Ask a Question - or - Return to the Faith and Spirituality Forum Index

Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
obedience to God	barbara	Monday, December 13, 2004
Question: Dear Bro. Ignatius, I work as a parish nurse in an European country. I'm a coordinator of volunteers who are being sent to the needy of a certain parish. I also educate volunteers for this kind of work in many parish communities. I try to prepare them to obtain adequate knowledge in order to be able to meet physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs of the elderly, poor, handicaped and ill people. Every teaching lession also includes prayer (Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory, prayer in thounghes, worship) and I was surprised how the participants - volunteers to be - have been touched. Many of them received various types of healing. One lady was so happy for her arm to be healed so that she could more easily help the elderly with bathing. However, last week I came across the opinion of a charity organization leader who is also responsible for this educational program (at the begining he agreed with my written plan to include prayer during every teaching lesson). But now he thinks that I have exaggerated - that I teach and work to much in the Renewal Spirit, and that I'm not supposed to give testimonies about the great works of God in our lives to the participants. I replied to him that every christian is called up to be a wittness and has a duty to evangelize, and that I have no control over Jesus' decision to work powerfully during these meetings. I also mentioned to him my belief that charity volunteers should know how to reduce spiritual poverty as well. Furthermore, I coldn't agree with him that volunteers should be open-minded and not to warn people whom they serve about the danger of certain althernative therapies. I know that the Bible, the pope, 2nd Vatican Council and Cathecism of Catholic Church urge us to evangelize and to testify but can you please refer me to the right passages of these documents? In my case, should I be obediant to God or to this leader?
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM Dear Barbara: The Pope wrote a letter to the Roman laity that speaks to this issue: Dec. 07, 1998 VATICAN (CWNews.com) -- In a letter published by the Vatican today, Pope John Paul II encourages the people of Rome to prepare for the Jubilee by bringing the Gospel to their workplaces. "Do not be afraid to bring Christ to your colleagues, to place the Cross in your workplaces," the Pope urges the people of his Roman diocese. "The Church needs lay people to are authentic workers in the new evangelization, in the secular context of our time." Evangelization of the workplace, the Holy Father continues, is a task that requires "fidelity and honesty in the performance of professional service, moral consistency in matters of choice, and fraternal solidarity toward those who are in need." He added that all workers should keep in mind the particular needs of "the family and the feminine condition, showing respect for motherhood, for Sabbath rest, and for free time." There is also the Encyclical of Pope Paul VI called Evangelii Nuntiandi (Evangelism in the Modern World) Also check out the Apostolic Exhortation of Pope John Paul II called, Ecclesia In America. And another Apostolic Exhortation called, Christifideles Laici (Vocation and the Mission of the Lay Faithful in the Church and in the World). And Familiaris Consortio (On the Role of the Christian Family in the Modern World) Also note the Catholic Catechism as well. As for your situation, I would talk to the Pastor about this. There is certainly nothing wrong with praying and telling each other stories of healing and such. Unless you are doing something that may be inappropriate like speaking in tongues during the classes or promoting miracle healings to the exclusion of medical science, I cannot see how any Christian could object. As for warning about Alternative Therapies, there is a moral obligation to do that. No genuine Christian should object to warning people about Alternative Therapies. Such warnings are appropriate not only from a spiritual point-of-view but in some cases even a medical point-of-view. While you might be able to compromise a little on the "amount" testimonies and prayer in the classes, I would not eliminate it altogether (I said "might be able to", not that you should). The warnings about the Alternative Therapies, however, cannot be compromised at all in my opinion since these "alternatives" can sometimes cause great harm both spiritually and medically. If this cannot be resolved with your Pastor, you will have to make a decision whether or not to resign. You need to follow your conscience. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

obedience to God

barbara

Monday, December 13, 2004

Question:

Dear Bro. Ignatius,

I work as a parish nurse in an European country. I'm a coordinator of volunteers who are being sent to the needy of a certain parish. I also educate volunteers for this kind of work in many parish communities.

I try to prepare them to obtain adequate knowledge in order to be able to meet physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs of the elderly, poor, handicaped and ill people. Every teaching lession also includes prayer (Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory, prayer in thounghes, worship) and I was surprised how the participants - volunteers to be - have been touched. Many of them received various types of healing. One lady was so happy for her arm to be healed so that she could more easily help the elderly with bathing.
However, last week I came across the opinion of a charity organization leader who is also responsible for this educational program (at the begining he agreed with my written plan to include prayer during every teaching lesson). But now he thinks that I have exaggerated - that I teach and work to much in the Renewal Spirit, and that I'm not supposed to give testimonies about the great works of God in our lives to the participants.

I replied to him that every christian is called up to be a wittness and has a duty to evangelize, and that I have no control over Jesus' decision to work powerfully during these meetings. I also mentioned to him my belief that charity volunteers should know how to reduce spiritual poverty as well.

Furthermore, I coldn't agree with him that volunteers should be open-minded and not to warn people whom they serve about the danger of certain althernative therapies.

I know that the Bible, the pope, 2nd Vatican Council and Cathecism of Catholic Church urge us to evangelize and to testify but can you please refer me to the right passages of these documents? In my case, should I be obediant to God or to this leader?

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM

Dear Barbara:

The Pope wrote a letter to the Roman laity that speaks to this issue:

Dec. 07, 1998

VATICAN (CWNews.com) -- In a letter published by the Vatican today, Pope John Paul II encourages the people of Rome to prepare for the Jubilee by bringing the Gospel to their workplaces.

"Do not be afraid to bring Christ to your colleagues, to place the Cross in your workplaces," the Pope urges the people of his Roman diocese. "The Church needs lay people to are authentic workers in the new evangelization, in the secular context of our time." Evangelization of the workplace, the Holy Father continues, is a task that requires "fidelity and honesty in the performance of professional service, moral consistency in matters of choice, and fraternal solidarity toward those who are in need." He added that all workers should keep in mind the particular needs of "the family and the feminine condition, showing respect for motherhood, for Sabbath rest, and for free time."

There is also the Encyclical of Pope Paul VI called Evangelii Nuntiandi (Evangelism in the Modern World)

Also check out the Apostolic Exhortation of Pope John Paul II called, Ecclesia In America. And another Apostolic Exhortation called, Christifideles Laici (Vocation and the Mission of the Lay Faithful in the Church and in the World). And Familiaris Consortio (On the Role of the Christian Family in the Modern World)

Also note the Catholic Catechism as well.

As for your situation, I would talk to the Pastor about this. There is certainly nothing wrong with praying and telling each other stories of healing and such. Unless you are doing something that may be inappropriate like speaking in tongues during the classes or promoting miracle healings to the exclusion of medical science, I cannot see how any Christian could object.

As for warning about Alternative Therapies, there is a moral obligation to do that. No genuine Christian should object to warning people about Alternative Therapies. Such warnings are appropriate not only from a spiritual point-of-view but in some cases even a medical point-of-view.

While you might be able to compromise a little on the "amount" testimonies and prayer in the classes, I would not eliminate it altogether (I said "might be able to", not that you should).

The warnings about the Alternative Therapies, however, cannot be compromised at all in my opinion since these "alternatives" can sometimes cause great harm both spiritually and medically.

If this cannot be resolved with your Pastor, you will have to make a decision whether or not to resign. You need to follow your conscience.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum