Hey there,
Happy New Year!
By now you’ve probably figured out your resolutions for 2021 … and hopefully you’ve not given up on them just yet.
Every January we look for ways to improve ourselves.
Lose weight.
Exercise.
Save money.
Go to Mass.
Ways to enhance our quality of life.
But have you ever made a resolution that will improve the life of another person … how about the afterlife of another person?
A few weeks ago, my Priest suggested that we should consider bringing someone into the Church. So I’ve taken this to heart and decided to make this one of my New Year’s resolutions.
I thought you might like to do this as well. After all, we are called to spread the Word.
I don’t expect this to be like a magic wand that will instantly make my “target” ready to convert. No, I’m committing to this for the long haul … even beyond 2021 as needed. But I figure it’s worth it to do my part. And I expect to add other people to my efforts later in the year. We’ll see how it goes. I admit I’m very inexperienced in this area. I have a lot to learn.
So this week’s issue of Genuflect offers resources on how to help someone decide to join the Catholic Church. We begin with our call to evangelize, then bust some common myths about evangelization, we look at a 10-step process we can use, some secrets to deploy, what not to do, whether we should evangelize protestants, conversion prayers we can use, and we end with some inspiring conversion stories.
Whether you make this a formal New Year’s resolution or not, there’s always room for us to improve our evangelization skills. But what better way to begin the year than by focusing on improving someone else’s life … and afterlife!
Keep Believing-
Katy Barrilleaux
Founding Editor, Genuflect
P. S. Another New Year’s resolution I’ve made this year is to read the Bible in full. I’m doing this with a new podcast that just launched called “The Bible in a Year.” Every day Father Mike Schmitz reads from the Bible and adds a prayer and reflection. It’s very enjoyable … I highly recommend it. You can learn more about it here.
genuflect: sponsor
genuflect: resources
Our Call to Evangelize
Evangelization does not have a good reputation. Maybe that’s why we tend to avoid it. But we all have a duty to spread the Word. Here’s a look at the role of evangelization according to the Bible … and stick around to the end for some valuable information on how to apply this to your life.
Why We Have to Evangelize | Catholic Stand
Conversion Myths Busted
If you’re not actively evangelizing, it may be because you have some misplaced understandings about it. Here are 7 common myths about evangelization that you need to know.
Seven Myths About Catholic Evangelization | Catholic Answers
10 Step Process
Who better to help guide us in our journey to help someone come into the church than the Coming Home Network? Here they provide a 10-step process of dialogue for non-Catholic Christians.
10 Steps of Dialogue to Help Non-Catholic Christians Discover the Beauty and Truth of the Catholic Faith | The Coming Home Network
Conversion Secrets
Anabelle Hazard reminds us that when someone decides to convert to Catholicism is not up to us … it’s a matter of God’s grace. The important thing is to not become discouraged. Here are 5 secrets to help with converting your family and friends.
The Secret to Converting Your Friends And Family | Catholic Stand
What Not to do
Even the best intentions sometimes can backfire on us. So it’s helpful to know what to avoid doing when trying to bring someone back to the church. Here are 3 things you shouldn’t do.
3 Ways NOT to Lead Your Fallen-Away Child Back to The Church | Word on Fire
Evangelizing Protestants
Some wonder if we should evangelize Protestants. They are Christians afterall. And given the issues the Catholic church has experienced lately, maybe the timing isn’t right. Casey Chalk, himself a converted Protestant, makes the case why we Catholics absolutely should evangelize our Protestant friends and family.
Should We Evangelize Protestants? | The Catholic Thing
Why Convert?
This article is intended to help convince non-Catholics to convert. But it makes some very good points that we should be mindful of as we evangelize others … and to grow deeper in our understanding too.
This One Quote Convinced me to Convert to Catholicism | ChurchPOP
Conversion Prayers
Here are 6 different conversion prayers to add to your arsenal.
6 Good Prayers For Conversion to Catholicism | ConnectUS Fund
Conversion Inspiration
It doesn’t get much more inspiring than reading a good conversion story. Here are 10 of them you don’t want to miss!
Here Are 10 of The Most Unexpected Catholic Conversion Stories | The Mystical Humanity of Christ Publishing
genuflect: prayer
Pray The Novena to Saint Monica
One of the most well known conversion stories is that of Saint Augustine of Hippo who converted to Catholicism after a life of debauchery. It was thanks to the efforts of his mother, Saint Monica, who never give up on him. Ask Saint Monica for her intercession on behalf of someone you hope to convert by praying the Novena to Saint Monica.
genuflect: bonus
Digital Inspiration
Click below to download this week’s free inspirational wallpaper for your desktop and your phone. Or download one of the previous wallpapers
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