On March 22, 2024 I had an opportunity to deliver a gospel challenge to a Catholic Priest at the Kettering, Ohio abortion clinic. We discussed prayers to Mary, the incommunicable attributes of God and justification by faith.
Everything is within the context of a conversation on a public sidewalk. I thoroughly enjoyed talking with him. And I hope you enjoy the video.
Video: Catholic Priest at Abortion Clinic (8:06)
The Church is Not Important? Really?
In the beginning of the discussion, the Priest makes the assertion that he heard a Christian man on the abortion clinic sidewalk say, “The church is not important”. I have no idea what he is referring to and I don’t know any Christian man who would ever say that.
But in an effort to maintain integrity, I did not cut that or any portion of the interview with this Catholic Priest. I was glad to find common ground at the beginning of our discussion. And, of course, I pointed him to the true church which is not the Roman Catholic Church but consists of the elect of God.
Going Right After Their Idol: Praying to Mary
I offered Luke 11:27-28, Isaiah 8:19-22, and Deuteronomy 18:9-14 as scriptures supporting the Christian view that we do not pray to the dead.
As he said these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed!” 28 But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”
Luke 11: 27-28
Do You Hear the Hiss of the Serpent?
His response: I am putting limits on God. If I say that Mary and the dead saints can not hear prayers, I am limiting God. And Mary is here right now. Really?
On his view, God CAN allow them to hear our prayers to them. And he suggests that I am limiting God by saying that Mary and the dead saints can not hear our prayers.
You can become like God? Sounds familiar. Do you hear the hiss of the serpent?
Obviously, he can not defend his view from the scriptures. And he would have to deal with the scriptures I provided. In addition, he must deny all the prayers of the saints in the New Testament and Old Testament which are made to God. None are made to dead saints. And he must deny the teachings of Jesus and his disciples to pray to God alone.
Communicable and Incommunicable Attributes of God
I explained that God has attributes that God communicates to us and others that are non-communicable. We are not omniscient. We will never know everything. In addition, we are not omnipresent. Only God is everywhere. Mary is not.
He responded that, “I am making that up.” It makes me wonder if the Catholic Church has an official Systematic Theology book approved by the Vatican. And I wonder if that Systematic Theology book contains an explanation of the communicable and non-communicable attributes of God.
The Righteousness of God Comes Through Faith
Finally, I pointed out the contrast between the biblical gospel (justification by faith alone) and the Roman Catholic gospel (justification by faith plus baptism plus the sacraments plus good works). I hope we will meet again and have an opportunity to discuss this essential difference between our faiths.
Our Prayer for Roman Catholics
Please join me in praying for this Roman Catholic Priest and all his followers. Pray that they would repent and believe the true gospel.
Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
Romans 10: 1-4
Evangelize Cincinnati
We proclaim the gospel at the abortion clinic and at local sporting events around Cincinnati including Reds, Bengals and FC Cincinnati. We do one-to-one evangelism at the University of Cincinnati.
For more abortion clinic videos, check our Gospel Driven Abortion Ministry page.
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For Mary to hear everyone’s prayers she would have to have the attributes of God. She, as well as the saints in heaven, are still finite created beings. They don’t have the ability to do what this priest is suggesting.