A Catholic in a Protestant church

[mullenpm]

tjm, if one is a Catholic then one does not go to some other denomination’s service - even while traveling. Going to a Protestant service would not help the spiritual life of a Catholic.

 

[vz71]

I guess the question I have after reading this entire thread is this: you can see God, touch God and feel God–but does this change you?

How could it not? Actually, that is the short and misleading answer.
Here is the more accurate long form.
Yes, I have been changed by this closeness to God. Every Catholic should be.
However, this familiarity week after week, day after day, tends to make this event feel ordinary.
This is where prayer becomes extremely important.
You must never forget God’s presence. You must hold each and every Mass with the reverence worthy of God.
As my mother used to tell me, and I now tell my kids, “You are standing before God, and must act accordingly.”
Day after day, week after week, the same routine at Mass can get old.
But with daily prayer, and reverence the Mass deserves, the feeling of closeness to God each and every Mass will be there.

The sarcastic and snappy responses to those trying to explain their charismatic experiences are disheartening. So disagree. Some people do it kindly, but some do not.

I can asure you that at no point in any of my responses have I meant any sarcasm.
That being said, perhaps some thought should be given to a fervent prayer life and the Mass. You may well be surprised to discover that many of the feelings one would find in a charismatic service pale in comparison to the Mass.

 

[GraceDK]

tjm, if one is a Catholic then one does not go to some other denomination’s service - even while traveling. Going to a Protestant service would not help the spiritual life of a Catholic.

And you say this based on… personal experience?

I for one, have had my spiritual life tremendously helped and blessed both through evangelical litterature (mostly apostel-like testimonies), music (Hillsong and many others), fellowship (I was a full member of an awesome youth group in a Pentecostal Church in my city for some years and was tremendously blessed through it, as were those people through my presense. I still have quite a few friends among them. They taught me that a Christian youth group can be truly Christian and God loving, unlike the Catholic youth group I met in my own parish which gathered together at church facilities in order to drink beer while chatting with old friends from the Catholic school), and preaching (yes, at services, cause that is where they preach… and many do so wonderfully. I have grown in faith very much through the sermons of non-Catholic preachers.

I know its probably tabooish to say that I am not being fed in the Catholic Parish. I dare say so anyway… then you may say: its your own fault.
There is probably some truth to that. Only God knows it. I reckon I am not always a very good Catholic. Some call me a fanatic radical Catholic, others call me half way heretic. But what I have written above is true. And I know I am not the only young Catholic who feels this way.

 

[GraceDK]

You may well be surprised to discover that many of the feelings one would find in a charismatic service pale in comparison to the Mass.

You may find it surprising that we meet the same God in a charismatic service as the one who spoke to the prophets of the Old Testament, the one who gave the saints ecstasies, overshadowed the mother of Jesus and the One who never stopped meeting people any and everywhere.
We don’t encounter “feelings”. We encounter the Living God. And when we encounter Him then there is nothing “pale” about it.
God has given us different places and ways and circumstances to meet Him under… He may baptise some believer in the Holy Spirit, filling His Temple, while another child of his somewhere, is filled with the Body and Blood of Christ.
A third may have never tasted the Body and Blood but she is a saint who has a vision of Jesus who shows His heart to her. A fourth may be laying his hands on a leper and praying for healing for him, and at that moment he is truly united to Christ and gives the highest worship because of the compassion and love pouring through him. See, its interesting that God has many ways… and interesting that God has no favourites.

I have sometimes felt that because of the scisms, it seemed I was forced to choose between Christ and the Holy Spirit- But God always led me to many people from different churches, He let me know He walks right through the walls we built between us, and I recognised my brothers and I heard that they have truly met the living Christ and He lives in them. Many of them far surpass me in holiness and always have, even at the times where I went to daily mass, prayed on my knees for hours and was so in love with the Eucharist.
One of the most beautiful souls I met was Heidi Baker, an evangelical Mother Teresa, believe it or not.
I give you a glimpse of her here… this clip might give you chills:
youtube.com/watch?v=kDAimNXp0A8&feature=related

Peace.

