Strategies for Returning to the [Catholic] Church

CE.com ^ | 01-11-18 | James Day

[Salvation]

Strategies for Returning to the Church

James Day

Our world is a fallen world. The effects of sin seem to be suffocating us. The diabolical is running rampant, unleashed, playing with immortal souls as if puppets on a string. Pride continues to dominate; repentance for anything is deemed archaic, of little use to today’s enlightened thinking.

Certainly this is not the positive language one wants to hear at the outset of a new year, when expectations and resolutions are running high. But all is not really so dire: the diabolical and pervasive sin has not crushed the divine light. “My Immaculate Heart will triumph,” promises the Lady of Fatima. There is a reason the Church opens a new year honoring the Mother of God: obedience to accepting one’s mission in life is the most daunting — and exciting — prospect we face on this earth. We have a guidebook in how to do it through Mary’s fiat.

Perhaps over holiday festivities and the euphoria — and stress — of families coming together, some readers might have encountered resistance from relatives regarding the graces offered in entering the mystery of faith during this holy season. Whether it was avoidance from some in either attending Christmas Mass or praying before a Christmas dinner, such discomforts surely existed. While certainly everyone is different, with their own freedom and right to privacy, perhaps there are some of you readers whose own children—raised in the Catholic faith you so diligently sought to instill in them — want nothing to do with it anymore. It is to this element I wish to address.

In my own experience, generally speaking, I have found degrees of toleration from lapsed or non-Catholics regarding matters of the faith — they know the Catholic Church continues to play an enormous part in global affairs while recalling their own experiences either through schooling or parish life. I have found that while the pervading motif of the millennial generation is a general shunning towards organized religion and regular church attendance, there yet remains a desire for an experience of the transcendent. And that desire is the silver lining.

Unfortunately, committed Catholics are not always quite the fearless galvanized evangelizers that each one is called to be. Marveling that St. Francis de Sales converted 40,000 is usually met with a shrug: “Well, that’s why he’s a saint.” But that’s the precisely the mentality that needs to change.

A Jesuit once posed in a homily, “Listen to conversations. How long does it take before God is ever mentioned?” Out of not wanting to create controversy, God is never mentioned. When he is, or when the Church is mentioned, Catholics are immediately put on the defensive. We can stay silent, letting the Uber driver, for example, have his say about the occultish practice of Catholics (as I experienced recently), or we can defend Holy Mother Church, as we would defend our own mother, and begin a conversation. The faith is not part of the pie of life. It is the pie.

I have come to believe that, in this era, accommodation will not work. Appeasing the culture may seem like a conciliatory gesture, but those on the opposite side most probably will not respect such compromise—even if they do not agree with the position in question. In reading Paul Kengor’s new book, A Pope and a President, on President Reagan and Pope St. John Paul II’s battles against communism, the consistency in the Church’s long running condemnation of communism as far back as Pius IX is impressive. The Church may have apologized for grievous actions throughout its long history, but it has never apologized for being magnificent.

So, how to engage your lapsed love one on returning to the Church? After all, that is our sole duty—to grow into our authentic selves, made in the image of God, and safeguard our immortal souls and those of others towards eternal life. Remembering we can only extend an invitation, a proposal, respecting the freedom of others, here are some strategies:

I: Know Thyself

Be yourself a model of virtue.

Live the Gospel, avoiding hypocrisy, condemnation of others, descent into pettiness. If you consider yourself a Catholic first and desire others to feel that same zeal, your example is the best model. Just like Mary.

Avoid “preaching.”

Respectfully engage in conversation in whatever topic arises. Listen to the other person. Avoid shouting or screaming. Do not let a discussion become an argument or a fight. But know the teachings rather than relying on your own emotions in the heat of the moment.

Pray constantly (1 Thessalonians 5:16).

Read Scripture daily, particularly the Gospels, alone or with family. Have the Catechism handy. Always be reading a spiritual work. Your own edification will inevitably seep into your own worldview. Petition the Trinity for guidance. Ask saints for intercession. Call on the Blessed Mother multiple times a day.

