Preach the Gospel at all times; use words when necessary.
ATTRIBUTED TO SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI
Saint Francis probably never said this. The Franciscan Rule says, "Let all the brothers, however, preach by their deeds." Regardless of the source, it is good advice. We should practice first and preach second.
Of all the religious orders, I find the Franciscan orders to be the most appealing. This is because of the emphasis on charity and simplicity. Unfortunately, many Franciscans today emphasize socialism and sodomy. It is best to call them Fakeciscans. They practice and preach heresy. Only the Society of Judas outdoes the Fakeciscans. But I am getting ahead of myself here.
I don't do Catholic evangelism. I try to preach by example because you can't go wrong with that. I find words are worthless. Trying to tell anyone anything is just a colossal waste of time and breath. This is especially true when it comes to the Roman Catholic faith.
Sometime after my conversion, I encountered a lady on my job who liked to argue her religion with anyone who would take the bait. She belonged to some Protestant sect that believed in going to church services on Saturday instead of the Lord's Day which is Sunday. I stayed out of it until she asked me what day I went to church. I told her Saturday because I go to the vigil Mass. (My wife is not a morning person, and I don't feel like fighting with her over going on Sunday mornings. Plus, I find the Saturday night Mass to be more peaceful and pleasant.)
I didn't want to lead this woman astray in her errors, so I explained to her why Christians worship on the Lord's Day. She asked me what church I attended, and I told her the Roman Catholic Church. That's when she slapped me in the face with the claim that I went to the church full of child molesting priests. It was a cheap shot and a low blow on her part, but I stopped talking to her at that moment. I never talked about religion with her again. I know I had a look of profound sadness on my face, and I could tell she was stricken in her conscience over the cheap shot. But what could I say? She was absolutely correct.
There is nothing I can say that can overcome that scandal. NOTHING. Some Catholic apologists will point to similar scandals with other churches, little league sports, English boarding schools, and the Boy Scouts as a defense. This amounts to saying that the Catholic Church is no better than anything else in this sick world. It is a ridiculous argument.
Some Catholics will say that the Church is the spotless bride of Christ. I agree with this. But that spotless bride is clothed in the muddy dress of sodomite and perverted priests and bishops that make up the institutional church. The simple fact is that the world can't tell the difference between the wheat and the weeds. The best you can do as a faithful and devout Roman Catholic is to be the wheat. This means closing your mouth and living out your faith.
Talk is cheap, and actions speak louder than words. I don't actually believe that my good actions speak louder than the bad actions of others. When Protestants see that my wife and I are devoted to our faith, that emboldens them to evangelize us because they see us as Baptist evangelicals trapped in a false church of pedophiles.
I do have one "convert" to my credit. He was someone who also slammed me over the sex abuse scandals in the Catholic Church. But he saw the change in my life when I converted from atheism to Catholicism. He wanted it, too. He entered the Roman Catholic Church, and I was his sponsor. His conversion didn't last long as he had no intention of giving up pornography, masturbation, and fornication. All my efforts did was turn a backsliding Baptist into a nominal fake Catholic. I regret that and wish I could undo that. He head faked me, and he is dead to me now.
Those two stories are why I am out of the Catholic evangelism business. I will always preach by my example whether I like it or not. I have to make sure that example is a good example and not a bad example. As for words, I post them here on the C-Blog. In the real world, I am stone silent on matters of faith. I say absolutely nothing. My wife points out to me that she knows of no one who was argued into the faith, and that includes me. What makes the difference are those good actions. Her sincere Catholic faith made me want to be a Catholic, too.
Every so often, someone will express an interest to me in Catholicism. That's when I tell them to read Catholicism For Dummies, watch EWTN, or surf the Catholic Answers website. Those were the resources I used in my own conversion. Not a single person has taken my suggestions. They were not sincere in their interest. I am glad those resources exist because it saves me from wasting my time. I am not getting punked again by insincere people.
If someone is truly on the path to conversion, no scandal or lack of information will stop them from entering the Church or reverting to the Catholic faith. This is because of prevenient grace. Those with ears to hear let them hear.
We still get conversions even in these wicked and scandalous times. That is the Holy Spirit at work. There is no marketing strategy at work here. There is no clever argument or winning debates. Man speaks to the ear, but God speaks to the heart. I have learned to trust that God will draw those to Him who truly love Him and will obey Him.
I pray for the conversion of all human souls. I don't wish eternal damnation on anyone. But that is not up to me. And I know that there is no excuse for those who refuse to believe. Once you know the truth, you are obligated to respond to that truth. As for me, I will endeavor to preach by my practice of what I believe. That is my strategy for Catholic evangelism.
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EWTN
Catholic Answers
Catholicism For Dummies
