Can Catholics Be Evangelists?

Can Catholics Be Evangelists? An interview with Russell Shaw, co-author, with Fr. C. John McCloskey, III, of Good News, Bad News: Evangelization, Conversion and the Crisis of Faith  | Carl E. Olson | April 25, 2007        
                     
Good News, Bad News: Evangelization, Conversion, and The Crisis of Faith is, as its title indicates, a book about spreading the Gospel. The authors, Fr. C. John McCloskey, III, and Russell Shaw, draw upon numerous firsthand accounts of conversions, combining them with personal testimony, solid theology, and effective methods of communicating the Catholic Faith.

Good News, Bad News has been widely praised by numerous Catholic clergy, authors, evangelists, apologists, and lay people for its accessible,   challenging, and inspiring content. Noted political columnist Robert D. Novak, who entered the Catholic Church under the guidance of Fr. McCloskey, states: "From personal experience, I can testify that Father C. John McCloskey is one of America's great Catholic evangelizers. This book is a unique, fascinating guide of how and why to convert, and it should be must reading for all Catholics." Another well-known convert, Dr. Bernard Nathanson, writes: "This book ranks with Karl Stern's Pillar of Fire and Thomas Merton's Seven Storey Mountain as an indispensable spiritual road map for the perplexed, the sorely bent and the broken.I know: Father John McCloskey was my Virgil, guiding me gently and lovingly through the terrifying jungle of secular success to a place of infinite surcease--God's grace."

I recently interviewed Russell Shaw, and spoke with him about the book, evangelization, and the role of the laity in the 21^st century.

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Comments

[Jeff Grace]

I'd say without a doubt, we are called to evangelize. I'd say beware the methods used, though... one man's evangelization is another man's escape from growth in holiness.

Having converted from an evangelical denomination to the Catholic Church, one of the draws for me was the depth of resources and traditions within Catholicism for growth in holiness. Evangelicals, more often than not, fall into the numbers game too easily and end up confusing the spread of the gospel with a primary focus that's no different than a drive to increase market share. It's so much easier to plan out marketing schemes and formulate clever arguments and catchy lingos than it is to live a life that draws people to Christ.

Never forget: As someone much holier than I once said, the best witness is the life we live. Sometimes words will work too.

[Carl Olson]

Something I like about the McCloskey/Shaw book is that it doesn't get caught up in techniques or numbers or slick selling points; in fact, they reject such things. As they point out again and again, there are no shortcuts or even secrets to evangelizing. More than anything, evangelization involves realizing that we need to be prepared to share the Faith in any number of ways in any given situation. That means being prepared and desiring to witness. Without that desire, and without reliance on the Holy Spirit, it won't happen.

[Jeff Grace]

Ah! Good to hear! I'll have to check these guys out, then... sounds like a good recommendation, yet once again! :)

[Carl Olson]

And it is published by Ignatius Press...so...

[Carl Olson]

And both Fr. McCloskey and Shaw are Opus Dei!

[Ed Peters]

Can Catholics be Evangelsists? (well, GOOD evangelists)?

Not unless they read Brumley's book.

[Jeff Grace]

Excellent point, Ed! Mark's book is rather definitive, for sure!

[Jeff Grace]

What am I thinking? That should have read: Mark's book, How Not to Share Your Faith, is rather definitive, for sure!