Know your own spiritual story.

What were the integral moments for you in your faith formation? Where did God reveal Himself? Write your own spiritual autobiography in a way that you find creative and inspiring. “Know thyself” is not just an ancient Greek saying. It’s vital to one’s own development.

“Pray the Mass,” as St. Pius X instructs.

Throw your fears and pains onto the altar. Bow your head at the Consecration; respect the Real Presence of Jesus Christ.

II: Extend an Invitation

Know the story of your lapsed child or loved one.

“Communication is simply mutual understanding,” says Stephen R. Covey. You have to care about who they are, where they’ve been, and where they want to go — while you are called to evangelize, you cannot treat them as an agenda, a project. In this way, study Ignatian spirituality for insight on the discernment of spirits. You are always an unofficial spiritual director to someone!

Find common ground.

There are many launching points one can meet due to the richness of the Catholic faith. Unfortunately, many lapsed Catholics have a distorted or misinformed view of the faith, just as many in the Protestant and evangelical world have a Reformation-era concept of the papacy. Much time may be spent on clearing the cobwebs on the reality of the Catholic Church today. Yes, corruption and scandal and atrocities have weakened the moral authority of the Church. But there is a difference between human failings and the Church as founded by Christ handed to Saint Peter (Matthew 16:18). That needs to be made clear. (See Joseph Ratzinger, “Why I Am Still in the Church.”)

Nurture their interests.

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Luke 12:34). Getting to know your loved one authentically and establishing common ground will offer new avenues of appreciation. Are they artists, musicians, poets, writers? Michelangelo, Gaudi, chant, or the great classics of literature offer beautiful immersive experiences in the Catholic worldview.

Pope Francis has been an inspiration for those of any background, through his environment work, Laudato Si, or his call for activism towards migrants, refugees, the disenfranchised.

Connect them with possibly like minded individuals who might continue the conversation, depending on their interests: educators, bioethicists, Father Spitzer’s Magis Institute on science, faith, and reason. Historical subjects on the veracity of Jesus: the Shroud of Turin, for example (see Ian Wilson’s The Shroud, among others).

Give your lapsed child or loved one Matthew Kelly’s Rediscover Catholicism or a similar book that perhaps impacted you. Rediscover appeals to the mainstream, ringing distant bells they would have remembered growing up Catholic. In many ways, that book is an appetizer to what awaits.

Bottom line: communicate the resources provided by so many apostolates—there is something for everyone. Many of those actively engaged in the mission of salvation, the mission of the Church, were once lapsed themselves. Just ask St. Augustine, Dorothy Day, or many great evangelizers in our day and age.

Invite your lapsed child or loved one to Confession.

It’s a challenging invitation. But you’ve at least put it out there. At the same time, do not let the graces of Confession become distorted. While one receives absolution, authentic penance comes when one’s life is turned around. So often the thought is that a few “Hail Marys” and “Our Fathers” is all the Church demands for conciliation. Actually, one must authentically set out determined to begin anew, a new person, transformed. Vinny Flynn’s 7 Secrets of Confession is a powerful little book for guidance.

Extend an invitation to Mass.

Bring an extra copy of Magnificat or a book with daily readings and give your loved one a copy. Sit up close. And then pray the Mass. Together.

Give your loved one Benedict XVI’s Jesus of Nazareth.

Along with the timelessness of the Scriptures themselves, this trilogy is written for people of our time to rediscover Christ. It is some of the most staggering spiritual reading you will encounter.

III: Going Forward

Three very simple, practical steps:

• 1.) Offer help in introducing your loved one to parish resources in their diocese, again contingent on their own discernment of spirits, perhaps even establishing a regular meeting with a spiritual director.
• 2.) In a quiet moment, offer to pray with them, calling specifically on the Holy Family for guidance.
• 3.) Finally, ask them to pray for you.

Happy New Year!

[Elsie]

MEGO³

[Mark17]

Why would I want to trust my soul to a bunch of false prophets?

