Talking with dissenting Catholics?

[johnnyc176]

Yet we can also interact with people in different ways, as Paul teaches us…

1 Corinthians 9:19-23 (ESV): For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.

Well we are all sinners so we can’t help to become as one another.

Just to clarify though…the subject of the thread is about dialoging with dissenting Catholics.

My point (going back to the op’s dilemma) is that we can’t be afraid to proclaim the truth because of not wanting to be accused of being judgmental, arrogant, a bigot, etc. JMO but no matter what approach there’s a good chance you are going to be labeled as such simply because at some point you are going to say what the Catholic Church actually teaches. The truth itself is polarizing.

 

[St_Francis]

What is a dissenting catholic? And please don’t say abortion. We all get the abortion thing.

Dissenting Catholics are those who believe one can pick and chose among the teachings of the Church…

Sigh. I guess I just have to accept that from time to time, certain people are going to annoy me by spouting off against the Church.

 

[JohnTomHoc]

I read a comment elsewhere from a dissenting Catholic to an orthodox Catholic that the latter should not be so dismissive of the former’s views in discussion as that dismissiveness was not conducive to conversation.

Since I have had this same sort of thing said to me, I thought I would ask how one is to speak more respectfully to dissenters, esp when the dissenters don’t listen to the orthodox anyway?

I can generally avoid these types of conversation, but I am related to some, and with them it can be harder to avoid these types of conversation, and sometimes I am unable to exit gracefully.

Is it even possible?

Thanks

Our Holy Father is teaching us to pray without ceasing, because without Christ & Him crucified, we can do nothing; and in conversations where we hope to share or defend the teaching of the Church, we assume we have a generic kind of backing from the Holy Spirit. But we need to invoke Him internally on such occasions -- it's possible even to ask a dissenter to say an Our Father beforehand. If the Our Father ruffles them or they begin talking about patriarchy, it may be a short conversation.

Remember that dissent starts with the idea of being a responsible Catholic, and it goes from that responsibility to a sense of independence from the magisterium, and frequently people will appeal to Church history & insist that such-and-such represents a volte face on the part of the Church.

The dissenter is trying to be faithful to SOMETHING that he or she was taught early on as a Catholic; I think that would fall under the gift of wisdom. We need the gifts of the Holy Spirit to see those things and grasp them, in order to make sure that we aren’t putting the weight of conversation on documents, tho’ those may help, nor on our own thoughts, which is a very easy mistake to make, nor even on the shoulders of Peter’s successor. Pope Francis again – Christ is the center, go to Him, all the rest depends on Him.

If you can be used by God to turn a sinner from his ways & save his or her soul from death, that’s a very meritorious work of spiritual mercy.

 

[St_Francis]

Our Holy Father is teaching us to pray without ceasing, because without Christ & Him crucified, we can do nothing; and in conversations where we hope to share or defend the teaching of the Church, we assume we have a generic kind of backing from the Holy Spirit. But we need to invoke Him internally on such occasions – it’s possible even to ask a dissenter to say an Our Father beforehand. If the Our Father ruffles them or they begin talking about patriarchy, it may be a short conversation.

Remember that dissent starts with the idea of being a responsible Catholic, and it goes from that responsibility to a sense of independence from the magisterium, and frequently people will appeal to Church history & insist that such-and-such represents a volte face on the part of the Church.

The dissenter is trying to be faithful to SOMETHING that he or she was taught early on as a Catholic; I think that would fall under the gift of wisdom. We need the gifts of the Holy Spirit to see those things and grasp them, in order to make sure that we aren’t putting the weight of conversation on documents, tho’ those may help, nor on our own thoughts, which is a very easy mistake to make, nor even on the shoulders of Peter’s successor. Pope Francis again – Christ is the center, go to Him, all the rest depends on Him.

If you can be used by God to turn a sinner from his ways & save his or her soul from death, that’s a very meritorious work of spiritual mercy.

Well, my main procedure is to pray for them… bit every so often they start with the comments. One very depressing time I was having a great conversation with a friend and they jumped in with their ideas, totally ruining that conversation and replacing it with a horrible mess.

I don’t think God has it in mind for me to be His instrument, except through prayer. I just sometimes end up feeling very sad and sometimes angry after these conversations, like I don’t bring it up, why should they? especially if they are just doing it to be mean?