The following comes from a May 5 OC Catholic article by Cathi Douglas:
Father Jerome Karcher, pastor of St. Vincent de Paul Parish, believes his Huntington Beach parish is blessed to have incorporated the Alpha Course into its faith formation plans as a means of promoting evangelization. The first 10-week session last fall drew more than 500 parishioners.
The spring session has enrolled more than 210 parishioners.
“Alpha of course means ‘beginning,’ and this is about beginning or an introduction to Christian life,” Father Karcher said. “It’s an evangelizing course that draws people to faith in Christ.”
He is pleased with the results, and so are growing numbers of his parishioners. Other parishes, such as Holy Trinity in Ladera Ranch, also are interested in offering Alpha courses. He explained that some Catholics who worship for one hour every Sunday want to deepen their faith and have a desire for great service to the Church.
“Once someone leaves the Church they don’t come back,” Father Karcher said. “We have not focused on evangelization – we’ve not done a lot to promote personal encounters with Jesus Christ as our Lord and the savior of our lives.”
St. Vincent de Paul’s Alpha course has three parts, Father Karcher said: food, conversation and discussion. The parish caters a meal and participants sit down at tables of eight to 10 people with hosts are each table, then enjoy icebreakers and watch a DVD-driven series. Each segment ends with a question; the first week’s question asked: What you would do if you only had 24 hours to live?
The Alpha Course, says St. Vincent de Paul’s Patty Ledezma, director of Parish Life, promotes individuals’ private relationship with Jesus. The Anglican Church produces the course, but a number of Catholic parishes nationwide are offering it with the blessings of bishops, cardinals and even Pope Francis.
A bit of clarification would help immensely. Is the article referring to the Anglican Church in the United Kingdom and/or Canada? Or is the article referring to the “Anglican” entities in the United States who have disassociated themselves from the US Episcopalian entities since the Episcopalian entities permit female priests and bishops?
Should ALPHA be used in a Catholic Context?
– An Analysis –
GILLIAN VAN DER LANDE
As a Catholic who has participated in full in an ALPHA Course in a Catholic parish and who has viewed, read and studied the ALPHA Course materials, my short answer to the above question is an unequivocal “No.”
https://www.ourladyswarriors.org/dissent/alpha1.htm
continued..
Commentary by Rod Pead (UK) in January 1999
The latest in the long line of New Age/Protestant trojan horses to be wheeled into Catholic parishes with episcopal blessing is ALPHA. Zealous in its application of commercial principles to feel-good evangelisation, ALPHA is big business – built on copyrights, target figures, line charts and multi-million pound advertising campaigns. It emerged from Holy Trinity Brompton [HTB], an Anglican church behind the Brompton Oratory in London.
https://www.ourladyswarriors.org/dissent/alpha1.htm
continued..
“I am sure it will be of great benefit to the Church’s mission,” Bishop David Konstant has prophesied of ALPHA. “It doesn’t contain anything that is contrary to Catholic doctrine,” states Bishop Griffiths. After reading Mrs. van der Lande’s objective analysis of an ALPHA course in a Catholic parish, readers may consider “hirelings” too complimentary a label for such Shepherds.
https://www.ourladyswarriors.org/dissent/alpha1.htm
Many denominations have found the Alpha program to be a wonderful way to teach the attract people to Christ and the church. Many have versions that fit their specific teachings. There is a Catholic version, since the Anglican version would not fit our teachings. That said, all of the versions have a well founded and proven format that seems to work very well: teaching, community and discernment over a number of weeks. This is one of many effective options from which a parish can choose to use for generalization, perhaps starting with current members?
A “Catholic version” of Anglicanism is worthless to someone trying to be a serious Catholic. We do not become better Catholics by trying to become Protestants. Alpha is a poison pill program, and as we all know, even a little poison can still kill you.
True this program was created by an Anglican, but it’s been updated for Catholics by Catholics. Looks really interesting. Whatever we can do to get the flock more evangelized.
Evangelized to what, a feel good Christianity with little Catholic bits thrown in every once in a while? No Mike, this program is a way to evangelize Catholics to a Protestant way of thinking. If you are concerned with Catholics learning or relearning their faith, this is not the program for them.
