Roman Catholic Evangelism
ROMAN CATHOLIC “EVANGELISM”
BASIC R.C. BELIEF From the encyclical ON EVANGELISM IN THE MODERN WORLD, Pope Paul VI, 12/8/75. “This preaching, inserted in a unique way into the Eucharistic celebration (Mass), from which it receives special force and vigor. . . The faithful. . . expect much from this preaching, provided it is. . . faithful to the magisterium. . . This supernatural life finds its living expression in the seven sacraments and in the admirable radiation of grace and holiness which they possess. . . We also insisted on the grave responsibility of preserving unaltered the content of the Catholic faith which the Lord entrusted to the Apostles. . . The full, supreme and universal power which Christ gave to His Vicar is this especially exercised by the Pope in the activity of preaching. . . This is the desire that we rejoice to entrust into the hands and heart of the Immaculate Blessed Virgin Mary.”
CATHOLIC JOURNALS From NEW COVENANT, November 1990 report on Indianapolis ’90 – Congress on the Holy Spirit and World Evangelism. “Roman Catholics were by far the largest group at the Congress.”
RELIGIOUS JOURNALS From CHRISTIANITY TODAY 2/6/87, “Roman Catholics are planning a billion dollar project that could turn out to be the largest evangelistic effort ever attempted by the 810 million member church. Called `EVANGELISM 2000′, the ten-year project will culminate with a world-wide satellite telecast on Christmas Day in the year 2000. During the telecast, the pope is scheduled to speak to a potential audience of 5 billion people.
“Tom Forrest, a Redemptorist priest, is in charge. It was conceived in 1984 by Catholic charismatic and conservative Catholic student movement. Forrest said, `The object is to give Jesus Christ a 2,000 birthday gift of a world more Christian than not.’
“The 1400 member Catholic charismatic Community of God’s Delight in South Dallas will produce television programs which will be beamed to portable satellite receiving disks.
“Forrest is planning to organize a retreat for thge world’s Catholic bishops in 1989. A world conference for 7000 priests is planned for 1990. Both conferences will provide these men with books and sermons on evangelism.
“Other aspects include a papal proclamation of a decade of evangelism, a world wide prayer crusade and traveling evangelistic teams.” COME BACK HOME (Often one hears this in a Catholic parish, and it is directed to former
Catholics and Protestant Christians. The thinking behind this movement was aptly put in print by a priest identified only as “Fr. Tito.” A copy of this was sent to Doug and Tammy Kuepper by a Catholic friend to whom they sent a Gospel message.)
“Whoever you are, wherever you are, come back to the church of your roots. Why do you keep fighting the invitation that God gives you? How can you forget your roots?
“Why do you spurn the faith you received when as a child you were presented for Baptism? You cannot remember how proud your parents were on that day. They took you to church and tried to keep you from crying. And when they were asked, `Do you want this child to be baptized in the faith we have professed with you?’ Proudly they answered, `We do.’ And at that moment God gave you three beautiful presents, Faith, Hope and Love. So why are you now wasting your heart on a foreign religion or no religion at all?
“As a Catholic you spent your happy childhood, learning about the great church that Jesus gave us. As a happy youngster you approached the altar of our Lord to partake of His banquet, His body and His blood. As a young bride or a gentle groom, you went to that altar and filled with joy became one with your savior.
“And Catholicism grew up with you, its beauty interwoven with your life’s adventures. In that faith you expressed your happiness, your sorrows and your grief. In that faith you humbled yourself, begging God to forgive all the wrong things you did. Filled with joy you left the confessional knowing how much God loved you. And if you still think you are a lost sheep, remember that the shepherd is still looking for you, he is still searching to bring you back to the fold. He wants to welcome you home.
“Now you are grown up. You have heartaches and headaches. You married and have a family of your own. Would you deprive your children of the joy you knew as a happy child? Do you think for one moment that no matter what your condition of life is, the church will ever disown you? Would a mother ever disown an infant she bore in her womb? Was it not that mother church opened for you the treasure of her groom, Jesus?
“Love whatever you want but never disown the roots of your ancestors. How can the church, your mother, ever offend you? Did she ask too much of you? Did you find the grass greener on the other side. Were you stabbed in the back by your own mother church because life was not as you imagined it to be? Do you consider yourself such a big sinner that not even your mother can forgive you? Do you really believe there is no hope or place for you in your mother’s arms?
“Look at the whole world, look at everything around you. If they can be of service to you, accept the challenge but never drive out that which is of the home. Come back home, the doors are always open.