Wait, Catholics evangelize?

[TheRealJuliane]

Mother Theresa was one of the best Catholic evangelists ever, and she would not like that label.

 

[raaucoin]

Today I read Cardinal-designate Dolan’s address to the Holy Father and the college of cardinals on the New Evangelization. It was very inspiring. Catholic news Service has the full text of the address. I highly recommend it(for reading and reflection).

 

[Inego_de_Loyola]

Today I read Cardinal-designate Dolan’s address to the Holy Father and the college of cardinals on the New Evangelization. It was very inspiring. Catholic news Service has the full text of the address. I highly recommend it(for reading and reflection).

Do you have a link?

 

[DebChris]

“Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words.” - St. Francis of Assisi

Catholics evangelize by living their lives according to the faith… now, not all Catholics are living that life but that is, I do believe, what Catholic evangelization is supposed to look like.

When a televangelist asked the question, “How many people have you brought to Christ?” my mother softly answered, “At least six.” We do not always know how loudly our actions speak or how many people are reached by the life they see us living. Those whom my mother brought into the Church were impressed by the “love of our family.”

Cursillo would phrase this type of evangelization (small e as opposed to big e) as “Make a friend. Be a friend. Bring a friend to Christ.” Before we talk to another person about God, we need to first talk to God about that person.

 

[Zundrah]

This may seem odd from someone in RCIA…but almost all of us are there because we married a Catholic.

I can honestly say I’ve never been approached by a Catholic for conversion.

Mormons? Yes. Born again? Yes. Chabad Lubavitch? Yes. Baptists? Yes.

Catholics? Never.

What exactly does Catholic evangelism entail and how does it differ form any of the above? or does it consist solely of marrying non-Catholics? Its definitely a fun way…but perhaps not so efficient!

And why have I never heard of Catholic evangelicism?

If you had met me when I was Catholic, you’d have wished you didn’t. I preached like the stereo type of a motor mouth Baptist.

 

[paperwight66]

If you had met me when I was Catholic, you’d have wished you didn’t. I preached like the stereo type of a motor mouth Baptist.

Zundrah, don’t mislead people. You were never a Catholic. You said yourself on another thread that you had had two tries at RCIA but had not gone through with it.

 

[Zundrah]

Zundrah, don’t mislead people. You were never a Catholic. You said yourself on another thread that you had had two tries at RCIA but had not gone through with it.

RCIA doesn’t make you Catholic. It confirms you into the Church.

 

[joanofarc2008]

RCIA doesn’t make you Catholic. It confirms you into the Church.

Yes but whether or not you had a full understanding of the faith considering you chose not to go through with the fullness of the Sacraments remains the question. One would say the Baptism of desire would only apply to those that had the desire.

 

[Zundrah]

Yes but whether or not you had a full understanding of the faith considering you chose not to go through with the fullness of the Sacraments remains the question. One would say the Baptism of desire would only apply to those that had the desire.

I had reasons I left RCIA towards the end and it was nothing to do with the teachings of the Church.

I’d like to point out that completing RCIA or leaving it has no way of hindering a persons ability to preach what they believe.

This post of yours and paperwight66’s are completely irrelevant.

 

[Inego_de_Loyola]

That assumes she hasn’t already been baptized. I believe as a methodist she would have been validly baptized in the trinitarian formula.

 

[Inego_de_Loyola]

Zundrah, don’t mislead people. You were never a Catholic. You said yourself on another thread that you had had two tries at RCIA but had not gone through with it.

RCIA doesn’t make you Catholic. It confirms you into the Church.

Yes but whether or not you had a full understanding of the faith considering you chose not to go through with the fullness of the Sacraments remains the question. One would say the Baptism of desire would only apply to those that had the desire.

I believe that you are forgetting the possibility that she may be already baptized.

 

[joanofarc2008]

I had reasons I left RCIA towards the end and it was nothing to do with the teachings of the Church.

I’d like to point out that completing RCIA or leaving it has no way of hindering a persons ability to preach what they believe.

This post of yours and paperwight66’s are completely irrelevant.

OK, then for purposes of evangelization why would you not choose the Eucharist and Confirmation in order to experience the fullness of the faith but still evangelize the faith. I am confused.

 

[Zundrah]

OK, then for purposes of evangelization why would you not choose the Eucharist and Confirmation in order to experience the fullness of the faith but still evangelize the faith. I am confused.

That’s totally off the bat. I have personal reasons. I said I didn’t leave for faith reasons.

 

[joanofarc2008]

That’s totally off the bat. I have personal reasons. I said I didn’t leave for faith reasons.

But it really isn’t. For someone to evangelize they need to be reflecting the practices of the faith. How can one reflect the faith without the Sacramental life? This is part of the point of New Evangelization. Is there something we can do to help you unite with the Sacraments?

 

[Zundrah]

But it really isn’t. For someone to evangelize they need to be reflecting the practices of the faith. How can one reflect the faith without the Sacramental life? This is part of the point of New Evangelization.

I preached like I did when I was Methodist, except clearly I was saying slightly different things. I’d never stop ranting about it. It was topic #1 always.

Is there something we can do to help you unite with the Sacraments?

Probably not, which is why I’ve refrained from mentioning it.

 

[joanofarc2008]

I preached like I did when I was Methodist, except clearly I was saying slightly different things. I’d never stop ranting about it. It was topic #1 always.

Probably not, which is why I’ve refrained from mentioning it.

How can you evangelize Catholicism without mentioning the Sacraments. The Eucharist is the source and summit of ecclesial life. It is the Sacrament of Reconciliation that allows us to take part in it. Maybe it is you who are off the bat with your comments. Maybe it is you that do not have a full understanding. We simply cannot transmit something we do not have. Please go back to RCIA, learn what must be learned, experience the full meaning of Christ, and then evangelize.

 

[Zundrah]

How can you evangelize Catholicism without mentioning the Sacraments. The Eucharist is the source and summit of ecclesial life. It is the Sacrament of Reconciliation that allows us to take part in it. Maybe it is you who are off the bat with your comments. Maybe it is you that do not have a full understanding. We simply cannot transmit something we do not have. Please go back to RCIA, learn what must be learned, experience the full meaning of Christ, and then evangelize.

Such anger. It has no grounds.

 

[joanofarc2008]

Such anger. It has no grounds.

There is no anger there it is simple fact that you are evangelizing the faith in an improper way by your own admission. This is why people that are not able to receive Eucharist are not generally allowed to do public ministry.

 

[Zundrah]

There is no anger there it is simple fact that you are evangelizing the faith in an improper way by your own admission. This is why people that are not able to receive Eucharist are not generally allowed to do public ministry.

Nothing I taught was in error. That’s very simple.

 

[joanofarc2008]

Nothing I taught was in error. That’s very simple.

Then could you please tell me how you can evangelize the Church message without the Sacraments when the Eucharist is the source and the summit of all ecclesial life because what you are saying makes no sense unless you are not taught that the Eucharist the source and the summit of all ecclesial life or unless you are admitting you are not evangelizing as a Catholic.