noted

By Diogenes ( articles ) | Dec 14, 2007

The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has issued a "Doctrinal Note on Some Aspects of Evangelization" reminding us that evangelization is, contrary to rumor, good. A compilation of Summary Points is available on-line. Some excerpts:

Today there is "a growing confusion" about the Church's missionary mandate. Some think "that any attempt to convince others on religious matters is a limitation of their freedom," suggesting that it is enough to invite people "to act according to their consciences", or to "become more human or more faithful to their own religion", or "to build communities which strive for justice, freedom, peace and solidarity", without aiming at their conversion to Christ and to the Catholic faith.

A fair diagnosis. It should be remarked that a good deal of the confusion referred to is the contribution of certain educators (at all levels) who've been on the Church's payroll.

The following passage is probably aimed at controversies that have arisen in countries where Orthodoxy predominates, but it also serves as a timely rebuke to Cardinal Kasper for his deplorably wet remarks on the Anglican situation:

In this connection, it needs also to be recalled that if a non-Catholic Christian, for reasons of conscience and having been convinced of Catholic truth, asks to enter into the full communion of the Catholic Church, this is to be respected as the work of the Holy Spirit and as an expression of freedom of conscience and of religion. In such a case, it would not be question of proselytism in the negative sense that has been attributed to this term.

The CDF makes it real simple:

The ultimate fulfillment of the vocation of the human person is found in accepting the revelation of God in Christ as proclaimed by the Church.

Just the right amount of nuance.