Rely on the Church's truth to evangelize, Patrick Madrid says

Friday, Apr. 24, 2015

SANDY — Catholics should be willing to speak to other people about their faith, and understand that faith well enough to explain what they believe, Catholic author and radio talk show host Patrick Madrid said April 18 during his presentation at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church.

Those attending nearly filled the church, causing Monsignor Robert Servatius, pastor, to joke that it looked like either Christmas or Easter.

Last year, the parish hosted a day with Tim Staples, director of Apologetics and Evangelization at “Catholic Answers;” plans are to have such an event annually. 

Madrid spoke on the topics “Why Be Catholic?” and “Search and Rescue: to Bring Your Family and Friends Into or Back Into the Catholic Church.” He has written books with the same titles.

As a cradle Catholic, Madrid’s childhood faith was tested when he went to school and encountered others from different backgrounds, he said, and credited his parents with having books about Catholicism in the home that led him to learn and develop a more adult faith.

All Catholics should be able to talk knowledgably about the faith, Madrid said, adding that because Catholics are a minority in Utah, “it’s important that you have the tools to be able to speak intelligently and effectively with your neighbors, your coworkers, the people in the PTA meetings – in general, people that you come into contact with.”

Even though the Catholic Church is the one true church established by Jesus Christ, it nevertheless can be a tumultuous place because it is comprised of humans, he said. “I figure it this way: If the Catholic Church were simply a human institution, and not as we believe a divine institution constituted with human members – if it were just a human institution – we Catholics would have destroyed it over and over again many times over between the time of the apostles and now.” 

The fact that the Church has stood for more than 2,000 years is, for him, proof that it is of divine origin, he said.

When talking about their faith, Catholics should rely on the truth about the Church, which has its own beauty to convert people, he said.

“You don’t need complicated, detailed explanations; just from your heart share with people why you’re Catholic. Tell them why you believe what you believe,” he said. 

In giving techniques to talk about the faith, he stressed that “We never want to be in the search and destroy business. … I can’t tell anyone else why they should be Catholic, but I can tell them why I am Catholic.”

More than any other point, he emphasized that Catholics must be willing to talk about their faith and know it well enough to be comfortable answering questions. He suggested reading the Bible and the Catechism of the Catholic Church, as well as books on apologetics, to gain more knowledge, and then mentally rehearsing answers so they will come easily when questions are asked. 

“I want to leave you in the mindset that ‘I can do this. This is not overly difficult. I have it in my ability to do it, but I have to be calm, I have to be patient, I have to be charitable,’” he said.

For those who are desperate for a family member or friend to return to the Church, he recommended that they pray to the Holy Spirit to send “a Philip,” like the disciple who speaks to the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 26; after the encounter, the eunuch was baptized. 

Many of those who attended the talk were encouraged by it, they said.

“I’m going to try to put myself out there more and get more comfortable engaging in conversations, because there is a lot of fear about not knowing the answer or not saying the right thing or putting people off,” said Liz Pellum, a Blessed Sacrament parishioner, who purchased several of Madrid’s books as resources.

Likewise, Michael DuPont said he is trying to grow in the faith and his ability to share it with others, “so each time I have an opportunity to listen to someone speak, it helps a lot.”

“We won’t be afraid to speak up,” agreed Debbie and Joe Peotter, parishioners of Saint Mary Parish in West Haven.