 

[gabriel22a]

I agree, Grace.

But I’m afraid the main idea, the substance of what you are saying cannot penetrate minds that continue to miss the point. There is no little gap in communication here. The assumption that those of us who long for Christ’s presence in additional ways is that we are looking for feelings we should find only in the Mass.

I am not looking for feelings. I am looking for Him–and to search Him out everywhere is the joy of Christianity. I see Him in other people, in His creation, in literature, in redemptive stories. To consistently defend the Mass to those who are not demeaning it, to continue to miss the main point of postings while parsing introductory sentences and to judge the intent of the heart that says MORE to God is to be stuck.

“One note wonders” cannot hear the substance of what is said, so they fall back on their one note.

 

[vz71]

You may find it surprising that we meet the same God in a charismatic service as the one who spoke to the prophets of the Old Testament, the one who gave the saints ecstasies, overshadowed the mother of Jesus and the One who never stopped meeting people any and everywhere.
We don’t encounter “feelings”. We encounter the Living God. And when we encounter Him then there is nothing “pale” about it.

Unless there is something physically there, then it is just a feeling.
Apologies if you feel this is in some way insulting, but it is simply the facts.
Without something tangible, you are left with the intangible.
In the Mass, God is there and tangible. Nowhere else (this side of death) is this the case.

God has given us different places and ways and circumstances to meet Him under… He may baptise some believer in the Holy Spirit, filling His Temple, while another child of his somewhere, is filled with the Body and Blood of Christ.
A third may have never tasted the Body and Blood but she is a saint who has a vision of Jesus who shows His heart to her. A fourth may be laying his hands on a leper and praying for healing for him, and at that moment he is truly united to Christ and gives the highest worship because of the compassion and love pouring through him. See, its interesting that God has many ways… and interesting that God has no favourites.

Yes, God has many ways to reveal himself.
But there is no comparison between the physical reality of God in the Mass and the intangible experience of God anywhere else.
Also, we need clarification. There is no higher form of Worship then the Mass God instituted.

I have sometimes felt that because of the scisms, it seemed I was forced to choose between Christ and the Holy Spirit- But God always led me to many people from different churches,

Just to be certain here…you do understand the mystery that is the Trinity, Right?
Given what is written here, I just need to make certain.

He let me know He walks right through the walls we built between us, and I recognised my brothers and I heard that they have truly met the living Christ and He lives in them. Many of them far surpass me in holiness and always have, even at the times where I went to daily mass, prayed on my knees for hours and was so in love with the Eucharist.

Holiness is not a contest.
The Eucharist makes it easier to live a holy life, but certainly does not make one holy.
I am disturbed to notice the past tense verbiage here.
Do you no longer love the Eucharist?

 

[GraceDK]

… I am not looking for feelings. I am looking for Him–and to search Him out everywhere is the joy of Christianity. I see Him in other people, in His creation, in literature, in redemptive stories. To consistently defend the Mass to those who are not demeaning it, to continue to miss the main point of postings while parsing introductory sentences and to judge the intent of the heart that says MORE to God is to be stuck.

…

Halleluja brother Gabriel
Please pray for me that I may thirst for Jesus much more…
I too defend the Mass to those who dont understand, who often through no fault of their own, does not experience it nor understand it and then falls into demeaning it. So too I defend the other ways of worship… the other kinds of Encounter that God has made. We are all poor infront of Him, and He fills us without demanding a pay.
A very holy Priest once said: “Which is more important, the Word or the Eucharist? They are equal” Those were his words… He also said something like; “when you pick up the Bible, treat it as though it was Jesus you were holding. Kiss the Bible”.
His words confirmed my own experience.
I have always loved to see people pray… even the Jews, even the Muslims, the humility… the bowing, the search, the clinging on to the prayer mat or the stones of the western wall of Jerusalem, or even to ones own fist or to the bed sheet at night, the face turned downwards, the face turned upwards… as one shared, praised, wept to the Unseen God.

