Wine, good company and an awkward moment; can you help?

[James_Good]

Greetings

I recently had an unusual experience at a upscale wine bar and restaurant. My wife and I were enjoying a glass of wine and meeting new people when the conversation turned to religion. The conversation included an invitation to go a nondenominational “Church of Christ”. I thanked our new friend and said I was Catholic and suggested he come with us to Church. What surprised me most was his response. He said the Catholic Church was man made and his Church started in 33AD and was the only uncorrupted Church. He went on to lecture me on the corrupted Church I and my Wife belong to. I was tempted to lecture him on how rude it was to insult a persons faith but relented and politely suggested his fact were incorrect and one sided. Having said that he was still interested in seeing us again and even gave us his a contact number. The question is, would it be appropriate to continue this topic or move on with people of common interests.

Thanks , Jim

 

[Fr.Vincent_Serpa]

Hi,

I can’t think of a better topic for discussion. The Lord is giving you an opportunity to witness to your faith. It is not difficult to show the historicity of the Catholic Church. Check out the Apostolic Fathers. To read them is to see how Catholic the early Church was.

See: earlychristianwritings.com/ignatius.html

On Justin, Martyr, See: newadvent.org/cathen/08580c.htm

At the beginning of the second Century the term “Catholic” is first used as a name for the Church.

See: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_term_%22Catholic%22

See: catholic.com/blog/devin-rose/why-catholicism-is-preferable-to-protestantism

Let me know if you need more.

Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P.