Why do non-Catholics send missionaries to Hispanic Catholics?

[rr1213]

I am sure that the Devil is delighted when non believing Hispanics put their faith in God, make Jesus their Lord, denounce sin, become baptised and seek to make the world better. He absolutely loves that sort of thing, I think.

Yes, if Spain was Screwtape’s responsibility I’m sure that Wormwood would not be pleased with this state of things. Might eat him even.

 

[artist3189]

Yes, if Spain was Screwtape’s responsibility I’m sure that Wormwood would not be pleased with this state of things. Might eat him even.

 

[artist3189]

What really bothers me is all these Catholic missionaries from Spain that are being sent to Anglo Saxon Protestant countries.

I know a woman who is an Opus Dei Roman Catholic who is spending her years in the US at a large university trying to convert Protestants to the “one true faith”. I think this is despicable.

Which Anglo Saxon Prot countries??? What does an Opus Dei Roman Catholic mean to you?

 

[JesusforMadrid]

Which Anglo Saxon Prot countries??? What does an Opus Dei Roman Catholic mean to you?

The United States is an Anglo Saxon Protestant Country. I resent all those Roman Catholic missionaries, especially from movements such as Opus Dei, from my country going to the United States to “convert” Protestants to the “one true faith”.

 

[colliric]

What really bothers me is all these Catholic missionaries from Spain that are being sent to Anglo Saxon Protestant countries.

I know a woman who is an Opus Dei Roman Catholic who is spending her years in the US at a large university trying to convert Protestants to the “one true faith”. I think this is despicable.

America is a secular country. Yes it might not seem so, but it is.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_state-established_religions

Protestant Countries:
Denmark
Iceland
Norway
England, and the United Kingdom

 

[rr1213]

America is a secular country. Yes it might not seem so, but it is.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_state-established_religions

Protestant Countries:
Denmark
Iceland
Norway
England, and the United Kingdom

Yes and no. Our Constitution prohibits the establishment of religion and the use of religious tests to hold public office. The Courts have interpreted this as a requirement for the “separation of Church and State” but even that is too simplistic of a description of the situation. On the other hand, our Constitution also prohibits laws that abridge freedom of religion. It is a delicate balance that tips one way at times, then the next. On top of all of this, the populace of the US is one of the most religious in the developed world, whether this is measured by what people believe about God, by weekly church attendence or most any other standard. Although the Catholic Church is the largest religious denomination, the majority of people belong to one of the Protestant denominations and the country has historically been dominated by Protestants.

 

[colliric]

Yes and no. Our Constitution prohibits the establishment of religion and the use of religious tests to hold public office. The Courts have interpreted this as a requirement for the “separation of Church and State” but even that is too simplistic of a description of the situation. On the other hand, our Constitution also prohibits laws that abridge freedom of religion. It is a delicate balance that tips one way at times, then the next. On top of all of this, the populace of the US is one of the most religious in the developed world, whether this is measured by what people believe about God, by weekly church attendance or most any other standard. Although the Catholic Church is the largest religious denomination, the majority of people belong to one of the Protestant denominations and the country has historically been dominated by Protestants.

Regardless it was the first “Secular Country” and therefore it is fine for Catholic Missionaries to be sent there.

 

[kathleenmas]

This has been brought up in the evangelization category, but I would like to hear from non-Catholics why they send missionaries to do mission work and to evangelize in countries or American neighborhoods that are populated predominantly by Hispanic Catholics. I have my hunches but I prefer to have the facts.

HI,
I’m not sure why we send missionaries to hipanic countries, but at least in canada the spanish speaking priests that come here consider they are in a country requiring missionaries.

kathleenmas.

 

[sconea]

Here is another type of evangelical “missionaries” active in Brazil which used to be 99% Catholic.
‘Bishop’ Sonia and her ‘Apostle’ husband are pulling huge numbers of simple people away from the faith and their motives seem more commercial than religious.