Is it wrong of me to think most of us don’t experience extasies often… yet… His Spirit lives in us at all times through His promise. I cannot say what John felt at Patmos when he stood infront of the Angel. Or what some orthodox brother feels as he worships now in an old greek monastery. But I know that if its real, if its communication with God, humility, love… then it’s beautiful.

I think that its often fear that prevents people from opening up to God’s Spirit in churches where they are not used to coming.

 

[GraceDK]

Unless there is something physically there, then it is just a feeling.

But you are wrong.
God is Spirit. He communicates with us, He unites Himself with us… He prays in us… even when we sleep, when we are silent, when we are in the wilderness.

Yes, God has many ways to reveal himself.
But there is no comparison between the physical reality of God in the Mass and the intangible experience of God anywhere else.
Also, we need clarification. There is no higher form of Worship then the Mass God instituted.

I confess you are probably the one of us whose eyes are more clearly open. I do not fully grasp the Eucharist. For me an encounter of God can take place at Mass, at a Pentecostal service, out in nature, during prayer or Bible reading at night where His presense is suddenly exeptionally felt… where He speaks to me. Forgive my audacity, but I once felt Jesus Christ vividly calling me to himself right after I had gravely sinned and I felt I was alone in all the universe.
I am not as well trained as you… maybe because i am still a new Catholic. When I encounter God the experience I get from it is rather similar… It sometimes seems its most about my own openess, and he is there ready to give me Everything at all times.

Just to be certain here…you do understand the mystery that is the Trinity, Right?
Given what is written here, I just need to make certain.

I dont wish to answer your question. Not for the sake of my own honour, but because I feel you question my Teacher, who gave me everything, when you ask such a question.
It is evident that you find my posts disturbing. If they tempt you to become uncharitable I hope you will tell me so we dont continue this thread. It would not be worth it.

Holiness is not a contest.

True enough. But if I told you Mother Teresa is holier than I am, you would find no fault in it. You would see it as an honest assessment, that I experience mother Teresa to be a person who trusts more in God, gives herself more to Him etc. than I do.

The Eucharist makes it easier to live a holy life, but certainly does not make one holy.
I am disturbed to notice the past tense verbiage here.
Do you no longer love the Eucharist?

I freely admit one thing to you. I am a person who uses my feelings. I dont take expressions lightly. I am passionate. Your last question made me weep.
The Eucharist is more than I can describe in words. It was always huge… even when I didnt understand or feel it. But many times I did FEEL it and I believe in those feelings. At one time I felt God used the Eucharist even to save my life.

 

[Prodigal_Son]

There is no little gap in communication here. The assumption that those of us who long for Christ’s presence in additional ways is that we are looking for feelings we should find only in the Mass.

I am not looking for feelings. I am looking for Him–and to search Him out everywhere is the joy of Christianity. I see Him in other people, in His creation, in literature, in redemptive stories.

We’re on the same page, Gabriel.

Maybe the insights of an Orthodox bishop, Alexander Schmemann, will help here. He mentions that *the whole world *was given to man as sacrament, before the fall. According to Genesis, the earth was given to us “as food” – the process of eating and drinking itself makes the Creation (and the Creator) present in us. This process has been perverted by sin, and the world is no longer sacrament to us.

But the Redemption changes everything. It is the Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist that is pure sacrament, but in the life of the Eucharist (which means the life of thanksgiving), the whole world once again becomes sacrament to us. A modern Protestant song says:

This is the air I breathe,
This is the air I breathe,
Your holy presence living in me.

I want to be around people who experience God in churches, yes, but moreover who experience God everywhere, in every moment, in the interaction of themselves and the world. This is an ecstatic call, and I would be the first to admit that it is available to non-charismatics: it is available to mystics and to devotional Catholics and to saints. But it is available to those with charismatic giftings, as well, and it is available to those outside the Catholic church.

