Dear Friend,
We recently received an e-mail from a college student expressing her appreciation for our Web Site and mission of helping people to know Jesus Christ as Lord. In some ways this letter was for us like St. Paul's vision of the man from Macedonia asking him to come help them(Acts 16:9). In this e-mail the young lady says, "Please help me to help others ( to know the Lord)." We in CHRISTLIFE hear and want to respond practically to the Lord Jesus' call, and Pope John Paul II's summons to train young lay apostles for the task of evangelization.
I have included excerpts of this e-mail for you to read. I think that in reading it you will hear the cry of many young people, who want support as Catholics, to live for Christ and to evangelize!
' Dear Dave,
... I found Christlife's site on New Year's Day, I believe, as an answer to prayer. I was raised Catholic and for 18 years I searched for Him there. Finally, I gave up my senior year of High School and my Freshman year of College, both of which were Catholic schools . . . I never missed a mass on Sunday, even though I was living a life far from that of a believer in Jesus Christ. I was trying to fill the hole in my soul that ONLY God can fill. The summer after my freshman year of college, I worked at a Salvation Army camp and met people who loved Jesus, knew Him personally, followed Him in daily living, and were not ashamed to say so. However, none of them were Catholic. I gave my life to Jesus Christ that summer (PRAISE GOD!!) and began attending a non-denominational Christian church where I was given the tools to follow Jesus everyday, not just for an hour on Sunday. For the next year or so, I left the Catholic Church, against much opposition from my very devout Catholic parents. However, I have always felt a connection to it, . . . This year, I am back in College and have begun taking R.C.I.A. classes to really learn what the church teaches and why. It has been very painful because even in everything they teach (please don't think I am Catholic bashing--so very far from it--) I never found/experience a PERSONAL relationship with Jesus there and currently I still don't. Without a relationship WITH Jesus, teaching ABOUT Jesus almost seems empty. It seems that too much emphasis has been place on the intellectual part of our relationship with God and not enough on the actual relationship itself. . I am searching for my calling in life, where the Lord Jesus wants me... '
'The day I found Christlife's Web Site, I had gone to mass with my family .. . I bawled the whole way through . . because I didn't know how I could make a difference--really bring a relationship to Catholics who are hurting and believe that salvation is found in mass attendance. . . I fasted that day, and cried the whole day because my soul was burdened and hurt for lost souls in the Church, souls who fill the pews and believe they are fine but are actually LOST. MY HEART BREAKS FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW . . . So many of my friends from High School are Catholic and don't see how much more to Jesus there is than mass, creeds, and communion (although those are wonderful, but without a PERSONAL knowledge of Jesus they mean nothing ). . . They believe that getting drunk and doing drugs is acceptable and that it doesn't really bother God.. My best-friend from high school told me this "Well, Catholics are more personal with their religion, they don't go out and try to convert the world. They don't have to." As Christians, regardless of denomination, WE ARE CALLED TO GO AND MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS!!'
' First, I want to thank you for your obedience to our Heavenly Father. You are touching hearts and changing lives for JESUS!! WHAT A PRIVILEGE!! . . . I would love to have your advice. . .I believe God has given me a vision and that vision is to see the Catholic Church ON FIRE FOR JESUS CHRIST, I want to see the church the way it was, ON FIRE, during the time of the Apostles. There isn't any reason it can't be--WE NO LONGER HAVE TIME TO BE COMPLACENT, to be comfortable in our Christian walk. People are hurting and their lives eternally are determined in how they followed Jesus. I believe that is my calling in life.... From what I understand, you and your organization know the cry of my heart, know the burden for souls that Jesus has implanted there. Please help me help others. . . I would like to have more information about CHRISTLIFE . . .
With love in Christ Jesus,'
- a college student in the United States -
When I first read this letter I wept. This young lady represents the longing of so many people. We in CHRISTLIFE want to help all people, but especially young adult Catholics, to grow in the knowledge of God, be disciples of Jesus and missionaries of the New Evangelization. I know that many of you share this same conviction. May we respond, together - today , to the urgent call of the new evangelization: to help others to know Jesus Christ, and to make known!
The web site has had over 150,000 hits during the last 11 months with folks coming from over 48 countries! We are grateful to the Lord that He has allowed us in some small way to participate in His mission to the nations. We regularly receive e-mail from people who are grateful for the support they receive from the web site. There is so much more that we believe is to develop on the web site. We would love to add audio and video teaching to support and train people that we would not have contact with otherwise. The software that enables us to do this costs money and, we need workers to help staff this valuable area of our mission! So please continue to pray for the Lord's provisions, and thanks for visiting our site!
By the way, check out Fr. Cantalamessa's Scripture series on the Holy Sprit, which is in the Library section. It is very relevant to this year in which the Church is called to pray and reflect on the Holy Spirit.
Phil Rosensteel and Lee Thomas have just completed a ten minute video production of CHRISTLIFE's work in Schools of Evangelization and short term missions in eastern Europe. This video is primarily intended to show young adults what the outreach is about and interest them in participating. It's secondary purpose is to document our work in Eastern Europe for those who are considering or have been supporting us financially. If you are interested in receiving a copy, please send a contribution to help with the cost of production and shipping ( U.S.currency please).
Thanks so much for your prayerful support for the meetings I attended in Rome, Italy and Lanckorona, Poland. We believe that the Holy Spirit was using these meetings to help us to focus the ways He wants us to develop our lay missionary service to the Church. More on this soon . ..
March 6& 7, we will be helping present a conference on evangelization for students at
Franciscan University of Steubenville. Would you pray for this?
For those on the East coast of the United States, there will be an Alpha conference, April 22 -23, in Bethesda, Maryland. The Alpha Conference is an excellent way to learn how to use this effective means of evangelizing people to Jesus Christ in the power of His Spirit in your parish. For information, and registration brochures, in the USA call 1-888 -633- 7155. You may be aware that I am serving as the North American Alpha advisor for Catholics. Please feel free to contact us if we can serve you regarding Alpha in Catholic parishes! Our addresses are listed below.
We continue to pray for each of you who are friends and partners in the mission the Lord has called us to as servants of His Church. Thanks so much for your continuing prayers and financial support!
Sincerely in Jesus' love,
Dave Nodar
PS - During this year of the Holy Spirit, please pray that He will come upon all people revealing the Lordship of Jesus Christ to the glory of our Father! (Acts 2:17-24; 36-41)
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