To All My Catholic Friends

[emalouhow]

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS POST!!!! I've been thinking this for a while and a few times I've tried to post my feelings in a couple of the debates, but I think people felt I was pointing fingers and specific people. I want to thank everyone who passionately defends the Catholic faith...you have all been an enormous inspiration to me, and have increased my desire to learn more.

Let us remember to continue to love one another!! :D

[Kiddkapps]

kiddkapps,

I love those paragraphs from the Catechism (I love the whole Catechism, but you know what I mean).  Whenever people pull the "Catholics think that non-Catholics aren't saved," I pull out that section of the Catechism on them.  Works like a charm.

I think we all need to remember that we area all Christians and we are all one in the saved by the Grace of God and the Sacrifice of Christ.

Peace all and God Bless,

Willguy

Yeah, I tend to also pull those out when people put forth the I hate Prots in the name of CHRIST and His Church arguments.

It's not that I want to be preachy or beat people over the head. I'm sure there are people who read my posts or read the Kolumn about Nothing and think...this is carp she's full of shhhhh.........

That's ok....as long as it's fertilizer to help you grow in CHRIST and in turn I can grow in CHRIST with my interaction with you...or help someone grow closer to HIM, then it's all good....I can be shhhhh....all day long

Otherwise...it's all useless and vain.

May our works always be our prayer,

Kiddkapps

[jmjtina]

Great thread, Isn't the cathechism grand?

You know Mormons came knocking the other day. We had a cool little chat, but I gave them the "Pillar of Fire, Pillar of Truth" phamplet. I said, "Go ahead, try to prove me wrong." Right when it was out of my mouth, I knew I SHOULDN"T have said that!!!!!! (Well, they said some things that they always say, and gave me a card to "come and know" Jesus Christ)

I have made a rule of thumb to pass it out to all other religions who come knocking at my door to say, "This is what we believe in a nutshell. I encourage you to read it to see what we understand and why." You know what? They'll probably read it then instead of throwing it in the ditch!

BTW, right when I gave it to them, they opened it! So, I'm praying for those two young men! We must always remember Charity!

BTW, kiddkapps, i dig your column about nothing ;)

[Kiddkapps]

:D Well, thank you very much.

[JP2Iloveyou]

Wow! My own topic pinned! I'm honored. :D

[VeraMaria]

AMEN!!

iT SHOULD BE MORE LIKE SHARING THAN TELLING EACH OTHER HOW THE OTHER IS WRONG (MY OWN OPINION IS.....wELL, NEVER MIND)

Good examples of this are cmom and dUST and Freaky Chik and Bro Adam, they're always curteous and SHARE, don't attack each other.

[Freaky Chik]

Oh wow! I got a mention

Only by God's grace I must admit.

Anyways, nice post dude! you all kick [edited by dUst for language]

I was reading 1 Corinthians last night, and I read a sick passage (you should all be familiar with it) and it made me think of this place.

If I speak in tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resnding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophesy and can fathom all mysteries and al knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. Itdoes not envy, it does not boast, its not roud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

1 Corinthians 13:1-8

God bless! :wub:

Edited October 15, 2003 by dUSt

[jasJis]

Freaky Chik,

That's a great post. It also is teaching how works, made possible through grace, perfects faith. It takes Faith (given by grace) to speak of angels. Grace allows us to learn through our works of charity and love to improve that Faith so we can preach it in word and deed.

(and of course you got a mention.)

[nippy316]

Wow!  My own topic pinned!  I'm honored. :D

So, how does it feel to be the first phatmasser (a lay person that is...dUSt pinned his own thead!) to have his post pinned in the new forum?

[jmjtina]

did you see the shirt? Not only did you get a topic pinned but a shirt as well!!! B)

[JP2Iloveyou]

sweet

[Ash Wednesday]

:D

Thank you JP2Iloveyou!!

In my experience with dealing with others that are in disagreement with the Church, I find that reasoning with them with kindness and being loving and humble really is so much better than harshness. (I mean there is a time for that, when someone really gets out of line or whatever...) A lot of times totally harping on someone really makes things worse and only pushes them further away. It makes me wonder who actually buys into Pastor Phelps and his "gothatesfags" ministry.

I need to get some pamphlets to hand out to people that come to my door. Just say "Hey brother, I'll tell ya what. I'll read your literature if you read mine! Since you're so kind to give me your little booklet, here's a gift in return! Have a nice day!" :D

[JP2Iloveyou]

that's right. Look at the greatest Catholic apologists of our time. Pope John Paul II and Mother Theresa off the top of my head. They don't have an ounce of arrogance in them. Other less well known names are Scott Hahn, Fr. John McCloskey, and Patrick Madrid. Patrick Madrid has written many books on this subject and the first thing he always says is to meet people where they are. Don't talk down to them. Don't use circular arguments (begging the question). For example, someone might say, "The Catholic Church is the fullness of truth. The Catholic Church says you have to confess your sins to a priest in order to obtain forgiveness. Therefore, you should confess your sins to a priest in order to obtain forgiveness, since the Catholic Church is the fullness of truth." This is a pretty blatant example, but I've seen many circular arguments on here. Fr. McCloskey, while never backing down from the truth, has converted many famous people in Washington, D.C. like Robert Novak, Judge Robert Bork, and, I think, Sen. Sam Brownback. He didn't do it by making them feel like idiots. These three men are all brilliant. He did it by taking them step-by-step to the truth. Not ramming it down their throats all at once.

[Uncle Gus]

Freaky Chik, I was about to post that same passage, but you beat me to it. It sums up the ideal spirit of evangelisation superbly.

[breauxlg]

Amy Wellborn has a series of books "Prove It" that are really great for evangelising, especially Prove It! Church! - it's aimed at the college age Catholics who are being bombarded with misinformation about their own church. Interestingly, the Prove It! Church! title is the one that really defends the Catholic Church, and it's the one you can't find on Amazon. At least not at this minute. They are all good, however. It really does behoove you to keep a copy of Pillar of Fire, Pillar of Truth around. You can get them for around a buck, or less in volume, and are great to give away. Amazon does have them for $1.09. You can get 100 for around $80 at www.catholic.com.