The kerygma is not the end of evangelization, it’s just the beginning. It’s how someone takes the first step to becoming a disciple of Jesus, but we can’t stop there, we have to make sure that we’re preaching, but also teaching.

Snippet from the Show
“An initial proclamation of the kerygma is not enough. It is the doorway to faith, but once you cross that threshold, you are in the house of faith, and now you must conform your life to Christ.”

SHOWNOTES

Catechism of the Catholic Church, 89 - “There is an organic connection between our spiritual life and the dogmas. Dogmas are lights along the path of faith; they illuminate it and make it secure. Conversely, if our life is upright, our intellect and heart will be open to welcome the light shed by the dogmas of faith.”

Pope St. John Paul II in Catechesi Tradendae - “The Church has always considered catechesis as one of her primary tasks … very soon the name of catechesis was given to the whole of the efforts within the Church to make disciples, to help people to believe that Jesus is the Son of God, so that believing they might have life in His name, and to educate and instruct them in this life and thus build up the Body of Christ.”

Catechism of the Catholic Church, 89 - “The mutual connections between dogmas, and their coherence, can be found in the whole of the Revelation of the mystery of Christ. ‘In Catholic doctrine there exists an order or hierarchy of truths, since they vary in their relation to the foundation of the Christian faith.’

St. Teresa of Avila - “If you want to hear God speak to you, read scripture. If you want to see a miracle, receive the Eucharist.”

St. John the Baptist - “Bear fruit that befits repentance” (Matthew 3:8).

5 Practical Tips

1. Read the Catechism, paragraphs 74-95.
2. Pick a dogma to enter into more deeply.
3. Connect dogma to the kerygma.
4. For your spiritual life, ask Jesus to be Lord of your life, ask where you need him to assert his lordship over you, and conform.
5. Pray for the USCCB.

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Our faith is rational. Don’t fear questions about what we believe, because at some point over the past two thousand years, that question has already been asked and answered. We just have to find it.

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Snippet from the Show
“Catholic students need to understand that faith is not irrational. We don’t leave our minds at the door. That’s the Catholic tradition, it’s OK to question.”

SHOWNOTES

• Christianity has reasons for its beliefs. Start with Jesus as a man, his birth and resurrection.
• Pray and ask others to pray with you for conversion.
• Ask: What is your moral absolute? What do you base your morality on?
• Look into metaphysics. Teaching even a little bit of it helps people look into things and start thinking.
• Keep the conversation about their relationship with God, but also learn about apologetics.
• Have material around that they can “stumble on.”
• Make sure they understand we welcome and encourage questions about our faith.

5 Practical Tips

1. Think about how you would change your testimony if you knew there was an atheist in the audience.
2. Memorize names and facts about your community members to show that you care about them.
3. Pray with us for the conversion of the boys at this high school.
4. Build a database of online answers to atheism.
5. Practice reverse mentoring. Ask someone younger than you to teach you something.

Resources from the Show
The Handbook of Christian Apologetics - Peter Kreeft
The Handbook of Catholic Apologetics - Peter Kreeft, Ronald Tacelli
Fundamentals of the Faith - Peter Kreeft
More than a Carpenter - Josh McDowell
Apologetics and Catholic Doctrine - Archbishop Michael Sheehan
Mere Christianity - C.S. Lewis
The Reason for God - Timothy Keller
Making Sense of God - Timothy Keller
Memorare Prayer
Magis Center website- Fr. Robert Spitzer

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