I am Catholic . . . and I want to help others come home!

“Where do I begin?” you may be wondering.

Well, we're here to show you exactly how you can begin helping your friends and family discover (or rediscover) the saving truths of the Catholic Church.

But first, congratulations on having such a generous desire to help others grow in their Faith and come to the fullness of the truth!

Remember what Jesus said:
“Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world;
for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.” (Matthew 25:34-36).

In addition to tending to the physical needs of others (c.f., James 2:15-17), we are also called by the Lord to help with their spiritual needs. And as you yourself know, there are many good and sincere, though misguided, people out there who are spiritually hungry, thirsty for the truth, and who feel like a stranger to the Church Christ established.

The first thing to do is pray for the Lord's guidance and wisdom to assist you in your efforts to help others, and ask Him to fill your heart with charity and patience.

“If you truly want to help the soul of your neighbor, you should approach God first with all of your heart. Ask Him simply to fill you with charity, the greatest of all virtues; with it you can accomplish what you desire.” — St. Vincent Ferrer 

Second, make sure you have prepared yourself by studying up on the teachings and history of the Catholic Church, and of course, it's important to be familiar with Sacred Scripture.

Here are links to some key resources that will help equip you:

How to Evangelize (PDF)

Questions About Catholic Teachings and Practices

In this section, you'll find answers to several common questions about the Catholic Church's teachings and practices, such as the Eucharist, Mary, and the saints. We also address some difficult issues such as abortion, and the priest scandals.

An Overview of the Catholic Faith

This section will give you a broad overview of Catholic doctrines, allowing you to “dig deeper” into whatever area interests you. Among the many topics you'll find information about the Bible and tradition, the One True Church established by Jesus Christ, the nature of God, creation, salvation, heaven and hell, purgatory, and much more.

Index of Catholic Resources

This section includes links to information about Catholic History, as well as a comprehensive index of Catholic Church teachings and resources about a wide variety of important issues including: war, abortion, contraception, homosexuality, adultery, pornography, masturbation, fetal stem cell research, and how the Catholic Church built Western Civilization.

Third, take some time to go through the kinds of honest questions that many non-Catholics and former Catholics have about the Church. Discover for yourself the issues that are important to them; what difficulties and challenges they face in their view of the Catholic Church.

As the old saying says, “Walk a mile in their shoes.” By taking time to understand more clearly what holds people back from the Church, you'll be much more empathetic and understanding when the time comes to speak with them.

And finally, always remember to let God do the heavy lifting. He is calling you to help him as a “laborer in the harvest,” but it's important to keep in mind that, while you are certainly asked to evangelize, only God Himself can convert the human heart to the truth. Let the Lord guide your work, and leave the “converting” to Him!

[Jesus] told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they had not much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched; and since they had no root they withered away. Other seeds fell upon thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears, let him hear” (Matt. 13:3-9)