Old School Evangelism for People Panicking about Francis…

…opening the Church to the riff raff–from reader Kevin Tierney:

For those who worry about the enemies of the faith liking Francis, I think we ‘defenders’ should just pipe down and let the master of catechesis speak:

“Possibly too you have come on another pretext. It is possible that a man is wishing to pay court to a woman, and came hither on that account. The remark applies in like manner to women also in their turn. A slave also perhaps wishes to please his master, and a friend his friend. I accept this bait for the hook, and welcome you, though you came with an evil purpose, yet as one to be saved by a good hope. Perhaps you knew not whither you were coming, nor in what kind of net you are taken. You have come within the Church’s nets : be taken alive, flee not: for Jesus is angling for you, not in order to kill, but by killing to make alive: for you must die and rise again. For you have heard the Apostle say, Dead indeed unto sin, but living unto righteousness . Die to your sins, and live to righteousness, live from this very day.”

That of course comes from St. Cyril of Jerusalem’s Catechecical Lectures.  He knew a thing or two about spreading the Gospel.