Are We Even Trying To Evangelize Anymore?
If we want to bring others to the Catholic Faith, we need to make sure that their image of Catholics is one of intellectual and moral seriousness and powerful charity. Sometimes I wonder if we Catholics even want to bring people to the Catholic Faith anymore. We often dont act like we do. I note this after spending some time on Facebook and making three observations. 1. We mock others, and cheer on others who do. Judging by the sum of social media, it is clear that laity, priests and prelates alike have become increasingly eager to publicly mock and belittle others. When we mock others on social media, we invite our Facebook posse to like our uncharitable words. This constitutes the sin of scandal and can make the faith look terribly unattractive. Every time we Catholics uncharitably mock a non-Catholic, especially publicly, we are hurting that persons chances of converting to the Faith  ever. It is irrational to think that we can mock a man and call him names, yet expect that mans conversion. To be sure, we must admonish the sinner (privately, if at all possible), but in a way that exhibits love and respect for the persons innate dignity  that is, in a way that recognizes the persons creation in the image and likeness of God. Father Lawrence Lovasik offered this counsel: Do not indulge in even a little stinging criticism, no matter how certain you are that it is justified. You will stir up a resentment that may last a lifetime.      2. We seem more disturbed by the sins of others than by our own. One particular persons sins should bother me most: mine. But it doesnt often work that way. In the confessional, we may begin by saying, Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. But outside the confessional, we seem to say, Bless me, my friends, for they have sinned. And we not only want to point out the sins of others, we want the applause of our friends for doing so. When it comes to hating the sin, were pretty good at it  just not our own sins, which we so often give a pass. But gauging by the judgmentalism in social media, were also not very good at loving the sinner. After all, those sinners ought to know better. When I find myself in that mindset, I think back on the opening to The Great Gastsby:  In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that Ive been turning over in my mind ever since. Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone, he told me, just remember that all the people in this world havent had the advantages that youve had.  If we hope to evangelize, we would do well to remember this fathers advice. 3. We seem to care more about politics than apologetics. Studying apologetics  the reasoned defense of the Catholic faith  can serve to intellectually nourish our own faith and help us to communicate this faith to others. But when it comes to engaging opponents online, we seem to ignore apologetics altogether in favor of politics. Because if it wasnt, his claims of divinity must be taken seriously, as many have pointed out for centuries. But instead of focusing on that question of inescapable importance, my Facebook feed was filled with inquiries as to whether the U.S. presidential election was stolen. During the course of my research for the article, I discovered something rather interesting: there is no record of early Christians looking for her body, or speculating as to where she might be buried. This means that either: (1) centuries of early Christians, who took incredible pains to properly bury their dead, exhibited a staggering lack of curiosity about the Mother of God; or (2) they believed  from the earliest days of Christianity  that Mary was assumed into Heaven at the conclusion of her earthly life. Focusing on the life of Mary has brought many souls to the Catholic Faith. Countless saints attest to that fact, as does the Churchs constant counsel to pray the Rosary. But consider the fact that for the past 15 years, the subject of Marys missing body has received far less attention from many Catholics than the subject of Hilary Clintons missing emails. When you add it all up, I simply wonder if were trying to convert people anymore. And if so, I wonder where evangelization ranks in our chosen order of importance. Perhaps a personal story here could help drive home my point. Back in 1956, my father began his conversion to the Catholic Faith  with plenty of questions. He was blessed to find a kind and patient priest who respected my dads intelligence. Well never know. But this much is sure: Bruce Clark came home to the Catholic Church in time for Christmas of 1956, and proceeded to get married and raise seven men in the Faith. There are other Bruce Clarks out there  people who are honestly and earnestly searching for the one true Church. But if we want to bring them to the Catholic Faith, you and I need to make sure that their image of Catholics is one of intellectual and moral seriousness and powerful charity, not one of arrogance and dismissiveness.