Should Catholic proclaim the Kingdom or wait to be asked?

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ISeekTruth

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Catholic pro-life clinics do not permit their counselors to initiate a prayer or reference of God unless the women specifically ask to be told. Christ commands us to tell the Good News. In fact, He came to earth for the purpose of proclaiming the Kingdom of God. St. Paul says, “Woe to us, if we do not proclaim it.” Are these places committing the sin of omission by telling volunteers not to speak of Christ?
 
Hi @ISeekTruth. Welcome to CAF.

Not all prayers have to be vocal.

St Francis of Assisi : “Preach the Gospel at all times. When necessary , use words.”

St Theresa of Calcutta (Mother Theresa) is quoted in Essential Catholic Social Thought, Second Edition
“Our purpose is to take God and his love to the poorest of the poor, irrespective of their ethnic origin or the faith they profess. Our discernment of aid is not the belief but the necessity. We never try to convert those whom we receive to Christianity but in our work we bear witness to the love of God’s presence and if Catholics, Protestants, Buddhists, or agnostics become for this better men—simply better—we will be satisfied. Growing up in love they will be nearer to God and will find Him in His goodness.”
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Thanks for responding. Unfortunately, St. Francis never said that, but I believe that people have been prevented from obeying Christ’s command to "Go out to all the world and tell the Good News on account of it.
 
ISeekTruth said:
Are these places committing the sin of omission by telling volunteers not to speak of Christ?
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they have not prohibited their volunteers to speak of Christ. They have prohibited their volunteers from INITIATING the conversation. Once the client opens the door the volunteer is free to discuss religion.

But they are already telling the Good News by the simple act of their work through the pro-life clinic.
 
There is a difference between proselytizing and evangelizing. Proselytizing is forceful. Evangelizing is opening the eyes of the blind to see that God exists, loves them, and forgives. In my experience, people don’t know that.
 
Yes, that is what I said. Counselors are prevented from initiating a conversation of Christ. Christ never waited for people to ask to know about God. In fact, He came to earth for the purpose of proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom of God. Luke 4:43. Mother Teresa imitated Christ. According to the local prioress of the MC’s, every mission Mother Teresa opened had one purpose: to make Christ known. When we fail to give the glory to God, we have taken the glory for ourselves.
 
Okay, technically, if it helps get the point across:
No brother should preach contrary to the form and regulations of the holy Church nor unless he has been permitted by his minister . . . All the Friars . . . should preach by their deeds.
I don’t know where the clinics you’re referring to are based, but here in government funded health institutions , it’s pretty easy even for a minister to receive a reprimand without the prior consultation of a social worker on a lot of moral issues directly related to patients.

It is also uncomfortably too easy for pro life advocates to get arrested for making public statements, visual (ie demonstrations - the one exception might be our annual national March for Life) and otherwise in this neck of the woods.
Could what you’re indicating, be partly related to the civil laws in your area ?
 
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I agree with your point that there is a difference between the two. But the first step of evangelizing is showing our love. So that is what the Catholic pro-life clinics are doing. They are showing a live for the mothers and babies. They do not want to make a mother feel uncomfortable by forcing a prayer on them.
 
there is no governmental restriction. I believe it is part of the reason abortion still exists. Christ commands us to proclaim His Kingdom because God wills that all men be saved and come to knowledge of the truth. 1Timothy 2:4 Several years ago, I began to realize this. I have never heard a homily or prayer of the faithful seeking the conversion of souls in order to end abortion. The Virgin Mary appeared in Mexico, because 10 years after Cortez dismantled the temple where humans were sacrificed, life was still not seen as sacred, and human sacrifice persisted. Mary, who always points to Christ in everything, had to come to convert souls to Christ.
 
We cannot only address human needs of the soul in front of us. Humans are dual nature and cannot be separated. To drive away one demon by being gentle and kind is good, but not to fill the void with Christ leaves the woman open to that demons return to find a house swept clean. He will bring back 7 other demons and the woman’s condition will be worse than at the first.
 
But if a woman us not ready to hear the gospels, forcing a prayer on her or preaching is liable to drive her away. What good does that do?

Have you ever converted anyone to the Catholic faith? It starts through example of a virtuous life and one has to pick an appropriate time to start sharing the faith.
 
Can you tell us what is going on in this Catholic prolife clinic? I mean specifics. Are they helping with knowledge of pregnancy and infancy?
Are they offering food items and baby clothes?
Do they offer Natural Family Planning classes?
Is a nurse on staff?
Are they ready to direct people to mental health places, agencies that help with housing, free medical? Diabetes management?
 
ISeekTruth said:
When we fail to give the glory to God, we have taken the glory for ourselves.
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so when a woman enters a pro-life clinic, the first thing she should be told is that Jesus saves? You believe that Christ should be foisted on people, especially people who may be in a delicate emotional state? Have you no faith in the Holy Spirit to move these women to do their own asking?

I think you are overthinking things and condemning a policy which purpose you don’t understand.
 
Let your light so shine before people that they see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven.

By this shall all people know you are my disciples, the love you have.

Proclaim with our lives and deeds.
 
ISeekTruth said:
obeying Christ’s command to "Go out to all the world and tell the Good News on account of it.
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Do you mean the Great Commission that Christ gave to the Apostles and their successors (our Bishops and Priests)?
 
I suspect you are coming from a hostile attitude toward Catholics, by the tone of your question.

You are forgetting that prolife clinics involve a team effort. People have different gifts and they are offering their time and talent. Criticize them to your own peril.

Read 1 Corinthians 12. Not everyone can do everything. In this way, God designed so we work together. Before you criticize a clinic for somehow falling short, if you see a need, then you step in and help pull the load. Catholics already take a whipping from unbelievers. Decide which side you want to be on.

1 Corinthians 12
4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.

7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,[a] and to still another the interpretation of tongues.[b] 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by[c] one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
 
ISeekTruth said:
Thanks for responding. Unfortunately, St. Francis never said that, but I believe that people have been prevented from obeying Christ’s command to "Go out to all the world and tell the Good News on account of it.
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The Church does not grow out of proselytism but from attraction given by witness.
 
Yes. They help women turn from abortion. They help them in their worldly needs. They counsel good Christian women for months and attend postpartum classes who leave their clinic believing the clinic is not Christian. They do not offer NFP classes. I don’t know about a nurse. I don’t believe they manage diabetes. They direct them to housing concerns. In the doctrinal note on evangelization, which summarizes the Churches teaching about evangelization, we are to respect every human person’s right to know Christ and fulfill our duty to introduce Him.

I have met countless individuals who want to know God but do not know how to ask. I have been that person in my youth. That is why we are supposed to propose Christ as the Holy Spirit directs us, not wait for them to ask us about Him.
 
True. But we are all called to bear witness by word and deed. I know many atheists who are very kind and patient. They see the beauty of the earth and believe it wasn’t created. Christ would not have asked us to do the impossible. He asks us to go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
 
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