I only belabor this point because the Lord asked us to be perfect, as He is perfect. I want to let my faith-filled brothers and sisters know that there is something rich and meaningful in charismatic worship and community, even though (like everything on Earth except the Eucharist) it is not perfect.

 

[vz71]

But you are wrong.
God is Spirit. He communicates with us, He unites Himself with us… He prays in us… even when we sleep, when we are silent, when we are in the wilderness.

He may well, but there is nothing you can point to that in any way shows this is the case. It is intangible.
And that is the point I am hitting. When it is all said and done, you are left with nothing tangible.

I confess you are probably the one of us whose eyes are more clearly open. I do not fully grasp the Eucharist. For me an encounter of God can take place at Mass, at a Pentecostal service, out in nature, during prayer or Bible reading at night where His presense is suddenly exeptionally felt… where He speaks to me. Forgive my audacity, but I once felt Jesus Christ vividly calling me to himself right after I had gravely sinned and I felt I was alone in all the universe.

I would rephrase some of this…
You WILL encounter God in the eucharist. you may not feel it, but the reality is there nonetheless. One could liken it to being at dinner with your spouse, and not speaking to each other. As to God being encountered everywhere else, I have little doubt. But I would caution against feeling that one may substitute for the other. Too many fall into that trap. As to feeling God calling you directly after some major sin, it is not the slightest bit suprising. The good shephard will often call the sheep that he sees straying.

I am not as well trained as you… maybe because i am still a new Catholic. When I encounter God the experience I get from it is rather similar… It sometimes seems its most about my own openess, and he is there ready to give me Everything at all times.

It is a tremendous blessing to be able to encounter God anywhere at anytime.
How much greater must your experience be during Mass…I am envious.

dont wish to answer your question. Not for the sake of my own honour, but because I feel you question my Teacher, who gave me everything, when you ask such a question.
It is evident that you find my posts disturbing. If they tempt you to become uncharitable I hope you will tell me so we dont continue this thread. It would not be worth it.

Understood…I think. when you seperated out the Father and the son, I was uncertain what to think. The mystery of the trinity tells us that all three are the same one.
So I saw little sense in a decision between one or the other.
You very successfully confused me.

True enough. But if I told you Mother Teresa is holier than I am, you would find no fault in it. You would see it as an honest assessment, that I experience mother Teresa to be a person who trusts more in God, gives herself more to Him etc. than I do.

I would see an honest assessment of your perception of self juxtaposed against someone else. I would not presume to judge holiness.

I freely admit one thing to you. I am a person who uses my feelings. I dont take expressions lightly. I am passionate. Your last question made me weep.
The Eucharist is more than I can describe in words. It was always huge… even when I didnt understand or feel it. But many times I did FEEL it and I believe in those feelings. At one time I felt God used the Eucharist even to save my life.

Apologies. I never meant to cause injury in my question.
Then can I assume you are referring to past incidence and not necessarily current or future feelings?

 

[GraceDK]

He may well, but there is nothing you can point to that in any way shows this is the case. It is intangible.
And that is the point I am hitting. When it is all said and done, you are left with nothing tangible.

?

So are you in the Eucharist.
The Eucharist looks, tastes and even has the same effect as bread and wine.
But we know its the Flesh and Blood of Christ.
That it is not tangible, thus does not prove its not the really Real, that surpassed the material world. It only means its outside of what we can grasp while we are still in the flesh.
Christ rose in His Flesh. He is there next to you at this moment whether or not you received the Eucharist recently. Is He tangible? No, not in the sense that we understand it. But He is still risen with His body. He is real. Its no illusion. If you have Him you have Something.
God is omnipresent.
His omnipresense is not tangible. Its not a feeling either. Its a Reality that faith has abled us to accept.
You cannot put Flesh and Spirit up against each other, as in a hierarchy. Its the Spirit that makes the flesh alive.

 

[gabriel22a]

Dear Prodigal Son,

Thank you for hearing me! It’s like a breath of fresh air. I really appreciated your quotes and the charity you show. I feel like I explain Catholicism to my evangelical family and they don’t quite get it, although they are kind. And on this forum I tried to explain what you so eloquently did, and the shots back and forth avoid the main point.

