Expert: Fr. Michael - 9/16/2009

Question
Dear Father,
I have heard that we have an obligation to correct sinners, although we are sinners too. I am a member in three online forums, which though catholic accept people with revolutionaly points of view. I really feel obliged to correct them, so I search the web for Trad articles and give them the URL (so do other members) but it is really bothersome since it only leads to bitter arguments with no result. So is the case with my relationship with unchaste family members, telling them that watching bad materials is sinful, just makes them attack me. It causes me to feel depressed and anxious, I can't bear so much arguments and quarrels (whether online or not)
Under such situations is it still any obligation to correct a sinner? Thank tou Father

Answer
You must apply the moral virtue of prudence (practical judgment) to such cases.  These "discussion groups" are, in my experience, just opportunities for, as Scripture says, "the blind to lead the blind."  Very few of these people are interested in learning anything.  They just want to argue endlessly their uneducated positions.  My advice is:  Don't waste your time.  It just leads to pointless argument, and you know what St. Paul says about that in his Epistles!  The same principle holds for family occasions.  A Thanksgiving or Christmas get-together is not the proper venue for a religious argument.

I think that it is better to wait for someone who is truly interested in learning about the Faith to approach you in some way.  Then you can -- very gradually and gently -- give them things to think about.