Something Fr. John Hardon said

[Maxirad]

Servant of God Fr. John Hardon has been quoted as saying, “Any Catholic who is not about the business of evangelization might never entertain a serious hope for the Beatific Vision.” Is it a mortal sin for Catholics not to evangelize?

 

[Bonnie]

Don’t know about it being a sin, mortal or venial, but Jesus did say: “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:14-16

However, letting ones light shine (evangelization) takes many forms. For many of us it’s living a Christian life and letting others know we’re Catholic.

 

[LiamQ]

Do you have a source for this quote? I’ve only been able to locate it on a single website, used in a somewhat polemical manner, and it would be extremely useful to see the full context of what was being said.

 

[psalm90]

…

However, letting ones light shine (evangelization) takes many forms. For many of us it’s living a Christian life and letting others know we’re Catholic.

It hasn’t been until lately that the idea that we are all responsible for evangelization has settled on me.

Now, I thought that was obvious many years ago, when I started reading the Bible, when I was in Catholic School. But, I never felt I was “being sent” to evangelize, and that, for one reason, is that I was not trained in any techniques of evangelization.

I marvel and thank God that there are missionaries around the world, and that it is a duty to support them.

Another drawback from evangelizing is that I think the Catholic Church, over many of the last decades, makes lay people feel incompetent to evangelize, both directly and indirectly. Directly: If I’m not mistaken, there was an encyclical by Pope Paul VI about evangelization, and he referred to evangelization being done by people who were trained and formally qualified. Indirectly: at the parish level, there doesn’t seem to be any support and/or training for evangelization.

Sure, there have been a lot of books on apologetics in the last 20 years, and what they have proven to me is how UNqualified I am. Or, as I listen to the experts answer questions on EWTN Radio, I’m nowhere qualified to answer questions as these people do. I hear people who have been college trained in apologetics and evangelization.

What I’m leading up to, yeah, I can try to lead by the example of my life (many ways I’ve tried to help people) and, then, by supporting evangelistic ( or missionary, as we used to call it) activity. I don’t think there’s enough emphasis on “financial support” as part of our evangelistic activity.

Yeah, I didn’t hear Fr. Harden, but I heard a recording of Fr. John Riccardo (Detroit) talk about this today on a radio broadcast – the duty of evangelization.

 

[po18guy]

Love is useless unless it motivates to sacrificial action. So, if we have a joy-filled faith, what are we to do with it? Remember the parable of the Talents here (Mt. 25:14-30). We do not want to appear before the throne of God saying “I kept my joy to myself as it was embarrassing to share it.”

As a practical matter, if we reveal our joy in the Gospel to everyday people under everyday circumstances, we need not stand on a corner and preach out loud. Just do something to reveal that your joy has its source in the Gospel.

 

[Googler]

We who are militants of the Church of God should not take the cowardly stance.
In the service of God there is always the fight. If a man did not take it up, it is because he refused to see the adversary or fled from him in the hour of assault. Thus he betrayed his duty.

I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed: she shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel.
~GENESIS - Chapter 3 vs. 15

The sons of Our Lady will battle against the sons of the serpent to the last day of the world.

The mark of the Catholic is to fight and to love the fight.

Every man is born a soldier, although not every soldier will use his arms. Those who combat, however, are privileged in the eyes of the God of Hosts, who rejoices in passing in review before his warriors. Each one who bears weapons assumes responsibility for the physical safety of his fellow citizens, for the life and the liberty of his brothers.
He takes up the sword and the shield for those who lack them and for those who are too weak to bear and use them. And God says to him, as He said to Gideon, Joshua and other chiefs of His people: “These are my orders: Be valiant; fear no enemy that appears before you no matter how strong and many are his forces. I am with you. I will come to your succor and judge you by your courage.” This is the command of God, the first principle behind the duty of every soldier and the firmest validation of his value.
~Louis Veuillot

 

[fred_conty]

Servant of God Fr. John Hardon has been quoted as saying, “Any Catholic who is not about the business of evangelization might never entertain a serious hope for the Beatific Vision.” Is it a mortal sin for Catholics not to evangelize?

One of the patron saints of the missions is St Teresa of Lisieux, who was a cloistered nun and never saw a mission land.

As much, if not more, can be done on our knees than on our feet as St. Terese shows us. Does it really matter that we connect with a person as long as the job gets done?

The green scapular is really remarkable in this way to bring about conversions. But Mary said it would require our confidence in her and also our prayer every day.

 

[Googler]

“I went to sleep for a few moments during prayer,” she would tell Mother Agnes. “I dreamt there were not enough soldiers for a war against the Prussians. You said: We need to send Sister Thérèse of the Child Jesus. I answered that I agreed, but that I would prefer to fight at a holy war. But finally I went all the same.
“Oh no, I would not fear going to war. With what joy, for example, at the time of the Crusades, I would have gone to combat heretics. Yes! I would not have been afraid to be shot; I would not have feared the fire!

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Saint Joan, the Virgin of Orleans, and Saint Thérèse, the Virgin of Lisieux, are two models of militant Catholic combatants against the enemies of the Church and of Christian Civilization. Two great saints, though leading such different lives—one a strictly military life and the other a contemplative one—nonetheless have profound affinities with each other.

 

[PJM]

Servant of God Fr. John Hardon has been quoted as saying, “Any Catholic who is not about the business of evangelization might never entertain a serious hope for the Beatific Vision.” Is it a mortal sin for Catholics not to evangelize?

It MIGHT qualify as such for some people based on the talents and opportunities GOD the HS has granted to them. This should be discussed with details with one’s Confessor. Everyone IS called to share our Faith

BUT be aware that while ALL are called, not ALL are called in the same manner. READ 1st Cor. Chapter 12

By far the most effective and most evident form of Faith sharing is:

Knowing well our Catholic Faith

Living it fully and PUBLICLY [like a lamp on a hillside]

Sharing it WHEN the HS gives one the opportunity

Defending it with clarity [facts] and charity when necessary

For MANY, the knowing and living of our Catholic Faith fully and publicly is sufficient to fulfill the requirement Father speaks of.

BTW, Father was an occasional mentor of mine; I’m a Marian Catechist

God Bless you and may Mary be ever on our lips and remembrance of Her always in pour hearts" {Fr Hardon}

God Bless you

Patrick