This posting has caused me a little frustration, so not sure if I should be involved in it. But thank you for your consistent and gentle words on this thread.

God bless.

 

[rcandap]

I’m reading this post (and here on this forum) because I am in the same boat. I was “raised Catholic” very loosely speaking, became Protestant in high school, and did not return to Catholicism until 9 years ago after marrying. I did have some real experiencing God moments in my involvement as a Protestant.

It wasn’t difficult, since it seems in every church except the Catholic Church people are friendly toward you and seek you out for your time and talent and to find where you fit into involvement in a ministry. Since returning to Catholicism, because I do believe it holds the fullness of truth, I have had the exact opposite experieince: I actually try to involve myself and either meet with indifference or am literally rebuffed. I am spiritually starving and my relationship with God is suffering. This is not one Catholic parish either; we have spent months trying to involve ourselves at no fewer than six since my husband went through RCIA six years ago. Sometimes we are chased off earlier than others by dowright rudeness. All in all there is a pervasive feeling that we are just faces in the crowd.

And here is where I am right now. Last summer, I attempted to volunteer with VBS and to take my daughter. After two days, we quit going. It was so ill-planned as to not be planned at all, dull and lifeless (I did what I could, but my ideas were not heeded). It was better for my daughter in my opinion to not go at all than to get the impression of the Church being like that, which was always my experience growing up. This summer, I put two of my children in VBS at a large Protestant parish nearby. The experience was amazing, I’ll skip the details here. I am very distressed that they cannot seem to have that kind of religious experience in the Catholic Church. I can tell them it’s wonderful everyday, but eventually they’re going to have to see for themselves.

Awhile back I heard a priest speak on EWTN about the complaint of “no fellowship”–he said maybe not, but we have the Real Presence–what is fellowship compared to that? Well my question is, how can we not have fellowship in spite of that? God did make our human nature to be very social.

I thought this was maybe just a regional problem! I also have blamed the Church being “so big,” but feeling the overwhelming warmth at that mega-church, that excuse isn’t going to fly anymore. I don’t know where to begin addressing it.

 

[Craisin]

I am also a 23 year old Catholic convert - well, revert - to the faith! I practiced as an Evangelical for about 6 years, so can definitely relate to you missing the music. However, I’ve come to realize with the Catholic faith there is more joy we receive out of times of suffering, out of this dryness period that the Lord gives to us. This desire and thirst for God is not just emotional fulfillment…St. John of the Cross talks about something called the “Dark Night of the Soul” which you might be interested in…so fret not if you are struggling. It might be a time in your life to seek God in a time of spiritual dryness and to rely on HIM alone and to refine you.

As for attending a Protestant Church, I would strongly not recommend it. I often thought about this too - but, alongside creating and promoting an emotional attachment in your to their church (when developing love should be focused on Him in His Church), I think attending could also unintentionally give the wrong impression to our separated brethren. If a Catholic attends Mass AND a Protestant church regularly, it says to the Protestants that there is something “missing” at the Catholic Mass, when really, we have everything at the Catholic Mass - Jesus Himself is before and IN us (yet we long for good music!) I think, action wise, attending would also do little to evangelize to the Protestants in promoting the reality of Christ present in the Eucharist and in His Church.

May the Lord bless you!

 

[vz71]

So are you in the Eucharist.
The Eucharist looks, tastes and even has the same effect as bread and wine.
But we know its the Flesh and Blood of Christ.
That it is not tangible, thus does not prove its not the really Real, that surpassed the material world. It only means its outside of what we can grasp while we are still in the flesh.

Tangible means that it is something that can be touched. It is physical, and real.
Love is not tangible. The bedpost I stubbed my toe against this morning is tangible.
You said it all…“we know its the Flesh and Blood of Christ.”

