A Question for Ex-Roman Catholics

[iWantToLoveHim]

Hi! I have a question:

What made you decide to leave the Roman Catholic Church? Feel free to elaborate your answers.

Thank you very much!

 

[Dale_M]

I lost my faith that the Catholic Church was guided by the Holy Spirit.

In the absence of such guidance, I think organized Christianity falls apart as fallible human interpretations and traditions.

 

[iWantToLoveHim]

I lost my faith that the Catholic Church was guided by the Holy Spirit.

In the absence of such guidance, I think organized Christianity falls apart as fallible human interpretations and traditions.

Thanks for replying to this thread.

I’m just curious. What made you lose your faith that the Catholic Church is guided by the Holy Spirit?

 

[Louie1983]

Thanks for replying to this thread.

I’m just curious. What made you lose your faith that the Catholic Church is guided by the Holy Spirit?

 

[ProLifeMom]

I fell away from the Church in about 2001…
I have since returned to the Church in 2007 (Praise God!).

The main reason I left the Church was:

• I was young and in love with a protestant boy whose family is anti-Catholic. We wanted to get married. I was told by a member of his family that we were not allowed to get married if I was Catholic. So, at age 17, I left…

It hurts me to go back and think of the reasons I told my poor, dear, dear mother why I was leaving the Church:

Catholics “worshiped Mary”…
Catholics were drunks…
Catholics were wrong to follow the Pope…
Catholics just go through the motions, the Mass had no meaning to me…
…and many more stupid, selfish, rebellious reasons ***I ***didn’t believe this or that. (It was all about me and what I thought…)

I was not at all strong in my faith, I thought as long as I went to church and believed in God I was OK.

I was rebellious…I rebelled against all authority at that time in my life. (eg: The Pope)

My heart was not open to the true meaning of the Mass, the Sacrements, and pretty much most of the teachings of the Church.

I was young and stupid and ***THANK GOD ***that He brought me back to the Church. I am so, so, so amazingly happy. I have no words to describe the joy I have in knowing that I am following Jesus faithfully in the Church that He has established on earth.

By the way- I ended up marrying that boy (man now ), outside of the Catholic Church (yes…), I am still married to him today (we had our marriage blessed/approved by the Church), and we have 2 beautiful boys whom we are raising in the Catholic faith. My husband is thinking about attending RCIA this year…

 

[LegoGE1947]

I fell away from the Church in about 2001…
I have since returned to the Church in 2007 (Praise God!).

The main reason I left the Church was:

• I was young and in love with a protestant boy whose family is anti-Catholic. We wanted to get married. I was told by a member of his family that we were not allowed to get married if I was Catholic. So, at age 17, I left…

It hurts me to go back and think of the reasons I told my poor, dear, dear mother why I was leaving the Church:

Catholics “worshiped Mary”…
Catholics were drunks…
Catholics were wrong to follow the Pope…
Catholics just go through the motions, the Mass had no meaning to me…
…and many more stupid, selfish, rebellious reasons ***I ***didn’t believe this or that. (It was all about me and what I thought…)

I was not at all strong in my faith, I thought as long as I went to church and believed in God I was OK.

I was rebellious…I rebelled against all authority at that time in my life. (eg: The Pope)

My heart was not open to the true meaning of the Mass, the Sacrements, and pretty much most of the teachings of the Church.

I was young and stupid and ***THANK GOD ***that He brought me back to the Church. I am so, so, so amazingly happy. I have no words to describe the joy I have in knowing that I am following Jesus faithfully in the Church that He has established on earth.

By the way- I ended up marrying that boy (man now ), outside of the Catholic Church (yes…), I am still married to him today (we had our marriage blessed/approved by the Church), and we have 2 beautiful boys whom we are raising in the Catholic faith. My husband is thinking about attending RCIA this year…

I left the Catholic faith in 2007 simply because my wife wanted to leave and I didn’t have the moral strength to stay in it. This year I have returned even though my wife wants no part of it. She goes to a independent church and I go to early (6:30 am ) mass. I want no part of HER church because they have made anti-Catholic statements and jabs and I want none of that!

 

[ProLifeMom]

I left the Catholic faith in 2007 simply because my wife wanted to leave and I didn’t have the moral strength to stay in it. This year I have returned even though my wife wants no part of it. She goes to a independent church and I go to early (6:30 am ) mass. I want no part of HER church because they have made anti-Catholic statements and jabs and I want none of that!

**Be strong!!! **:knight1:
I will pray for you and your wife!

 

[rev_kevin]

Hi! I have a question:

What made you decide to leave the Roman Catholic Church? Feel free to elaborate your answers.

Thank you very much!

