Evangelists from SPSE’s newest team in Smyrna, GA, have already helped inactive Catholics find their way back toward the Church. One woman they talked with on their very first outing had been raised Catholic, but had spent the last several decades worshipping instead with a variety of different non-Catholic Christian groups.
But, she told the evangelists, she had recently noticed a real “lack of holiness” in those gatherings. Their emphasis, she said, seemed to be on the lights, contemporary music, and “relaxation in worship”. As she talked with SPSE team members, she realized that she missed the liturgy of the Catholic Church, not to mention its meaning! “She is homesick!” the team reported.
Team members also spoke with a young family that day. The husband was an inactive Catholic, the wife was non-Catholic, and their son had not yet been baptized. The father wanted Baptism for his son but didn’t know how to have that happen, given their circumstances. The evangelists confirmed the father’s instinct about the importance of the Sacrament of Baptism and that his son become incorporated into the Body of Christ as soon as possible. They suggested to him that what he needed to do was simply to contact a priest or deacon at the local parish and discuss the situation. The evangelists also assured him that his wife, too, would be welcome to attend Mass with him there — that all are welcome!
Thank you, Smyrna team! Many inactive Catholics hunger for Christ’s presence in the Sacraments, but often they need a personal touch in order to break through the barrier they have set up between themselves and the Church. And often a friendly, two-minute conversation is all it takes to make a life-changing difference. This is what SPSE evangelists throughout the world are doing, week after week. Are you a member yet? SPSE membership gives you access to all of the training and other materials that help you become quickly effective in your efforts to bring home the lost sheep. If you haven’t joined us yet, please prayerfully consider doing so?