The Catholic Thing: Persecution, Evangelization, Dialogue by James Schall, S.J.

The Catholic website "The Catholic Thing" continues to provide a daily venue for thought and reflection by superb writers. Today, Fr. James Schall begins his article in this fashion:

In the Catholic press, we find three recurring notions, though seldom considered together and distinguished. They are persecution, evangelization, and dialogue. The Church is of its nature “missionary.” That is, the “Go forth and teach all nations” is not just a pious exhortation. Looking at the world with eyes of cold realism, however, we can recognize that by far the greater part of the world, after two millennia, remains to be evangelized and converted by missionary activity. Evidently, tremendous obstacles stand in the way of peacefully and calmly presenting the case for Catholicism.

However, we are supposed to “evangelize,” not “proselytize.” This latter word does not have a bad name in the dictionary. But it has become currently a big political sin. It implies using dubious methods to achieve conversion, like brain washing. It assumes that no one can possibly change religions on any other grounds but because of such overt or covert coercion. We Catholics insist we do not proselytize, but we do evangelize. The purpose of evangelization is to convert people to the faith, but through means that are open, sensible, and free. “Proselytism” had gone the way of “propaganda,” both originally good words.

I leave the rest for you to discover...