There were some things I din’t agree with. Back in 2000 my 2nd son was born. We wanted him and my 5 year old to be Baptized and we wanted my cousin to be his Godfather. He is Catholic, he went to Catholic school {same school I went to}. The church denied him because he wasn’t a member of a catholic church. He was a good man, my second son and him were tight and loved eachother very much. I disagreed with the churches decission because how can a man who never had children tell me that my cousin wasn’t good enough to raise my son. How can a church tell you what is best for your kids. I believe the parents know best not the church. They don’t know what kind of relationship people have so who are to judge. Then there is the part about telling the priest your sins. That is private information between me and God. The only one who can forgive sin is God not a priest. I don’t need a middle man to ask for forgiveness. Then there is praying to different saints. Nowere in the Bible does it say to pray to anyone eles except to God. Once again I don’t need a middle man to talk to God for me. Then when you go into the church, there is no fellowship, you can’t talk openly, you must be quiet because you are in God’s house. When you go to a friends house do you stay quiet? No. I felt out of place. The children under a certain age must go into what they call the cry room. I believe you shouldn’t seperate the children from the main church. Then there is a problen with tithing, they keep track of what you give to the church and if you don’t give enough they let you know. In order for my son to attent the catholic school I went to you must give the church a certain amout of your money to the church or he could not go to th eschool. I like to worship openly and freely and my church offers that. Before services start people are talking, laughting, fellowshiping with eachother. Sometimes we have plays in the sancturary during services. After services people hang around and talk to eachother in the sancturary. The pastor and his associate pastors laugh with you, talk with you like you are a person, all in all they make you feel wanted and loved. I didn’t get that in the Catholic church setting. Well that is my reason for leaving the Catholic church.
There is more but I think you see where I’m coming from.

 

[LindaW1960]

I am so, so, so amazingly happy. I have no words to describe the joy I have in knowing that I am following Jesus faithfully in the Church that He has established on earth.

By the way- I ended up marrying that boy (man now ), outside of the Catholic Church (yes…), I am still married to him today (we had our marriage blessed/approved by the Church), and we have 2 beautiful boys whom we are raising in the Catholic faith. My husband is thinking about attending RCIA this year…

WONDERFUL!!

 

[Jay53]

There were some things I din’t agree with. Back in 2000 my 2nd son was born. We wanted him and my 5 year old to be Baptized and we wanted my cousin to be his Godfather. He is Catholic, he went to Catholic school {same school I went to}. The church denied him because he wasn’t a member of a catholic church. He was a good man, my second son and him were tight and loved eachother very much. I disagreed with the churches decission because how can a man who never had children tell me that my cousin wasn’t good enough to raise my son. How can a church tell you what is best for your kids. I believe the parents know best not the church. They don’t know what kind of relationship people have so who are to judge. Then there is the part about telling the priest your sins. That is private information between me and God. The only one who can forgive sin is God not a priest. I don’t need a middle man to ask for forgiveness. Then there is praying to different saints. Nowere in the Bible does it say to pray to anyone eles except to God. Once again I don’t need a middle man to talk to God for me. Then when you go into the church, there is no fellowship, you can’t talk openly, you must be quiet because you are in God’s house. When you go to a friends house do you stay quiet? No. I felt out of place. The children under a certain age must go into what they call the cry room. I believe you shouldn’t seperate the children from the main church. Then there is a problen with tithing, they keep track of what you give to the church and if you don’t give enough they let you know. In order for my son to attent the catholic school I went to you must give the church a certain amout of your money to the church or he could not go to th eschool. I like to worship openly and freely and my church offers that. Before services start people are talking, laughting, fellowshiping with eachother. Sometimes we have plays in the sancturary during services. After services people hang around and talk to eachother in the sancturary. The pastor and his associate pastors laugh with you, talk with you like you are a person, all in all they make you feel wanted and loved. I didn’t get that in the Catholic church setting. Well that is my reason for leaving the Catholic church.
There is more but I think you see where I’m coming from.

I just felt very sad reading your post about why you left. I don’t want to debate you about your reasons because they are what they are. I just wanted to point out that the Church was right to deny your cousin being a Godparent because he wasn’t a practicing Catholic. That is part of the whole purpose of Godparents: to help raise their Godchildren in the Catholic faith - if he isn’t practicing, how would he do that? I absolutely believe you that he is a wonderful person, but that’s not the criteria for Godparent.

Edit: I guess I should also mention that since I don’t know all of the factors in the Church’s decision, there must have been more to it, because I believe you can have one non-Catholic Godparent as long as there is one practicing Catholic Godparent. I suppose it would depend on your cousin’s particular situation - if he was Catholic, but not practicing/fallen away etc. or just not Catholic.

And you probably should have found another parish to attend if they “forced” you to put all children in a cry room. I have never heard of that before - cry rooms are available for parents if needed, but obviously you are right - children are and should be welcome in church.

