Challenges Posed by Christian Fundamentalists
Posted by: "Fr. Vincent Barboza" [EMAIL PROTECTED] konkanicatholics Tue Nov 6, 2007 2:56 am (PST) Dear KC members, I would like to share with KC family my reflection on challenges posed by the Christian Fundamentalists. This is a worldwide phenomenon of people leaving the Catholic Church. In last hundred years or more there are many Christians and non-Christians sects/cults are formed which target Catholic Church to increase their membership. We are in a time where there is a supermarket of churches, different churches with different doctrines and each one claiming to be true Church of Christ. Every day one new church is added to the list. Also we should not forget that we are in the age of internet and cable TV where at the touch of a button our people are exposed to so many Christians and anti-Catholic sites & channels giving teaching/programmes which are contrary to the Church teaching. Besides these, we also encounter these members of New Religious Movements at our doorstep, place of work, railway stations and bus stops (in Mumbai) trying to influence our people. It is a matter of concern and also surprise to me how easy our people give up Catholic Faith. To counter these challenges from the Christian fundamentalist groups it is must that we prepare our people and also show outsiders that Catholic Church is the Church founded by Jesus and that her believes and practices are Christ-centered and Bible-based. I am happy that there are number of programmes organized in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and other Gulf countries for the spiritual growth of the people. I am sure people are happy and are looking forward to this Spiritual Festivals. There is no doubt this programmes will help the people to experience the Unconditional love of God, the Lordship of Jesus and the Power/Fellowship of the Holy Spirit and also in some cases to love the Catholic Church and her teaching. But can we say that the above programmes will also lead our people to fall in love with the Catholic Church and her teaching? This programme is good for those who are at kindergarten level of faith, those who are struggling in their faith and those who have no conviction. But some people prefer to live at this stage only. They get addicted to this type of programmes and they run from place to place for this programmes (in Mumbai). This people prefer to remain at Feeling level (Kg level): "I feel nice". The feel-good factor. Some will interpret this experience of running from place to place as "hunger for the word of God". Is it hunger or feeling-nice syndrome? It is high time we mature in our faith and learn and understand our faith better so that we can share our faith with others. The Letter to the Hebrews says "For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again basic elements of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food; for everyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is unskilled in the word of righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, for those whose faculties have been trained by practice to distinguish good from evil. (Heb 5:12-14). What happens when a person is still at KG level of faith and not matured and rooted in the Catholic Faith? Like Peter in the transfiguration experience, the person says, "Master, it is good for us to be here" (Lk 9:33). This person wants that experience to continue forever and expect the regular church services to provide them with this experience. We hear some say: "I don't feel Jesus in the Church, the sermon is not effective etc. etc." They expect everything to change in the church. They want somebody to entertain them and evoke their emotion/feelings. Their longing for this experience expose them to any programme/preachers in other churches or on TV. They don't see the different doctrines followed in different churches During this crucial moments the members of NRMs draw them to their service and make them believe that they get this experience only in their church. These people are made to believe that Christianity means only believing in the Bible and that it is a religion of the Book. Our people will argue with priests "what difference does it make whether I worship Jesus in this church or that church. Some how they justify their worship in other church by saying it does not matter which church you go as long as you worship Jesus. Some will go to the extend of defying the order of Bishops if they say "Please do not attend such and such programme" We need to give our people correct understanding of Christianity. We need to explain to our people that CHRISTIANITY IS A RELIGION OF THE PERSON JESUS CHRIST who is not only present in the written word of God but also present in his Church's prayer, "where two or three are gathered in my name"(Mt.18: 20), in the poor, the sick and the imprisoned (Mt. 25:31-46), in the sacraments of which Jesus is the author, in the sacrifice of the Mass in the person of the minister and most especially in the Eucharistic species. (CCC 1373, SC 7). We need to emphasize in our programmes that there are others presences of Jesus besides the word. The Church has produced many martyrs and saints who have used different presences of Jesus in the Church for their life of holiness. We need to lead our people to love Jesus and also to love the Church, the Bride of Christ(Eph 5:25-27). We need to imitate saints and martyrs who were madly in love with Jesus and also with His church. Finally our people should be taught to answer to others WHY WE BELIEVE WHAT WE BELIEVE. In our Archdiocese of Mumbai I have prepared a programme to counter these challenges of NRMs. Through this programme I give series of talks on Catholic beliefs and practices showing them how Catholic Church beliefs and practices are in harmony with the scripture and not in contrary to the scripture. This programme is conducted in the parish during parish feast novena days or during Lent/Advent season. This programme is well appreciated by priests and laypeople. Also my booklet in the question-answer form goes a long way in strengthening their Catholic Faith. I wish and pray that other dioceses in India and abroad may organize similar programme. KC members especially in Gulf should bring to the notice of Parish Priest the need to organize such programmes. This programme will help our people to know their faith well and prepare them to defend themselves from wolves that comes in sheep clothing. Please feel free to react to my sharing. Fr.Vincent Barboza Mumbai http://aa.mg2.mail.yahoo.com/dc/launch?.rand=5e8pf298mlc3g - Forwarded by: Sanny de Quepem <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Visit: http://www.live365.com/stations/61664 Goa's first and only Konkani music station online, brought to you by Ulysses Menezes & Gaspar Almeida of www.goa-world.com based in Kuwait. Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com
