Betsy Kneepkens: Anti-Catholic ‘proselytizing’ shows the faith’s ongoing relevance

Faith and Family 

Just before Christmas, a good friend strongly suggested we have a book club together. People who meet me quickly figure out who I am and what is important to me. Sometimes, people assume I have a strong political leaning, but those who assume don’t understand that my leaning is not toward a political party but a belief system that serves the common good, a good that is ordered toward a world less wounded and a path that directs life toward eternal rewards. I do not see eye to eye with several friends because we are moral opposites on nearly every hot-button issue. 

Christians have a reputation for trying to convert those who are not believers. I understand this because, as a baptized Christian, you are intrinsically prompted to encourage your fellow brothers and sisters to seek eternal union with our Heavenly Father. The desire is like a thirst that can’t be quenched unless you share the Good News with others. When striving to live according to God’s plan, you experience the benefits of living a satisfying life here, joyfully anticipating the life to come. When the Catholic Church makes sense to you, and you understand the purpose and role Christ intended for his church, you want everyone in the world to partake in that abundance. It is frustrating when your friends and family members are hurting and the solution to the pain is obvious — a life in Christ — yet they refuse to consider following Christ as the solution to their life difficulties. 

I don’t mind getting teased for my steadfast beliefs and constantly proposing a different way. However, I find it intriguing that my friends and extended family often do the same thing to me with their perspective. The book that I was asked to read and discuss is about how religious radicals are behind a fascist movement that will eventually bring down this country. 

This request is not the first time that books have been suggested to me. I have had podcasts sent to me, newspaper articles, online posts, and several other sorts of documents that indicate why Christ and his church have no place in this world. Every time a clergy member or parish engages in immoral or inappropriate choices, I get a copy of that newspaper article, Facebook post, or blogger’s perspective and an attempt to “reform” me or get me to re-examine my beliefs. However, these friends don’t see their constant barrage of anti-Catholic, anti-Christ materials as proselytizing. 

Admittedly, these frequent testing and conversion attempts have been frustrating. I do not disregard their information. Rather, I spend a reasonable amount of time reading and trying to understand their perspective. Almost always, the information given to me leaves out something important. Its viewpoint is twisted in some way, or the perspective is void of a life hereafter. If eternity is not even a person’s consideration, they will not get why the church exists and teaches what she teaches. I try hard not to be defensive, but I fail sometimes. I am getting better at seeking to understand others’ perspectives, but I keep in mind that salvation is the end game. Without that belief, others will misunderstand everything the Catholic Church professes and teaches. 

When doing my homework for this most recent “book study,” there was this joyful Holy Spirit moment. I realized that this frequent nagging by others to prove the Catholic Church is a problem means that the church is still very relevant. You don’t have to be understood to be relevant. 

The value I have to offer others when sharing the Good News is a relationship with Christ, which is always fruitful. The value of encouraging me not to believe brings them and the world nothing. In other words, you can only be relevant if there is something to be relevant about. In a backward sort of way, their desire to pull me away from my love of Christ is a deeper search for something they know exists in their hearts, but they have not reasonably convinced their intellect that it is so. 

As I am blessed to approach another year, I rejoice that my belief, that the church that strenuously works to bring me and so many others closer to Christ, is frequently persecuted. As difficult as it is to continue to learn, I find that institutional operatives responsible for changing the moral fiber of our country still target Catholics. These culture changers know if they can’t convince Catholics, their agenda will likely fail. 

Admittedly, these culture changers have seen some success, because lukewarm Catholics can be subjected to confusion and be swayed. Still, the strength of our teachings always poses a challenge and, therefore, remains a relevant block. 

So, I will be engaging in this mini-book study for the next few weeks. I have already seen this subject covered on news networks, interviews with individuals who are outliners of our faith “speaking” for the church, and numerous misrepresentations of what the church teaches. The cycle seems to happen time and time again. I know when these friends stop asking me to participate in these book studies or sending me anti-Catholic literature, either my faith is no longer relevant to my non-believing friends or the church is no longer relevant in the public square. 

Therefore, this year and going forward I will try hard not to get frustrated and see each of these situations an opportunity to claim Christ and her church still matters. Happy New Year. 

Betsy Kneepkens is director of the Office of Marriage, Family, and Life for the Diocese of Duluth and a mother of six.