Mons. Munilla explains 5 differences between evangelization and proselytism

There are 5 indicators to keep in mind to know if one is evangelizing or falling into proselytism, a behavior far from the real apostolic zeal, according to the explanation given by Mons. José Ignacio Munilla during an event in Colombia.

The bishop of Orihuela-Aliante (Spain), is located these days in Santa Marta (Colombia), participating in the Evangelization Week that has been organized by the local diocese within the framework of the 500 years of the city.

“What are the nuances of the negative meaning of the term proselytism? What indicators, what signs we could see to distinguish what is proselytism and distinguish it from apostolic zeal?” Asked the prelate.

Mons. Munilla asked these questions by remembering that Pope Francis indicated that being a missionary is not the same as being a proselytizing and that Pope Benedict XVI taught that the Church grows by testimony, not by proselytism.

Next, the 5 indicators that must be taken into account according to Mons. Munilla:

1. The evangelizing action respects the times of the people we are going. The bishop indicated that “we must not overwhelm a person”, but to wait for the time of grace that the Lord has for her, for “there is an hour of grace that God has for us, for our conversion.”

Mons. Munilla explained that by not taking this into account, the proselytizing does not have the ability to accompany the other person, listen to their concerns and take her to meet Jesus.

2. Proselitism does not usually give importance to the testimony. Mons. Munilla explained that the proselytizing focuses more on the speech than on giving testimony that his encounter with God changed his life. “I, at the same time that I tell you this, I am witnessing that what I am telling you, has become life in me,” he advised.

3. Proselitism creates more in the effectiveness of one’s reasoning than in the action of the Holy Spirit. Mons. Munilla explained that while the experience of evangelization teaches that it is important to prepare, the proselytizing “does not end up convincing that it is the spirit that moves hearts” and “that the fruit of evangelization is the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

“Therefore, the evangelizing action has to always be accompanied by prayer. Proselytism forgets this,” he said.

4. Proselitism does not sufficiently respect freedom. The proselytizing “intends to impose instead of proposing”, despite the fact that Jesus “is infinitely respectful: see that I am knocking on the door, if you listen to my voice, if you open me, I will enter and have dinner together.”

5. Proselitism conditions help only to yours. The prelate explained that sometimes the proselytizing usually subject his offer of solidarity to adherence to the message of faith, when “the true evangelization, the true testimony is to love for free”, without asking “are you of mine or not of mine?”

Mons. Munilla invited Catholics to reflect whether any of these attitudes is contaminating the apostolate because, as the statement points out Human dignity“The Church severely prohibits that no one is forced, or is induced or attracted, by indiscreet means to embrace the faith. The same as vigorously vigorously vigorously vigorously vigorously being separated from it with wicked vexations.”

Mons. Munilla shares a conversion testimony

When addressing the second point, the Spanish bishop shared an anecdote that happened to him a few months ago in Alicante and graphs the importance of life testimony.

He said that on one occasion he was invited to participate in a debate with an Atheist philosopher about the existence of God. “And as you can imagine, I said yes and the other said no. And we used our apologetic arguments. And I tried to reason and talked about the order of the universe, of consciousness; and the man answered (…). Well, we did what we could.”

The bishop said that then a dialogue followed, but when he was about to end, a man who was in the background raised his hand and said: “I have listened carefully to your arguments. You have developed them very well. You have said this and the other, and the other, and the other. But I have an argument, and I will say it.”

Then, the man reported that during his life he had suffered for a deep addiction that kept him enslaved for many years.

Several times he fought this addiction and even turned to psychologists and therapists, but experienced the impotence “and had thrown the towel.”

“Then,” the bishop said, “says that a year arrived Holy Week and invited him to attend the Pascual vigil. To that famous liturgy, to the mother of all the liturgies that is that Pascual vigil, in which we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. And he says he assisted.”

“And come on, it is not that it was an especially devout celebration in which he was excited. No, no, none of that. He attended, ended and left.”

But when he left, “that addiction never reappeared again. He never experienced it. It is as if he had never existed in his life.”

Then, the man concluded by telling the auditorium: “I only know that I was addicted before and after that celebration, of the resurrection of Christ, I am free. I have no more arguments, do you know? I have no more questions, honor.”

Mons. Munilla explained that with this man the story of the blind man was repeated, to whom, when they begin to ask “Who is the one who has opened your eyes?”, He only replies: “I only know that I was previously blind and now I see.”

In that sense, he said that the history of man “was a testimony of what God had done in Him. And that has a lot of strength.”