There is a lot of this type of thing also going on in other central and South American countries with huge “crusades” in stadiums. I wonder how the bishops there are handling this.

washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/02/AR2007020201964.html

 

[sconea]

Sorry I was unable to edit my post above. The title of this article from the Washington Post link is entitled,
“Brazilians’ Arrest Focuses Scrutiny on Evangelical Groups”

sconea

 

[cubalibre]

I’m new to this forum. Being Cuban I noticed this topic right away. After catching up on the thread since it began I was surprised with how so many of the posts had nothing to do with the original title. A more interesting phenomenon to me is the steady conversion of the Catholic Church in America to a majority hispanic membership. I believe that these hispanic immigrants are helping the American church to recapture many of its traditional practices and strengthening the Church.I believe many of them are converting us here in the United States by their authentic and pious faith. I for one feel enriched when I hear a Mass in Spanish. It makes me aware of the universality of our faith. I heard a mormon missionary say that her attempt to convert Argentinians to Mormonism failed and caused her to abandon Mormonism. I see the greatest danger to our nation is to fall into the secularist mindset of Europe. I wish some of those Latin Americans would immigrate there and bring them back to the Church. I wish I could say that Protestants have tried to convert me. I love a good debate! The sad truth is that many Americans Protestant and Catholic have a very shallow faith. They are easily swayed back and forth and usually can’t explain why.
Saludos,
cubalibre

 

[Allweather]

I’m new to this forum. Being Cuban I noticed this topic right away. After catching up on the thread since it began I was surprised with how so many of the posts had nothing to do with the original title. A more interesting phenomenon to me is the steady conversion of the Catholic Church in America to a majority hispanic membership. I believe that these hispanic immigrants are helping the American church to recapture many of its traditional practices and strengthening the Church.I believe many of them are converting us here in the United States by their authentic and pious faith. I for one feel enriched when I hear a Mass in Spanish. It makes me aware of the universality of our faith. I heard a mormon missionary say that her attempt to convert Argentinians to Mormonism failed and caused her to abandon Mormonism. I see the greatest danger to our nation is to fall into the secularist mindset of Europe. I wish some of those Latin Americans would immigrate there and bring them back to the Church. I wish I could say that Protestants have tried to convert me. I love a good debate! The sad truth is that many Americans Protestant and Catholic have a very shallow faith. They are easily swayed back and forth and usually can’t explain why.
Saludos,
cubalibre

I absolutely agree with everything you say, cubalibre. I live in a state where I, an anglo, am in the minority. The Catholicism here is MUCH more orthodox and fervent than in other places I’ve lived, that had a lower proportion of population hispanic.

I see the influx of Catholics from our southern neighbors as a very positive thing for American Catholicism. We are being energized.

Also, my ex-Mormon fiance’s sister has two sons presently in south America on missions. Both of them send email reports every few days, which I read. The harvest for them is very, very slim. They are complaining of extremely poor attendance at church. No baptisms. Praise the Lord!

 

[Beno]

I’m new to this forum. Being Cuban I noticed this topic right away. After catching up on the thread since it began I was surprised with how so many of the posts had nothing to do with the original title. A more interesting phenomenon to me is the steady conversion of the Catholic Church in America to a majority hispanic membership. I believe that these hispanic immigrants are helping the American church to recapture many of its traditional practices and strengthening the Church.I believe many of them are converting us here in the United States by their authentic and pious faith. I for one feel enriched when I hear a Mass in Spanish. It makes me aware of the universality of our faith…

cubalibre, it is good to see another member to this forum. On behalf of the other forum members, I give you an unofficial welcome. I also thought that this thread got side-tracked mnay times, but I have been learning quite a bit as a result of it. Your addition to this thread gives me a thought to open a new thread regarding Spanish language Masses in America if it hasn’t already been covered. Thanks for the inspiration.

 

[Beno]

What really bothers me is all these Catholic missionaries from Spain that are being sent to Anglo Saxon Protestant countries…QUOTE]
JesusforMadrid, I appreaciate your posts to this thread, but you have officially hijacked it cover the topic that you want discussed. You changed the title to: “Why do Catholics send missionaries to Anglo Saxon Protestants.?” I saw this coming at your first post (#3) to this thread. Perhaps you would like to officially start your own thread elsewhere. I am sure that we can all give you plenty of answers to your question that you will in turn refute.

 

[Beno]

What really bothers me is all these Catholic missionaries from Spain that are being sent to Anglo Saxon Protestant countries.

I know a woman who is an Opus Dei Roman Catholic who is spending her years in the US at a large university trying to convert Protestants to the “one true faith”. I think this is despicable.