Christ rose in His Flesh. He is there next to you at this moment whether or not you received the Eucharist recently. Is He tangible? No, not in the sense that we understand it. But He is still risen with His body. He is real. Its no illusion. If you have Him you have Something.

But we are not just spiritual beings. We are physical beings as well.
The spiritual side of our being may well be satisfied by an ever present intangible, but the physical side of every human being craves something more then that.
How wise it was that God knew this and provided for it with his own flesh and blood.

God is omnipresent.
His omnipresense is not tangible. Its not a feeling either. Its a Reality that faith has abled us to accept.
You cannot put Flesh and Spirit up against each other, as in a hierarchy. Its the Spirit that makes the flesh alive.

No, you cannot place the spirit and the flesh against each other.
As I said before, there is no comparison between the intangible and the tangible.
Both flesh and spirit require nourishment.
It is only in the fullness of the Mass that this is done.

 

[DominicVobiscum]

I am also a 23 year old Catholic convert - well, revert - to the faith! I practiced as an Evangelical for about 6 years, so can definitely relate to you missing the music. However, I’ve come to realize with the Catholic faith there is more joy we receive out of times of suffering, out of this dryness period that the Lord gives to us. This desire and thirst for God is not just emotional fulfillment…St. John of the Cross talks about something called the “Dark Night of the Soul” which you might be interested in…so fret not if you are struggling. It might be a time in your life to seek God in a time of spiritual dryness and to rely on HIM alone and to refine you.

As for attending a Protestant Church, I would strongly not recommend it. I often thought about this too - but, alongside creating and promoting an emotional attachment in your to their church (when developing love should be focused on Him in His Church), I think attending could also unintentionally give the wrong impression to our separated brethren. If a Catholic attends Mass AND a Protestant church regularly, it says to the Protestants that there is something “missing” at the Catholic Mass, when really, we have everything at the Catholic Mass - Jesus Himself is before and IN us (yet we long for good music!) I think, action wise, attending would also do little to evangelize to the Protestants in promoting the reality of Christ present in the Eucharist and in His Church.

May the Lord bless you!

You seem wise beyond your years. Bless you!!

 

[Tezza]

I’m reading this post (and here on this forum) because I am in the same boat. I was “raised Catholic” very loosely speaking, became Protestant in high school, and did not return to Catholicism until 9 years ago after marrying. I did have some real experiencing God moments in my involvement as a Protestant.

It wasn’t difficult, since it seems in every church except the Catholic Church people are friendly toward you and seek you out for your time and talent and to find where you fit into involvement in a ministry. Since returning to Catholicism, because I do believe it holds the fullness of truth, I have had the exact opposite experieince: I actually try to involve myself and either meet with indifference or am literally rebuffed. I am spiritually starving and my relationship with God is suffering. This is not one Catholic parish either; we have spent months trying to involve ourselves at no fewer than six since my husband went through RCIA six years ago. Sometimes we are chased off earlier than others by dowright rudeness. All in all there is a pervasive feeling that we are just faces in the crowd.

And here is where I am right now. Last summer, I attempted to volunteer with VBS and to take my daughter. After two days, we quit going. It was so ill-planned as to not be planned at all, dull and lifeless (I did what I could, but my ideas were not heeded). It was better for my daughter in my opinion to not go at all than to get the impression of the Church being like that, which was always my experience growing up. This summer, I put two of my children in VBS at a large Protestant parish nearby. The experience was amazing, I’ll skip the details here. I am very distressed that they cannot seem to have that kind of religious experience in the Catholic Church. I can tell them it’s wonderful everyday, but eventually they’re going to have to see for themselves.

Awhile back I heard a priest speak on EWTN about the complaint of “no fellowship”–he said maybe not, but we have the Real Presence–what is fellowship compared to that? Well my question is, how can we not have fellowship in spite of that? God did make our human nature to be very social.

I thought this was maybe just a regional problem! I also have blamed the Church being “so big,” but feeling the overwhelming warmth at that mega-church, that excuse isn’t going to fly anymore. I don’t know where to begin addressing it.

