically shun the communion of saints, its all about them and the holy spirit and they feel they don’t need anything like a saint or the Catholic church to get in-between. You might causually mention that the Catholic church does recognize her form of communion with the holy spirit and its not something she would have to give up. Only God knows what would get her interested in the Catholic church. Perhaps pray for a revelation about it.
 
Steveabrous said:
Rather then trying to get her interested in a saint how about asking several saints to pray for her conversion. I say this because charismatic types typically shun the communion of saints, its all about them and the holy spirit and they feel they don’t need anything like a saint or the Catholic church to get in-between. You might causually mention that the Catholic church does recognize her form of communion with the holy spirit and its not something she would have to give up. Only God knows what would get her interested in the Catholic church. Perhaps pray for a revelation about it.
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As a Charismatic Catholic, I still am involved w the communion of Saints. As children and young Catholics we pray to the Father in the name of Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit. After Confirmation and a seminar on the Charismatic Renewal, we pray to the Father and ask Jesus to hear our prayer and send the Holy Spirit. We meditate and open our spirits and try to allow Him to send His love into us and give His Spirit. That is where we receive our gifts from the Spirit. Saints: St.Sr.Faustina. St.Bernadette. She can watch the black and white movie on you tube. St. Francis of Assisi. Padre Pio=small book.
in Christs love
tweedlealice
 
tweedlealice said:
As a Charismatic Catholic, I still am involved w the communion of Saints. As children and young Catholics we pray to the Father in the name of Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit. After Confirmation and a seminar on the Charismatic Renewal, we pray to the Father and ask Jesus to hear our prayer and send the Holy Spirit. We meditate and open our spirits and try to allow Him to send His love into us and give His Spirit. That is where we receive our gifts from the Spirit. Saints: St.Sr.Faustina. St.Bernadette. She can watch the black and white movie on you tube. St. Francis of Assisi. Padre Pio=small book.
in Christs love
tweedlealice
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Yes, I understand this to be the case in the Catholic charismatic renewal. My comments are meant towards protestant charismatics such as the Assemblies of God, and Pentecostals.
Sorry for the confussion
 
While your intention is honorable, it’s a bad idea to push the church on anyone.

People come to the church when they are ready.

Honestly, I’d spend more time living the faith than talking about the faith.
 
Thank you all for your suggestions; it certainly gives me some things to consider.
 
Kal2012 said:
While your intention is honorable, it’s a bad idea to push the church on anyone.

People come to the church when they are ready.

Honestly, I’d spend more time living the faith than talking about the faith.
Click to expand...
I am not really trying to ‘push the Church’ on anyone. If I were, I would be spending a lot of time making lengthy arguments as to why she should be Catholic. As it stands, I am not; that doesn’t really work anyway (at least, not usually, and usually not unless they are already somewhat interested in or otherwise confronted by the Church). However, I am trying to passively get her interested in the Church; I am thinking that finding a Saint or something similar would be a good way to give her a peek into the life of the Church without being too pushy about it.

I do agree that people come to the Church when they are ready, and I do agree that we should spend more time living the faith than talking about it (example is more powerful than any argument). However, part of living the faith is sharing our faith with our friends and family. Mind you, not bashing them over the head with arguments at every turn, but rather doing what one can draw people’s attention to the Church and the Gospel in a positive way. Do I think this will convert her? Maybe, maybe not (if it does it is the Grace of God doing the converting, not me, nor the Saint), but even if it doesn’t have any effect at all now it may be a seed which comes to fruition later. People do come to the Church when they are ready, and it is God who calls, yet God also works through people, places, things, and especially through His Church and its members. If I am motivated to do this and believe that it is the right thing to do (which, indeed, it has been on my heart to do something like this for a little while now) then unless someone can name a reason why it shouldn’t be done, I feel that I must do it.
 
St. Bernadette would be an easy read. And it has the vision of Mary.

St. Isaac Jogues is also an interesting story of his work among north American Indians. The book I read related much about the Indians themselves and quite good.

These might be available in the public library.
 
Steveabrous said:
Yes, I understand this to be the case in the Catholic charismatic renewal. My comments are meant towards protestant charismatics such as the Assemblies of God, and Pentecostals.
Sorry for the confussion
Click to expand...
Hi,
I don’t think I was confused. I left Catholicism for 4 years searching for a closer union w the Holy Spirit and I joined the Assembly of God church. Explaining that if I had a need and asked her to pray for me,she would. Does she believe our deceased, loved ones are alive on the other side, surely she can see where we can find a Saint to help keep her need given to Jesus,who pleads our needs to the Father. So, as many Saints we present our need to, The Saints in heaven keep our petitions moving… Show her the uncorrupted body of St Theresa (the little flower) It is amazing.
in Christs’ love
tweedlealice
 
PulvisEtCinis said:
I was really thinking of a female Saint, but I am much less familiar with them and am not sure which one would be best. In addition, she does not tend to read much, so it would either have to be something that really catches her interest, is really short, or perhaps some other method than a book could be used.i
Click to expand...
Any luck with the Protestant yet?

The Virgin Mary is the model of Christian perfection, mirror of true virtue, and pride of our humanity.

Please ask her to watch this 11 minute video and report back here on her reaction.

Thank you 🙂

The Truth About Mary and Scripture: MUST SEE!
youtube.com/watch?v=kUdYeYy3NQA
 
PulvisEtCinis said:
Hello all,

I am searching around for some ideas on a particular Saint.

A friend of mine’s wife is Protestant (charismatic background by the way) and we have been trying to come up with some ideas as to how we might could get her more interested in the Church. As it stands right now she is very closed off to the idea of being Catholic. We are thinking that theological arguments are not going to do a lot of good given the situation, but we were thinking that maybe if we could get her personally interested in a Saint, it might ‘open the door’ as it were, to the idea that there is more to the Church and being Catholic than what she might see on the surface. I know that when I was a Protestant, one important factor for me being as open to the Church as I was (which, in the beginning wasn’t very open, but still) was my fondness of St. Augustine.

So, anyway! The problem is I have no idea which Saint would be good to suggest. I am most familiar with the Early Church Fathers, and none of them that I can think of really strikes me as someone that she would connect with. I was really thinking of a female Saint, but I am much less familiar with them and am not sure which one would be best. In addition, she does not tend to read much, so it would either have to be something that really catches her interest, is really short, or perhaps some other method than a book could be used.

Thank you all and God bless,

Pax Domini
Click to expand...
[1] Pray MUCH!

ONLY God can cause a conversion [even when he uses US to assist him]👍

Go to

newadvent.org

search under “S” for Saints and Get TON"S of ideas:)

God Bless you; without doing #1v there is little to NO chance for success.

PJM
 
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