JesusforMadrid, while I have benefitted from your responses, it appears that you have successfully hijacked this thread by retitling it to ask a question that you want the answer to. Might I suggest bringing up your question in a new thread or as a post to a thread that covers the question you are asking. I am sure that you will receive plenty of responses that you can then continue to refute.

 

[JesusforMadrid]

JesusforMadrid, while I have benefitted from your responses, it appears that you have successfully hijacked this thread by retitling it to ask a question that you want the answer to. Might I suggest bringing up your question in a new thread or as a post to a thread that covers the question you are asking. I am sure that you will receive plenty of responses that you can then continue to refute.

Beno, actually I was being completely facetious. It is of course ridiculous to say that Roman Catholic missionaries should not evangelise in the US, the UK or Scandinavia because those are “Protestant countries”. Likewise, it is also ridiculous to criticise Protestants for evangelising in traditionally “Roman Catholic” countries.

Those who don’t agree with me are implicitly applying a double standard.

It cuts both ways. Sorry if my irony was not sufficiently obvious. I think it is great that RCs evangelise everywhere, just as I think it is great that Protestants evangelise everywhere. I have faith in the people who are evangelised and in a Holy Spirit who leads them to the truth.

 

[rr1213]

Regardless it was the first “Secular Country” and therefore it is fine for Catholic Missionaries to be sent there.

Abolutely. The US is a free country and it is entirely within the rights of the Catholic Church and any other Church to evangelize here. More interesting are the response of Catholics in this thread, and in other threads, who seem to think that this is a one way street…*that freedom exists only for Catholics and not for evangelicals and how DARE those Protestants evangelize a CATHOLIC country? * Freedom of religion, including freedom to evangelize, is a fundamental human right and if you deny it to faiths with which you disagree you are engaging in nothing less than tyranny.

 

[Allweather]

Abolutely. The US is a free country and it is entirely within the rights of the Catholic Church and any other Church to evangelize here. More interesting are the response of Catholics in this thread, and in other threads, who seem to think that this is a one way street…*that freedom exists only for Catholics and not for evangelicals and how DARE those Protestants evangelize a CATHOLIC country? * Freedom of religion, including freedom to evangelize, is a fundamental human right and if you deny it to faiths with which you disagree you are engaging in nothing less than tyranny.

I agree. BUT the Protestants, IMO, by their insisting upon being separated from the Church, are opening doors for the more extreme cults. The divisions, none of which is desired by the Catholic Church, are a scandal before the world. Our resources are spread thin, our message is adulterated, we are wasting our time and energy fighting amongst ourselves. Meanwhile, the cults are stealing millions, and often using the Catholic-Protestant divisions as proof that THEY represent the true faith.

 

[rr1213]

I agree. BUT the Protestants, IMO, by their insisting upon being separated from the Church, are opening doors for the more extreme cults. The divisions, none of which is desired by the Catholic Church, are a scandal before the world. Our resources are spread thin, our message is adulterated, we are wasting our time and energy fighting amongst ourselves. Meanwhile, the cults are stealing millions, and often using the Catholic-Protestant divisions as proof that THEY represent the true faith.

I can’t dispute this point. That’s why it makes sense for Catholics and non-Catholic Christians to coordinate and cooperate on evangelization. Unfortunately, there are some people on both sides of this Catholic/non-Catholic split who would see such cooperation as betraying the Gospel message as they believe their respective Churches to teach that message.

 

[artist3189]

The United States is an Anglo Saxon Protestant Country. I resent all those Roman Catholic missionaries, especially from movements such as Opus Dei, from my country going to the United States to “convert” Protestants to the “one true faith”.

JesusforMadrid, what are you talking about, this makes no sense. ‘YOU’ resent? Firstly, the whole world is being re-evangelized by Protestants, so what’s your problem. They are working hardest in predominately Catholic countries, is ***THAT ***OK by you or should the Protestants stay out of Latin America etc? And WHAT do you mean by “especially from movements such as Opus Dei from YOUR country going to the United States to convert”, what on earth are you talking about, Opus Dei is a relatively small organization, that isn’t some huge, well organized evangelizing machine. It sounds to me what we have here is a “DaVinci Code” groupie that sees conspiracy in tea leaves. …So, answer my question, does the fact that the Protestants are re-evangelizing Catholic countries bother you, is that something you 'resent"?