To take a Protestant program and edit in a few Catholic things does not make it a Catholic program! Hey Father Karcher, there is no more intimate “personal encounter” with Jesus than in Holy Communion when we literally eat His body as He commanded us to do. Even He said this was a hard teaching, one that mind you, Protestants reject.
Watering down the One True Faith does a disservice to those wanting real and solid Catholic teaching. Avoid this Alpha program, read the Catechism instead.
Thank you, Kristin!
GILLIAN VAN DER LANDE
https://www.ourladyswarriors.org/dissent/alpha1.htm
“by commission and omission, the ALPHA material proposes an ecclesiology and a sacramental theology, contrary in essence to the teaching of the Church.”
continued….
“ALPHA recognises only one priesthood, “The priesthood of all believers” [ibid, p. 230]. The priest is understood merely as an “elder”, “a leader in the church” but one who “is not a sacrificing priest”. Thus, it follows, that the ‘Eucharist’ is understood solely as ‘the Lord’s Supper’ when “we remember his sacrifice with thanksgiving and partake of its benefits” but not as a holy sacrifice as in Catholic teaching. ”
continued ……
https://www.ourladyswarriors.org/dissent/alpha1.htm
‘Secondly, the underlying principle of the methodology used in the small group discussions held after each of the 15 ALPHA video sessions, acts against the principle of religious freedom upheld by the Church. The questions are formatted in such a way as to elicit responses from subjective criteria alone. This does not respect and protect the right of participants to freely answer and clarify points from the objective criteria of the Church’s teaching when the need arises. Thus, in effect, it silences that teaching and encourages the ALPHA ‘magisterium’ to stand, develop and be absorbed.”
“The explanation of this thinking is that “now Jesus, our great high priest (hiereus), has made the supreme sacrifice of his own life on our behalf. No further sacrifices are necessary and no further priests are necessary” [ibid, p. 229]. This, of course, is contrary in essence to the Church’s teaching.”
Many, of Christ’s own Shepherds, have now, become blind. Why did Jesus weep over Jerusalem? Our Lady of Akita, wept, about those who compromise!
Christ’s Shepherds are currently behaving like the panicking Israelites wandering aimlessly in the desert. They have done this to themselves. One example: Instead of placing Christ as the head of the Church in the main body of the church, they have shamefully relegated Our Lord to a back broom closet next to the buried dead. Now they wonder why their progressive ideas haven’t worked. HOW arrogant, blind & INSULTING to Christ to think that a Protestant based course is going to improve attendance or supersede what Christ’s True Church has always taught.
Exactly right Catherine, good on you for the posts warning against this Alpha mess :)
Why do we need ALPHA or any other trojan horse program to attract converts? Please, can we just get back to pre-Vatican II teaching?
I always thought the Baltimore Catechism was outstanding! Our priests and nuns used to teach all Catholics, from babyhood, how to be good, practicing Catholics— with our own catechetical program, not some weird “gimmicks,” borrowed from Protestant sources! Where in the world is the Catholic Faith? And why did our Vatican II Church leaders seek so strongly, to DESTROY it?? Shame on them all! I think the only thing our Church ever needed to do, in regards to the Catechism– is to teach our holy Faith with great Christian love, trust, and confidence in God’s complete forgiveness, too, of all repentant sinners!
Why was Joyce Cottage invited to speak about ANYTHING at St. Vincent de Paul parish? Many were present inside another church in Orange County when Joyce Cottage told the trusting sheep, “Do you realize that you don’t need a Tabernacle inside the church.” I was present as a Confirmation sponsor (during Pope John Paul II) when the teacher Joyce Cottage wrote the word “Pope” on the blackboard and said to the students. “Do you think that it’s fair that on account of one man that I can’t love who I want to love?” Shepherds will vet in, as being worthy, Protestant based programs and heretical teachers, while vetting Our Lord truly present in the Tabernacle, out into a back room closet by the cemetery.
I give up! From now on I’m going to propose, as a remedy for everything and an approach to evangelizing, that the Priest, and only the Priest, no women or men lay people, stand in front of crowds of people or in the pulpit on Sunday, and read word for word from the Catechism. Start with the first word until done and then start over. Could there be a better way to bring people to Christ? Could there be a simpler way to teach the faith? Why is it that any attempt to bring people into the Church is met with scorn? Why is any innovation considered horrible without evidence? Why do people hate the Church so much that they don’t want to try new ways when the old are no longer working. Oh, Oh, wait! I know why!!! Its not in Latin!
