Skip to comments.
Strategies for Returning to the [Catholic] Church
CE.com ^
| 01-11-18
| James Day
Posted on 01/11/2018 6:54:52 PM PST by 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 todays 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 ones 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 Marys 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 childrenraised 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, thats why hes a saint. But thats 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 compromiseeven if they do not agree with the position in question. In reading Paul Kengors new book, A Pope and a President, on President Reagan and Pope St. John Paul IIs battles against communism, the consistency in the Churchs 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 dutyto 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. Its vital to ones 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 theyve 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 Spitzers Magis Institute on science, faith, and reason. Historical subjects on the veracity of Jesus: the Shroud of Turin, for example (see Ian Wilsons The Shroud, among others).
Give your lapsed child or loved one Matthew Kellys 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 apostolatesthere 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.
Its a challenging invitation. But youve 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 ones 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 Flynns 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 XVIs 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!
TOPICS: Apologetics; Catholic; History; Theology
KEYWORDS: catholic; evangelization; prayer
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 441-460, 461-480, 481-500 ... 661-674 next last
To: Iscool
To: Iscool
462
posted on
01/16/2018 7:31:06 AM PST
by
metmom
( ...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith..)
To: imardmd1
There are two different Greek words.
.........................................
Yes, but he is just making it up because cephas
Is not greek, it is the language Jesus spoke at
Least according to the ones in the know.
Either Hebrew or Aramaic, the scripture was Wrote
in Greek, but in John 1 the writer left cephas in
the hebrew or Aramaic.
Most likely to keep hot shot professors from denying
that Jesus called Simon the rock.
It is so childish for some one to make up stuff like
small stone and large stone, why not just except what
Jesus said?
I have always wondered if Jesus was referring to himself
in Mathew when he said I will build my church on this rock.
and mostly have excepted it as true but I see no need to
add to it and try to push it down people’s throats who
don’t see it like that.
But I have heard the Catholic antagonists twist so much
scripture it is hard to believe that it comes from a god
fearing human being.
If you want to argue with the Catholic doctrine there is
enough room for that with out saying any thing that will
insult st Peter or Mary, they did nothing to have all of
this stupid stuff brought on them.
I all so get to feeling ashamed of my self when I am dealing
with the likes of imardmd1 so the only thing I can do is quit
and let him have the last word.
463
posted on
01/16/2018 7:39:20 AM PST
by
ravenwolf
(Left lane tdrivers and tailgaters are the smallest peabrains in the world.)
To: metmom; aMorePerfectUnion; boatbums; Iscool; MHGinTN
To: Elsie
We’ve no record of what these folks said.
.............................................
I bet it would be interesting, I would think that an experience of that type would make people’s faith unshakable.
465
posted on
01/16/2018 7:55:49 AM PST
by
ravenwolf
(Left lane tdrivers and tailgaters are the smallest peabrains in the world.)
To: metmom
Read it again! You may learn something about the authority of the Catholic Church.
Then again, some minds may be already made up and feel superior to God the Father based on their man-made religion of Sola fide and Sola Scriptura.
The Protestant idea of the “Bible alone” (sola scriptura) is, ironically, nowhere in the Bible. On the contrary, the Bible speaks of an infallible Sacred Tradition and an infallible Church that has authority to interpret Scripture. The Bible even warns against sola scriptura.
“[I]f he refuses to listen even to the Church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (Matt. 18:15-18).
“He who hears you hears me, and he who rejects you rejects me, and he who rejects me rejects him who sent me” (Luke 10:16).
“[W]hen you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers” (1 Thess. 2:13).
“So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter” (2 Thess. 2:15).
https://www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/sola-scriptura-is-unscriptural
466
posted on
01/16/2018 8:55:39 AM PST
by
ADSUM
To: Iscool
You may seek God’s Truth through the Catholic church and not through a man-made heretical church(s). You are allowed to believe what you want, but one’s salvation depends on one seeking the Truth. You assume facts not in evidence - just your personal opinion.
God by definition cannot sin because he is perfect goodness itself. It would be a logical contradiction for God to violate his perfectly good and perfectly rational nature.
So if it is impossible for God to sin, then it was impossible for Jesus to sin because Jesus is God.
Certainly Jesus was tempted, but he did not sin and His Mother was spared from Original sin from her parents through the grace of God. the Blessed Mother followed the will of God as an obedient servant and did not sin.
Thomas Aquinas did not start a man-made church, but interpreted the teachings of Jesus as delegated to the Catholic Church.
467
posted on
01/16/2018 9:14:45 AM PST
by
ADSUM
To: ravenwolf; Mark17
I all so get to feeling ashamed of my self when I am dealing with the likes of imardmd1 so the only thing I can do is quit and let him have the last word. Or you can admit that you are not correcting imardmd1, But rather you are correcting the Holy Spirit, and the Apostles John, Peter, and Paul whose writings say to the Bible translators and myself that Kayfas (Cephas) and Petros are one and the same in context, and mean stone; whereas Sela and Petra are the same in context, and mean rock, no matter what your opinion might be. As I have said before, your ramblings do not deserve the attention that they have been given, but out of compassion my other affairs have been set aside to freely give you that attention. But that cannot continue without some kind of quid pro quo return from the effort.
468
posted on
01/16/2018 9:54:07 AM PST
by
imardmd1
(Fiat Lux)
To: ADSUM
On the contrary, the Bible speaks of an infallible Sacred Tradition and an infallible Church that has authority to interpret Scripture. The Bible even warns against sola scriptura. Show us the verses.