Ouch, that’s going to leave a scar. I can’t believe I was involved in it at one time. When I got saved, my family had a funeral for me. Now, two of my sisters have come to faith in the real Jesus of the Bible, not the Jesus of the cults. I am just not into “other gospels”

[metmom]

You still do not understand “virgin birth”, just like your opinions and misunderstandings of the teachings of the Catholic Church as preached verbally by Jesus Christ and the apostles and later written in the books of the Bible.

On the contrary, the prophecy says that a virgin shall conceive and bear a son.

It doesn't say anywhere that she'll remain a virgin through the birth process.

That's only necessary to support Catholicism's doctrine of the perpetual virginity of Mary, which is not ever even alluded to in Scripture.

Scripture is clear that Mary and Joseph had normal marital relations and other children as a result.

Just like the phrases *God the Son* and Mary, mother of God* are nowhere found in Scripture, neither is the phrase *virgin birth*

[metmom]

Romans 5:20 Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,

[aMorePerfectUnion]

.

[ravenwolf]

MEGO 3
..........
Yeah??

[ravenwolf]

MEGO 3
..........
Yeah??

[Mom MD]

The only thing Scripture states is she remained a virgin until Christ was born. After that nothing is said specifically but Christ’s brothers are referred to in some places. All the evidence is Mary and Joseph became a normal married couple once Christ was born. Of course it really doesnt matter unless you want to create an entire mythical concept of Mary and raise her to “queen of heaven” and other blasphemous titles.....

[Luircin]

And you can judge all the non-Catholics in the world?

How arrogant.

I simply point out that the actions of the Romanist hierarchy are bearing the marks of false prophets and the spirit of antichrist.

I don’t know why some people here are more upset that I’m refusing to be Catholic because of the Catholic hierarchy protecting child molesters than that the Catholic hierarchy actually protected child molesters.

[imardmd1]

Unfortunately, you are apparently not even aware of your confusion. I gave you the keys to it. Now apply.

[Luircin]

You said it.

And they claim that they don’t worship Mary, only to yell at us that we’re ‘blaspheming the mother of God.’ At least they have on other threads.

Crazy, innit it?

[daniel1212]

Looks too much in form like one of those old prolix paragraph papal encyclicals!

[daniel1212]

So you have proof of the sinning? Just your personal opinion.

By claiming an exceptional exception to the norm, the burden of proof is upon you to prove she did not sin. It is simply incongruous that the Holy Spirit would not state that Mary was one of the only persons besides Christ that was sinless, or record perpetual Marian virginity (PMV), seeing that He characteristically records notable exceptions to the norm by even great to lesser characters, from extreme age (Methuselah), to excess size, fingers (Goliath), strength (Samson), barrenness (Hannah), a celibate marriage (David and Abishag), prolonged celibacy (Anna), ascetic diet (John the Baptist), the supernatural transport of Phillip, the singleness of Paul and Barnabas, and uncharacteristic duplicity of Peter, and the surpassing labor and suffering of Paul, birth by a virgin (Mary), to Christ being sinless, which is mentioned at least thrice.

Christ gave His Apostles the command to Preach and Baptize and to bind and loose, and the Holy spirit would be the protector of the Catholic church until the end of time.

Where is the promise of ensured perpetual magisterial infallibility as per Rome. Promising the church will prevail against the gates of Hell and to lead into all Truth does not mean the church can never teach error, while to the degree that a church retains and preaches the convicting gospel of grace, of salvation by grave thru heart-purifying, justifying faith, then they are part of the church which the Lord promised would overcome the gates of Hell, that being the body of Christ, (Colossians 1:18) the one true church to which He is married, (Ephesians 5:25) the "household of faith," (Galatians 6:10) which uniquely only always consists 100% of true believers, and which spiritual body of Christ is what the Spirit baptizes ever believer into, (1Co. 12:13) while organic fellowships in which they express their faith inevitably become admixtures of wheat and tares, with Catholicism and liberal Protestantism being mostly the latter.

