Are you a ‘Nothing Catholic’
It is estimated that by the year 2050 the whole of Latin (South) America will be Protestant. Once a Catholic continent, with the largest number of Catholics in the world, its people are abandoning, or already have abandoned, their Catholic faith and joined the spreading Evangelical churches and Pentecostal groups.
The most obvious reason given for this colossal loss to the Church is to be found in the old story of the tortoise and the hare: the undeniable spiritual dynamism of these churches, of their leaders and their members; while the same cannot be said of the Catholic Church.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, or Mormons, as its members are known, was founded in New York in 1830 by one Joseph Smith. Its purpose is to restore the Gospel of Jesus Christ to “its original fullness and purity”, which Smith deemed to have been lost. Accordingly, every Mormon, while still young, has to devote two years of his life as a missionary, and at his own expense. Mormons emphasise a healthy life style: no caffeine, alcohol, drugs or tobacco, and little meat.
In 1831 the Jehovah’s Witnesses came into existence. The present world, they believe, is under Satan’s control. A new millennium will follow when Christ — who they believe is a human person — will return and defeat Satan definitely. This is the “Armageddon”. Every baptised Witness is expected to spend time each week doing missionary work, as well as attending prayer meetings and Bible study sessions several times a week.
One has to admire the sincerity and zeal of these people, both Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses, for their self-sacrifice and dedication to the onerous task of winning new converts. By the same token, there are many Evangelical churches, their followers ardently proselytising, with their simplified doctrine of salvation: of being “saved”, accepting Jesus Christ as one’s personal Saviour, surrendering one’s life to Christ, becoming a “born again” Christian.
Against this background of sincere, fervent, even passionate enthusiasm to make new disciples, followers of Christ, I recall what Pope John Paul II said in his apostolic letter Novo Millennio Ineunte (on entering the new millennium). His fervent call, exhorting, summoning all Catholics, every member of Christ’s mystical Body, the Church, to play an active part in the “New Evangelisation”. The “newness” is not in the programme, as John Paul reminded us: “It already exists; it is the plan found in the Gospel and the living Tradition of the Church.” The “newness” must be in us, everyone, young, old and in between, the learned and the unlearned.
“We must gain new impetus in Christian living,” the pope said, “making it the force which inspires our journey of faith…so that in him and with him we may proclaim Christ to the world.” There are millions of Catholics in the world. In each one of us there is the most powerful force in the world: the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of the Risen Christ, the very life of God himself who is Love. Is this divine power “imprisoned” within you, or does it overflow on to others, through your speaking, your actions, your very person? Or are you a “nothing” Catholic, one who goes to Mass on Sunday, says one’s prayers, puts money in the collection basket — and that’s about all?
“You are light for all the world. Like the lamp, you must shed light among your fellows” (Mt 5:14:16)