Show us the verses that say *Catholic church*, and *sacred tradition*.
Prove to us what the traditions are of which Paul spoke. Prove that they came directly from the apostles and that they were passed down faithfully without corruption.
God tells us in His word that Scripture provides everything we need to be complete as a man or woman of God.
2 Timothy 3:14-17 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
469
posted on
01/16/2018 10:30:21 AM PST
by
metmom
( ...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith..)
To: ADSUM; Iscool
You may seek Gods Truth through the Catholic church and not through a man-made heretical church(s). People may seek it through the Catholic church, but they won't find it. We don't seek God's truth through ANY church.
It's found in His word.
John 17:17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.
470
posted on
01/16/2018 10:34:14 AM PST
by
metmom
( ...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith..)
To: metmom; ADSUM
Not to mention the loads upon loads of blatant contradictions or Scripture that the Romanists have in their laws.
Apparently obedience to the Word of God is optional for Catholics.
Doesn’t even matter if they add ‘sacred tradition’ to the Word or not; if they contradict the Word, the Catholics are wrong.
And they do.
471
posted on
01/16/2018 10:53:07 AM PST
by
Luircin
To: metmom
See post 446
What I find fascinating in speaking with non-Catholics about this is almost all of them agree with a Catholic understanding here when it comes to the authority of Jesus. But here is what they almost universally miss: Just about every time the New Testament reveals the radical nature of Christs authority, you will find in close proximity Christ then giving a similar authority to the Church.
Matt. 28:18-20:
All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age (the implication is go with my authority).
https://www.catholic.com/magazine/online-edition/how-can-the-church-teach-angels
Your comment: “God tells us in His word that Scripture provides everything we need to be complete as a man or woman of God.”
But you ignore these words of Jesus: “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.”
Tim. 3:14-15:
I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these instructions to you so that, if I am delayed, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark (foundation) of the truth.
Notice, this last text is given in the context of St. Paul describing some of the offices of the Church; namely, the bishop and the deacon (i.e. earlier in chapter 3).
St. Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians
The above represent very plain texts. And there are many more we could consider. But for our purpose here, consider St. Pauls letter to the Ephesians. In chapter 1, St. Paul says plainly that the Church is the fullness of Christ in the world today; thus, to reject the Church is to reject Christ:
Eph. 1:20-23:
[God] raised [Christ] from the dead and made him sit at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come; and he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
In chapter 2, St. Paul tells us the Church is the foundation of our faith (specifically, it says “the apostles and prophets” are the foundation, with Jesus Christ “being the cornerstone”), similar to what he said in I Tim. 3:15:
472
posted on
01/16/2018 11:00:44 AM PST
by
ADSUM
To: metmom
You cannot expect someone so dependent upon priestly empowerment to understand what you so clearly communicated. Such priestly ‘power’ will continue to lead people down the hell-bound works road.
473
posted on
01/16/2018 11:30:10 AM PST
by
MHGinTN
(A dispensational perspective is a powerful tool for discernment)
To: ADSUM
This plea will be rejected at the great white throne of your judgment: “as delegated to the Catholic Church”. Jesus did not vest power in an institution. The word church is better translated ‘body of believers saved by His Grace for belief and reliance upon HIM, not the institutional Priesthood empowerment scheme of Catholicism.
474
posted on
01/16/2018 11:33:47 AM PST
by
MHGinTN
(A dispensational perspective is a powerful tool for discernment)
To: metmom
AMEN! Imagine that...God lavishes us with His grace. How wonderful is that!
475
posted on
01/16/2018 12:10:42 PM PST
by
boatbums
(The Law is a storm which wrecks your hopes of self-salvation, but washes you upon the Rock of Ages.)
To: metmom; ADSUM; Iscool; boatbums; aMorePerfectUnion; Luircin
NOT the Catholic church, which relies on *sacred tradition* and the some selected writings of the ECF's.
476
posted on
01/16/2018 12:21:51 PM PST
by
Elsie
(Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
To: ravenwolf
I would think that an experience of that type would make peoples faith unshakable.Many cults and almost Christian sects have EXPERIENCES that they rely on.
John 18:37
For this reason I was born, and for this reason I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.
477
posted on
01/16/2018 12:25:16 PM PST
by
Elsie
(Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
To: ADSUM
https://www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/sola-scriptura-is-unscripturalI'm waiting for THIS link:
https://www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/sola-scriptura-is-INSUFFICENT
478
posted on
01/16/2018 12:26:50 PM PST
by
Elsie
(Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
To: ADSUM
Thomas Aquinas did not start a man-made church, but interpreted the teachings of Jesus as delegated to the Catholic Church.
THESE??
Acts 15:22-29
22 Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, men who were leaders among the believers. 23 With them they sent the following letter:
The apostles and elders, your brothers,
To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia:
Greetings.
24 We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said. 25 So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul 26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing. 28 It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: 29 You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things.
Farewell.
479
posted on
01/16/2018 12:31:01 PM PST
by
Elsie
(Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
To: ADSUM
...over all things for the church, which is his body,...HMMMmmm...
I thought His body was them little wafers...
480
posted on
01/16/2018 12:32:56 PM PST
by
Elsie
(Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 441-460, 461-480, 481-500 ... 661-674 next last
Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson