Smyrna, GA. Here is a report from evangelist Clarence.
A college student named Brittney approached: “I am actually kind of confused. I have a diverse family, and I just don’t know if there is a real difference between the Christian churches. If I don’t make it to the Baptist church, I go to the Catholic Church. I don’t know if I’m crazy – I just don’t know if there is a difference.”
Clarence the evangelist said, “Well, I can help you with that… Christianity has many divisions; there are around 41,000 different Christian denominations. As Catholics, we are not that way. The teaching authority and tradition gives us unity in our faith. Our beliefs don’t divide us. They unify us. Faithful Catholics believe the same thing all over the world. The essence of our faith is built on the teaching of Jesus and the Apostles. Jesus established the Catholic Church on earth for the salvation of the world through His grace and teachings. Jesus protects the integrity of the faith in the Church. In the upper room, the night before Jesus died, He prayed to the Father, in John 17:21: ‘I pray that they may all be one, so that the world may believe that thou hast sent Me.’ We, as Catholics, are one visible body, united in sacraments and faith. A simple way to learn what we believe would be to read the Catechism of the Catholic Church or the Compendium of the Catechism.”
Clarence continued: “If you studied the faith carefully, and then researched the writings of the early church Fathers, like from the first 300-400 years of Christianity, you would find the Catholic Church there. A Church doing very Catholic things: celebrating the Mass, seeking the intercession of the saints, acknowledging the authority of the pope and the bishops, professing the sinlessness of Mary, etc.”
Then Brittney said (clearly thinking about the various Christian denominations), “That is because Catholicism is one of the oldest religions.”
Clarence replied, “Jesus himself taught us how to worship in the upper room right before He died. The Eucharist, a memorial sacrifice. We do this every Sunday (and every day) in the Catholic Church.”
Brittney then shared with Clarence, and his fellow evangelist Veronica, that she had recently been coming to realize how very temporary the things of this life are.
Clarence then shared a part of his conversion story; how he came to the same realization.
Brittney had to leave. So Clarence offered Brittney his card and Veronica wrote her name and number on it so that Brittney could keep in touch with them. Brittney thanked them, and went on her way.
Praised be Jesus Christ! The unity of the one church of Christ is a gift from God that all who profess faith in Jesus ought to embrace, so that all Christians will one day be united in the one Church Christ founded. One God, One Lord Jesus Christ, One Spirit, One Faith, One Baptism, One Bread of the Eucharist. Please pray for this unity, and, like Clarence, join us in our mission to instruct all in the teachings and practice of the faith once delivered unto the saints.