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Well, it's official. The pope tells us it's a sin to follow Christ's great commission. Addressing a group of visiting Lutherans standing next to a large statue of the excommunicated monk, the pope responded to a young girl's question about witnessing to her non-believing friends that “It is not licit that you convince them of your faith; proselytism is the strongest poison against the ecumenical path.” Hmm...
A few weeks earlier, the pope said trying to convert Orthodox Christians was a "very grave sin against ecumenism."
So let's get this straight. Living in an adulterous union isn't necessarily sinful and those in such unions may be able to return to the sacraments, but sharing your faith with others in the hopes they may embrace the fullness of the truth and enter the Catholic Church is a "very grave sin."
The Church has always taught that we are called to teach and to encourage the conversion of others. Why? For their eternal salvation. Now the pope is honoring a heretic who seduced millions out of the Church in a revolt that led to bloody wars and the deconstruction and reduction of the faith until there are today tens of thousands of Protestant sects. What's wrong with this picture?
Somebody wake me up. I must be dreaming! Does this pope believe in the Eucharist? Does he believe that Jesus is really present -- Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity in the Sacred Species? How can he believe and not want to bring others to Christ? There is something very rotten in the state of Rome.
On Palm Sunday Jesus was hailed as God by His disciples. When the Pharisees demanded that Jesus rebuke them, He responded, "If they were to keep silence, I tell you the very stones would cry out." This pope, in conflict with the perennial teaching of the Church, is telling us to shut up, that our speaking out for the faith is a "grave sin." How can that be? The entire book of Acts tells of the apostles preaching and converting. Were they all the real heretics while Martin Luther was the enlightened one?
Like I said, please wake me up from this nightmare so I can stop crying for poor Holy Mother Church!
Thank you for this, Mary Ann.
ReplyDeleteI saw this on other blogs and I have refrained from commenting because I want to be charitable.
I will start out my comment by quoting the Catechism (hey, I am a catechist… it’s what I do):
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Participation in Christ's prophetic office
904 "Christ . . . fulfills this prophetic office, not only by the hierarchy . . . but also *by the laity*. He accordingly both establishes them as witnesses and provides them with the sense of the faith [sensus fidei] and the grace of the word"438
*To teach* in order to *lead others to faith* is the task of every preacher and of *each believer*.439
905 Lay people also fulfill their prophetic mission by evangelization, "that is, the proclamation of Christ *by word* and the testimony of life." For lay people, "this evangelization . . . acquires a specific property and peculiar efficacy because it is accomplished *in the ordinary circumstances of the world*."440
This witness of life, however, is not the sole element in the apostolate; the true apostle is on the lookout for occasions of announcing Christ *by word*, either to *unbelievers* . . . or to the faithful.441 (stars added for emphasis)
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That last footnote (441) is from the Vatican II document Ad Gentes, Decree on the Mission Activity of the Church (p. 15, § 8), which says:
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But it is not enough that the Christian people be present and be organized in a given nation, *nor is it enough* to carry out an apostolate by way of example. They are organized for this purpose, they are present for this, to *announce Christ* to their non - Christian fellow - citizens *by word* and example, and *to aid them* toward the full reception of Christ. (stars added)
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[sigh]
It drives this catechist somewhat… bonkers to read these words of Pope Francis:
“It is not licit that you convince them of your faith; proselytism is the strongest poison against the ecumenical path.”
I am confused about the Holy Father’s answer to that 15 year old girl’s question.
She did not say anything about convincing “them of your faith”, she simply asked:
“My friends do not go to Church, but they are my friends. Do I have to help them to go to Church or is it enough that they remain good friends?”
How is that “proselytism”? Helping one “go to Church” (as the girl asked) is evangelization not proselytism. It is the proper understanding of ecumenism.
Pope Francis goes on to say, “You must give testimony of your Christian life; it will be your testimony that will stir the hearts of those who look at you”.
(continued next post)
I’ll readily admit that giving a “testimony of your Christian life” “will stir the hearts of those who look at you”. I understand this.
ReplyDeleteYet, as we show from the Catechism and Ad Gentes above, “nor is it enough to carry out an apostolate by way of example”; the Christian people are “to *announce Christ* to their non - Christian fellow - citizens *BY WORD* and example, and to aid them toward the full reception of Christ.” (caps added)
We have souls in the balance. Our Blessed Mother told the children at Fatima that they are falling into hell like snowflakes in a snowstorm. Why wouldn’t we want to ask friends, relatives and acquaintances to “go to Church”? As Catholic apologist Tim Staples asks, “How can you receive Jesus on your tongue every time you go to Mass and not want to share that with somebody?”
St. Paul tells us, “For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not *preach* the gospel!” (1 Cor. 9:16, stars added)
He also says, “Take heed to yourself and to your teaching; hold to that, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your *hearers*. “ (1 Tim 4:16, stars added)
The examples above, along with our Blessed Lord’s admonishment you quoted from Mt. 28:19 Mary Ann, should encourage every Catholic to “tell” others about the Faith of the Father.
I pray for the Holy Father every day. It just seems to me that some things he says, and does, confuses many souls about the Faith. (God love him)
(sorry for the rant, Mary Ann)
Catechist Kev
Kev, you are indeed charitable.
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the valuable information, Kevin. Catholics have been so poorly taught, they need to go back to the doctrine proclaimed in the catechisms and in the documents of the Church.
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