How to Preach Missions to Non-Catholics

Last updated on: November 23, 2018 at 4:58 am by Pat McNamara

How to Preach Missions to Non-Catholics 2018-11-23T04:58:05-07:00 Pat McNamara

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The parish mission, which traces it roots to 1500’s Europe, was the Catholic counterpart to the Protestant revival meeting. It comprised a series of week-long lectures, with Masses and Confessions, designed to “jump-start” the life of the local faith community. In nineteenth century America, the Paulist Fathers offered missions to non-Catholics, at the very time when anti-Catholic sentiment was at an all time high, presenting Catholicism in a positive manner. Paulist Father Walter Elliott (1842-1928), an experienced mission preacher, offers suggestions to mission preachers on reaching the non-Catholic listener.

Description of a Mission to Non-Catholics

A series of public lectures addressed to non-Catholics. Usually continued daily for a week or more. Sometimes on Sunday night for a certain time.
Answering questions received in the Question Box.
Forming an inquiry class for closer intercourse.
A class of converts for making a beginning of their instruction.
The distribution of missionary literature.
Daily private interviews with individual non-Catholics.
Publication of lectures and questions in the local press.
Using means and expedients for obtaining the attendance of non-Catholic

The lectures should be a minimum of 4,500 words– three-quarters of an hour long, as follows: The introductory sermon is on Zeal for Souls, preached on the opening Sunday, addressed to Catholics, arousing zeal for convert-making, showing how to co-operate in the mission.

The Necessity of Revelation– Can We Get Along Without the Bible?
The Divinity of Christ– Is Christ Truly God as Well as Man?
The Necessity of Faith– Is One Religion as Good as Another?
Religious Indifferentism.
How Much Christian Doctrine Must One Believe in Order to be Saved?\

Any one of these may be preached the first night:

The Rule of Faith– The Catholic Church and the Bible.
The Protestant Rule of Faith– The Bible Alone, Privately Interpreted.
The Confessional– The Divine Obligation to Confess Sin.
How Sins are Forgiven.
Is Confession of Sin Necessary for God’s Pardon?
The Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Communion Service.
Is Christ actually present in the Catholic Communion?
The Sacrifice of the Mass– The Catholic Celebration of the Lord’s Supper.
Prayers for the Dead– Can we Lawfully Pray for Our Departed Friends?
The Intercession of the Saints and Angels in Heaven.
The Blessed Virgin Mary, Her Place in God’s Plan of Saving Mankind.
The Authority of the Bishop of Rome.
The Marks of the True Christian Church.
Why I am a Catholic.
Christian Matrimony.
Secret Societies.
Christian Education.
How the Catholic Church Deals with Sinners.
Eternal Rewards and Punishments.
Internal and External Religion.
Fidelity to Grace– The Sower and the Seed.
The Personal God– does He Exist?
The Overruling Providence of God.
The Voice of Conscience– Or the Divine Guide in the Human Soul.
Freedom of the Will.
The Immortality of the Soul

Remember that most of our non-Catholic people had rather have God without any Church: they are suspicious of organized religion. Our Church, then, is to them a maze of observances and ceremonies and formalities, with little interior spirit. Show the inner reality. Our organism is to them solely a system and a hierarchy. Show the reality by constantly developing the interior counterpart. Avoid the spirit and the matter and the weapons of controversy.

Fervently pray to God to place your mind in the attitude of a sincere Protestant of the most bigoted kind, born and bred with aversion to Catholicity. And then cultivate a real sympathy for his difficulties. Christian faith and hope and love and repentance and holiness is the one aim of Catholicity. In the lecture on the Real Presence, show the intimate union with God– on Confession, show the inner sorrow and shame, and the sweet sense of pardon– on the Rule of Faith, show the deep peace of mind and the solid certitude about God’s truth.

Now most if all Protestants fancy that the Church stands athwart the way leading to God. Show that she always leads them to God and is indispensable for union with God. The missionary should be fit to exhibit in his own character the highest results of the Church’s influence.

No topic is so interesting to non-Catholics as the missionary himself. Is he sharp? Learned? Humorous? Eloquent? Or rather this: kindly? Patient? Sincere? Let them say this: You feel at home with him. If I ever should believe in Confession, I would choose him. And let them add: beside these qualities he is thoroughly competent in Holy Scripture, history, reason; and he knows Protestants well.

Walter Elliott, C.S.P., A Manual of Missions (Washington, D.C.: The Apostolic Mission House, 1922), 162-170.

(*The above drawing of Father Elliott is by Pat McNamara.)

Parish Mission

Paulists

Previous Post

November 22, 2018

Holiness is Contagious: The “Social Saints” of 19th Century Turin

Next Post

November 24, 2018 Civil War General Receives Notre Dame’s Laetare Medal, 1896

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category African-American Catholics Alabama Catholics American Catholic History American Catholic women American History Anniversaries Anti-Catholicism Arkansas Catholics Benedictines Bishops Blessed John Henry Newman Book Reviews Books Boston College Brooklyn churches Brothers California Catholics Capuchins Cardinals Carlo Carretto Carmelites Catholic authors Catholic Cemeteries Catholic Historians Catholic History in Less Than 5 Minutes Catholic musicians Catholic Poetry Catholic Press Catholic School Textbook Catholic University of America Catholic Worker Catholics and Music Catholics and Race Catholics in Politics Catholics in the American Revolution Catholics in the Military Catholics in the Movies Catholics in the South Catholics in the West Catholics on Stage Catjolic Women Catolic Poetry Charles de Foucauld Children's Masses Christian Brothers Christmas Church Reform Civil Rights Movement Civil War Colleges and universities Converts D.C. Catholics Deaf Catholics Dominicans. Dorothy Day English Catholics Florida Catholics Fordham University Franciscans French Catholics Georgetown University German Americans Good Shepherd Sisters Hispanic Catholics Historians and Archivists Holy Cross Fathers Holy Name Society Idaho Catholics Illinois Catholics Indian Wars Indiana Catholics Irish Americans Irish Catholicism Italian Americans Italian Catholics Jesuits Josephite Sisters Kentucky Catholics Know-Nothings Laetare Medal Recipients laity Liturgical Movement Maine Catholics Manhattan College Maryland Catholicism Michigan Catholics Middle Ages Minnesota Catholics Missionaries Mississippi Catholics Missouri Catholics Monasteries Montana Catholics Native Americans New England Catholicism New Jersey Catholics New York Catholics North American College Ohio Catholics Oratorians Oregon Catholics Parish Mission Parishes Passionists Pat McNamara's Books Paulists Pennsylvania Catholics Popes Presidents Priests Quotations Religious Orders Rhode Island Catholics Saints Salesians Seminarians Seminaries Sermons Servants of God Siisters of Charity Sisters of Mercy South Carolina Catholics Spanish-American War Sports St. Francis of Assiai St. John Henry Newman Suplicians Tennessee Catholics Texas Catholics The year in review Thomas Merton Throwback Thursday Photograph Trappists Uncategorized University of Notre Dame Video Presentations Vincentians Virginia Catholics Visitation Nuns Washington West Point West Virginia Catholics West Viriginia Catholics Wisconsin Catholicism Women Religious World War II

Select a Month December 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 April 2012 March 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What does the name "Jesus" mean?

Select your answer to see how you score.

The Lord Saves Prince of Peace Son of Man Chosen One