Actually, “Bob One,” you are hardly trying. The “Alpha” program has been soundly, and effectively, pointed out by many Catholic commenters as a fraud, including ChurchMilitant’s Michael Voris. The program is fine for Protestants, but not for Catholics. What in the world is Fr. Karcher thinking? The way to bring Catholics back to the Church is through the explicit teaching of Catholic doctrine, sacred scripture and Catechism. Using Traditional sacraments is also recommended. Such parishes/dioceses seem to be doing fine. The goofy Protestant-Catholic folks are the ones generally in trouble. Let those who wish a Scooby-Doo “service” find it elsewhere.
Luke 19:41-46 And when he drew near, seeing the city, he wept over it, saying: 42 If thou also hadst known, and that in this thy day, the things that are to thy peace: but now they are hidden from thy eyes. 43For the days shall come upon thee: and thy enemies shall cast a trench about thee and compass thee round and straiten thee on every side, 44And beat thee flat to the ground, and thy children who are in thee. And they shall not leave in thee a stone upon a stone: because thou hast not known the time of thy visitation. 45 And entering into the temple, he began to cast out them that sold therein and them that bought. 46Saying to them: It is written: My house is the house of prayer. But you have made it a den of thieves.
Another very powerful way for Shepherds to bring Catholics back to the Church is to humbly and sincerely ask God to help them to achieve, their own, often used word, which is, “metanoia”. This means abandoning stubborn pride, which removes the blinders that have caused them to run away from the Fullness of Truth. It is a wound to the Body of Christ to run away and look for rescue from outside means of non-sacramental aids. Peter, ran away too, but with God’s assistance, he returned. Peter would have a much tougher time returning today, because their would be many shepherds enabling a longer departure, by joining in, and praising him, for leaving, and trying new things.
continued….
“The Acts of Peter ties “metanoia” to the cross on which Peter was crucified. While Peter was being crucified, he explained parts of the cross from which he was hanging, including “the nail which holds the cross beam to the upright in the middle.” This nail is “the conversion [epistrophē] and repentance [metanoia] of man.”
“Dogma is the guardian of mystery. The doctrines are spiritually significant in ways that we cannot fathom.” – Flannery O’Connor
“What people don’t realize is how much religion costs. They think faith is a big electric blanket, when of course it is the cross.” -Flannery O’Connor
You are right Bob one the old ways ie the last 50 years heave never worked. What is it that you and your crowd refuse to understand. We have had a plethora of novelties and new ways for the last 50 years and the results speak for themselves, complete and total failure. We do not hate the Church Bob One, we hate liberals who are ripping the Church to pieces with their liberal nonsense
Bob One, it is the priest’s holy VOCATION, to train souls, sanctify them with the Sacraments, and guide them to Jesus—- to Heaven! Baptize, teach, preach, say Mass, give all the Sacraments, pray for everyone, and do the holy work of Christ—- to build the Kingdom of Heaven on earth!
Actually, Bob One, I just got back from a Catechism class that is led by a priest. He isn’t standing in the pulpit reading it to us on Sunday but we have spent over a year in a classroom reading it together paragraph by paragraph. You are right in being sarcastic about using this for “evangelization”. It probably wouldn’t work. But for those of us already on fire for our faith it is such a joy and a blessing. When we finish the last page I wouldn’t mind starting in again at page one. It’s a treasure and there’s gold there I may have missed the first time.
Avoid Alpha (and other new-agey “flavor of the month” programs) at all costs. I’ve noticed that Alpha is also peddled widely on Immaculate Heart Radio–so sad.
https://www.churchmilitant.com/news/article/history-of-alpha
Certainly the Catholic Church, or even Fr. Karcher personally, have the monetary resources to develop their own, authentically Catholic program–should they so desire.
I know people who have never been to a church service, except maybe a wedding or funeral, and really don’t understand who Jesus is. They don’t know God. It is we that must attract them to the faith. Our faith is really simple: the Acts of the Apostles 16: 30-31, tells us how to get to heaven, ““Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” So, we need to teach them about the Lord Jesus and help them believe in Him. Its not complicated folks!
Actually Bob One it is more complex than you think,
I didn’t say it was easy, just not complex.