Is your RC argument is that an assuredly (if conditionally) infallible magisterium is essential for determination and assurance of Truth (including writings and men being of God) and to fulfill promises of Divine presence, providence of Truth, and preservation of faith, and authority.

And that being the historical instruments and stewards of Divine revelation (oral and written) means that Rome is that assuredly infallible magisterium. Thus any who knowingly dissent from the latter must be in rebellion to God? It seems that is what RCs basically argue.

[af_vet_1981]

Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?
Gal 3:3b

"Flesh" is a reference to unregenerate, weak, human nature. Trying to achieve righteousness by works (such as circumcision - and a WHOLE HOST of such works that people on this thread believe will make the difference for them) or, life in the “flesh.”

"Flesh" in this instance is a reference to Gentiles being physically circumcised (the flesh of the foreskin being cut off) and keeping the law of Moses with their bodies. In other instances it is as you noted. The book of Galatians was written to correct the false teaching that the Gentiles needed to be circumcised and keep the law of Moses to be saved.

O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain. He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

...

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love. Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?

Galatians, Catholic chapter three, Protestant verses one to five,
Galatians, Catholic chapter five, Protestant verses one to seven,
as authorized, but not authored, by King James

[daniel1212]

ohn 6: 53”Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. 54Whoever eats* my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. 55For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.”

Sop to be consistent with the literal understanding of such which Caths insist is the correct one, you must conclude that those who deny the Catholic "Real Presence" and do not partake of it do not and cannot have spiritual life within them, nor eternal life, unless they believe and practice as Catholics do concerning this. Do you confirm or dent this and why. Meanwhile see here (by God's grace) to save typing refuting the Catholic contrivance of the Lord's supper, which is not what is seen in the only wholly inspired substantive record of what the NT church believed (including how they understood the gospels).

May you find God’s peace and lose your cynicism about the Catholic Church and Faith.

I was a active weekly mass - going and serving RC who found God’s grace in seeing and experiencing the contrast of Rome with living evangelical faith, and see the contrast with the NT church (and my own) even more clearly since i left, by God's grace.

[metmom]

Matthew 1:18-25 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.

But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.

Psalm 69:8 I have become a stranger to my brothers, an alien to my mother's sons.

Matthew 12:46-47 While He was still speaking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers were standing outside, seeking to speak to Him. And someone said to Him, “Behold, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside seeking to speak to You.”

Matthew 13:55 “Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary, and His brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?”

Mark 6:2-3 And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue; and the many listeners were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things, and what is this wisdom given to Him, and such miracles as these performed by His hands?”... “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James, and Joses, and Judas, and Simon? Are not His sisters here with us?”

John 2:12 After this He went down to Capernaum, He and His mother, and His brothers, and His disciples; and there they stayed a few days.”

Acts 1:14 These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers

1 Corinthians 9:4-5 Do we not have a right to eat and drink? Do we not have a right to take along a believing wife, even as the rest of the apostles, and the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?

Galatians 1:19 But I did not see any other of the apostles except James, the Lord’s brother

[metmom]

If we don’t work towards our salvation together, then many of us will not achieve salvation.

Salvation is an individual thing, not a group project.

Every man is accountable for himself alone. He's not accountable for anyone else's actions, nor is anyone else accountable for his.

Salvation is found in Jesus Christ alone.

Doesn't matter what the rest of the world is doing.

[daniel1212]

This will likely be of interest to you also re Képhas http://beggarsallreformation.blogspot.com/2010/11/built-on-sinking-sand-scriptural.html

[daniel1212]

You can either accept or reject it. To me when one rejects the Catholic Church, he is rejecting Christ.

Absolute nonsense. That is NOT found ANYWHERE in Scripture. That is a Catholic fabrication designed to force people to submit to it.

Never underestimate what a Catholic imagines he can extrapolate out of Scripture.

[metmom]

It’s no wonder they throw the charge of *YOPIOS* out so often.

They are projecting.