I’m sorry to hear about your experience. I hope you can find a parish that does a better job of being the Body of Christ. My parish is the exact opposite. There are at least 4 greeters at every door. There are more ministries than can be counted on 2 hands. We have a prayer group once a week that welcomes charismatic expression. This did not happen overnight, however. The priest who came in worked diligently to build up our community. The fruits have been amazing.

I believe fellowship was always intended for us as Christians. Jesus did send disciples out in twos, and if it’s good enough for him… It cannot, however, replace our time meant to spend with Christ in personal prayer or the Mass. That being said, it sure adds to one’s spiritual life when you have others with which to walk the faith journey.

Does your diocese put on retreats? Or another diocese nearby? I highly recommend attending some type of retreat/conference experience where you can meet others who care enough about their faith to attend such an event.

You are in my prayers,
Teri

 

[rcandap]

Does your diocese put on retreats? Or another diocese nearby? I highly recommend attending some type of retreat/conference experience where you can meet others who care enough about their faith to attend such an event.

You are in my prayers,
Teri

Thank you. There is one retreat that is big pretty big here among those who have gone on it–the name eludes me at the moment. I think some people feel they’re too clique-ish about it, but that wouldn’t stop me. However I have four young children, infant to 5 yrs., and that’s why I’m usually trying to do something with children/families/moms, to no avail so far. I even tried to find a CDA but there is not a chapter within several miles of where we live, and I’m waiting to hear back on a request for more info I sent a few weeks ago. I got a response that it was received but that’s it so far. Of course my husband also went up to a KofC table at a so-called membership drive and tried to visit with some men, wrote down his name and contact info, and never heard another word from them. We’re not introverts or anything, but the slightest inkling that we might actually be welcomed somewhere would be nice. Though indifference is still better than actually feeling shut-out like I have a number of times.

 

[rcandap]

My parish is the exact opposite. There are at least 4 greeters at every door. There are more ministries than can be counted on 2 hands. We have a prayer group once a week that welcomes charismatic expression. This did not happen overnight, however. The priest who came in worked diligently to build up our community. The fruits have been amazing.

P.S. I see you’re in Austin. We’re in Houston (though Dallas was definitely no better for us). I guess everything is better in Austin! lol One of my favorite places.

 

[Tezza]

Thank you. There is one retreat that is big pretty big here among those who have gone on it–the name eludes me at the moment. I think some people feel they’re too clique-ish about it, but that wouldn’t stop me. However I have four young children, infant to 5 yrs., and that’s why I’m usually trying to do something with children/families/moms, to no avail so far. I even tried to find a CDA but there is not a chapter within several miles of where we live, and I’m waiting to hear back on a request for more info I sent a few weeks ago. I got a response that it was received but that’s it so far. Of course my husband also went up to a KofC table at a so-called membership drive and tried to visit with some men, wrote down his name and contact info, and never heard another word from them. We’re not introverts or anything, but the slightest inkling that we might actually be welcomed somewhere would be nice. Though indifference is still better than actually feeling shut-out like I have a number of times.

Is it the ACTS retreat? Or possibly CHRP? Yes, people have varying opinions about them, but overall the parishes who have participated in either have been flourishing (at least the ones I’ve attended).

I understand your frustration and I am so sorry you’ve been treated in such a way. Most certainly Jesus wouldn’t approve. Of course, I’ve acted in ways that Jesus wouldn’t approve of either

A woman in a parish I used to attend started a group for mommies of toddlers (can’t remember the name of it) that seemed to be doing well, but she got pregnant with twins and couldn’t continue to head it up. No one else stepped up to the plate to keep it going.

I don’t know what part of the Houston diocese you’re in, but I have a friend from Kingwood who has three young children and does a lot with that ministry, including an adoration for children. I don’t know how she pulls it off, but she has become very involved since attending an ACTS retreat. I could try to get some more information for you.

If you’re ever in Austin, you are welcome at our parish!!! (St. Ignatius)

God bless you on your journey!
Teri