Spreading the Faith in a Non-Catholic Family?

[Aeterna]

I am college graduate and Catholic convert who will be living at home among my non-Christian family members for a few months. Even when I’m not at home, I often struggle with how I ought to carry out my duty to help make the faith known to those who don’t share it. I have tried a few times in the past to talk about Catholicism with my family, but theological discussions, even very general ones, tend not to strike a chord. I’ve also tried to share the notion of God being Love and a Savior with my mom when she’s experienced difficult times. Every time I face a push back or rejection. Does anyone have advice on how to evangelize in this kind of situation? I feel that I am not living up to the work of “instructing the ignorant.” Is it enough for me to simply give witness to the faith by attending Mass regularly and trying to live devoutly and prayerfully? I do try to pray very often for my family to have the grace of conversion. I also occasionally invite my family members to join me for Mass on a Sunday or major holy day.

 

[Allegra]

Do they have any faith at all or are they non-believers? I think if you remember to share how God has worked in your life and give frequent, short personal witnesses, that might be the most effective method. I wouldn’t bring up Catholic teachings unless asked.

 

[robwar]

the best witness with a family that is non-Catholic and from the sounds of it, not very religious is the silent one. When you go home, be nice, respectful, helpful and let your witness be in these things and not theological discussions which they don’t seem to be open to. continue to go to Mass, tell them they are invited and then let go of it. don’t nag them and try to constantly bring up theology unless they ask you.

 

[Jon_S_1]

I am college graduate and Catholic convert who will be living at home among my non-Christian family members for a few months. Even when I’m not at home, I often struggle with how I ought to carry out my duty to help make the faith known to those who don’t share it. I have tried a few times in the past to talk about Catholicism with my family, but theological discussions, even very general ones, tend not to strike a chord. I’ve also tried to share the notion of God being Love and a Savior with my mom when she’s experienced difficult times. Every time I face a push back or rejection. Does anyone have advice on how to evangelize in this kind of situation? I feel that I am not living up to the work of “instructing the ignorant.” Is it enough for me to simply give witness to the faith by attending Mass regularly and trying to live devoutly and prayerfully? I do try to pray very often for my family to have the grace of conversion. I also occasionally invite my family members to join me for Mass on a Sunday or major holy day.

With my non catholic family and friends I try to just love them and be proud and diligent in my faith. They see me practicing my faith and ask questions or start conversations. It seems to be better than just preaching at them and hounding them.

So I personally think a soft approach is best.

 

[TarkanAttila]

I’ve been thinking about this sort of thing for a long time: how do you spread the Gospel?

Well, how did the monks of old do it?

Consider St. Anthony Abbas, or St. Benedict. Did they begin their communities by just asking other Catholics to come out into the desert with them? Or, did men come around to them and ask to live like them?

I think I understand why you want to preach the Gospel. If it is for the same reason I do, it may be because you think anyone can be a nice person - Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and even atheists do it all the time. To a degree that’s true. But unlike Mormons, JWs, and atheists, you have good reason to be not only a Christian, but a Catholic. And if they ask, you can share that saving rationality.

I don’t know why God has not ordained men to be converted through reason, rather than this rather hidden, indistinguishable method. But it worked for Christ. It worked for the Apostles. It worked for the monks. It has worked for countless missionaries the world over. And my guess is, that’s how we’re to evangelise: live as Christ would will you, and if people ask, it’s because of the love of Jesus Christ and His Rock, the Church.

That seems to be the answer of the monks. Smart, effective, holy guys they were. I guess that’s how it works.

 

[Aeterna]

Thanks to everyone for your thoughtful replies. My family has very little faith and is largely indifferent to the supernatural, I think. My mom does believe in God but in an agnostic sense. My hope is that if I keep praying for them to have the grace of openness to the truth, then perhaps they will ask me a question or two that will get them to start thinking about Jesus Christ in the way that I did when I converted. I agree that a “soft” approach is probably better for them, but I fear not doing enough to help them. Tarkan, I really like your comment about the early monks - they definitely drew others to them through their living, active witness, rather than deliberately trying to seek out followers.

If anyone has any book or reading recommendations for non-Catholics (perhaps geared toward those who are not Christian), they would be appreciated!

 

[TarkanAttila]

Thanks to everyone for your thoughtful replies. My family has very little faith and is largely indifferent to the supernatural, I think. My mom does believe in God but in an agnostic sense. My hope is that if I keep praying for them to have the grace of openness to the truth, then perhaps they will ask me a question or two that will get them to start thinking about Jesus Christ in the way that I did when I converted. I agree that a “soft” approach is probably better for them, but I fear not doing enough to help them. Tarkan, I really like your comment about the early monks - they definitely drew others to them through their living, active witness, rather than deliberately trying to seek out followers.

If anyone has any book or reading recommendations for non-Catholics (perhaps geared toward those who are not Christian), they would be appreciated!

There is a CD I have by Dr. Scott Hahn called “Rebuilding the Christian Civilization” by Lighthouse Media. I highly recommend you listen to it. Before we improve the world, we must improve ourselves - and that starts and ends with fighting the sins within ourselves.

 

[anixx]

I don’t know why God has not ordained men to be converted through reason, rather than this rather hidden, indistinguishable method. But it worked for Christ. It worked for the Apostles. It worked for the monks. It has worked for countless missionaries the world over. And my guess is, that’s how we’re to evangelise: live as Christ would will you, and if people ask, it’s because of the love of Jesus Christ and His Rock, the Church.

For faith to begin you have to make an appeal to reason first. It’s unreasonable to have faith without reason. And Jesus didn’t just walked among men, hoping for them to notice him. He started preaching, catechizing, whatever you want to call it. He made sure his apostles knew everything before he ascended. The Holy Ghost made all this knowledge come alive, which we call faith. You cannot have faith without reason, that’s credulity. They didn’t murder the apostles, or the martyrs, for that matter, because they lived a peaceful, quite life, but because they stirred things up in society, by preaching the truth.

I’m a revert for 10 years and I, too, am struggling with this, being in a non-believer family. I’ve been waiting enough for them to be interested in my faith. They are totally indifferent to faith, in any form, and don’t see a reason for it, nor the obvious fact of many, contradicting religions. It’s just an aspect of society for them. One that is there, but doesn’t concern everybody. I don’t have the slightest idea, though, how to proceed. I contemplate quite often on the words of Jesus:

a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household. Matt 10,36

Not to mention that his entire discourse from chapter 10 is quite strong, to say the least.

They are walking a path I cannot follow. Most of the times I cannot go with them on trips, because they go on weekends, and I don’t want to miss Mass. Even this doesn’t bother them, that Mass is more important then a trip to who knows where, or anything else, for that matter.
God bless!