Your listed reasons for leaving aside, I’m curious about your view of the Eucharist, Jesus’ presence at Mass and your views of that part of the Catholic faith vs. what you experience in your current church.

May God bless you and your family.

 

[josie_L]

I just felt very sad reading your post about why you left. I don’t want to debate you about your reasons because they are what they are. I just wanted to point out that the Church was right to deny your cousin being a Godparent because he wasn’t a practicing Catholic. That is part of the whole purpose of Godparents: to help raise their Godchildren in the Catholic faith - if he isn’t practicing, how would he do that? I absolutely believe you that he is a wonderful person, but that’s not the criteria for Godparent.

And you probably should have found another parish to attend if they “forced” you to put all children in a cry room. I have never heard of that before - cry rooms are available for parents if needed, but obviously you are right - children are and should be welcome in church.

Your listed reasons for leaving aside, I’m curious about your view of the Eucharist, Jesus’ presence at Mass and your views of that part of the Catholic faith vs. what you experience in your current church.

May God bless you and your family.

I thought that odd too.

 

[LegoGE1947]

There were some things I din’t agree with. Back in 2000 my 2nd son was born. We wanted him and my 5 year old to be Baptized and we wanted my cousin to be his Godfather. He is Catholic, he went to Catholic school {same school I went to}. The church denied him because he wasn’t a member of a catholic church. He was a good man, my second son and him were tight and loved eachother very much. I disagreed with the churches decission because how can a man who never had children tell me that my cousin wasn’t good enough to raise my son. How can a church tell you what is best for your kids. I believe the parents know best not the church. They don’t know what kind of relationship people have so who are to judge. Then there is the part about telling the priest your sins. That is private information between me and God. The only one who can forgive sin is God not a priest. I don’t need a middle man to ask for forgiveness. Then there is praying to different saints. Nowere in the Bible does it say to pray to anyone eles except to God. Once again I don’t need a middle man to talk to God for me. Then when you go into the church, there is no fellowship, you can’t talk openly, you must be quiet because you are in God’s house. When you go to a friends house do you stay quiet? No. I felt out of place. The children under a certain age must go into what they call the cry room. I believe you shouldn’t seperate the children from the main church. Then there is a problen with tithing, they keep track of what you give to the church and if you don’t give enough they let you know. In order for my son to attent the catholic school I went to you must give the church a certain amout of your money to the church or he could not go to th eschool. I like to worship openly and freely and my church offers that. Before services start people are talking, laughting, fellowshiping with eachother. Sometimes we have plays in the sancturary during services. After services people hang around and talk to eachother in the sancturary. The pastor and his associate pastors laugh with you, talk with you like you are a person, all in all they make you feel wanted and loved. I didn’t get that in the Catholic church setting. Well that is my reason for leaving the Catholic church.
There is more but I think you see where I’m coming from.

In the matter of confessing your sins to a priest, the priest is acting in the person of Christ,and priests are under a priestly seal that they aren’t to tell what goes on in the confessional or they face strict penalties. In the matter of separating children from the main church, most protestant churches I’ve ever seen do just that! They have children’s church mainly to teach the kids their particular brand of the faith but also to give the kids some activity so they aren’t disturbing the adults. I’ve also seen Protestant churches where if you don’t give so much money to their church, you won’t be sending your kids to their schools. They also treat you like some sort of second class citizen if you are not giving a big pile of money to their church projects or “tithing” This “open, free” worship is not all it is cracked up to be either. In my Catholic church the priest laughs with you and talks to you like you are a person and makes you feel welcome. After Mass we have a time of having coffee and donuts in the fellowship hall where we can talk and fellowship with other parishoners. I am a former protestant so I don’t feel as tho I am missing a thing except the spiritual gymnastics of trying to make God’s word say something it doesn’t and coming away from services confused and bewildered. But then I have never considered church an “entertainment” feature. If I want a play or skit I can watch TV or go to a play or movie. The protestant assemblies I have been part of seem to be doctrinally a mile wide and 1/2 inch deep. So all things considered I am glad to no longer be a protestant.

 

[Jay53]

In the matter of confessing your sins to a priest, the priest is acting in the person of Christ,and priests are under a priestly seal that they aren’t to tell what goes on in the confessional or they face strict penalties.

I’ve had this debate with people, and I am under the impression that most people (not all and this is not directed at the previous poster who commented about this) have trouble with the humbling aspect of confession. They don’t wish to admit their faults/wrongdoings to another person (even though he is acting as Christ) so they make up excuses or other reasons why they don’t need to swallow their pride and just go. It could be pride/embarrassment or whatever. Generally now I don’t even get into it with people - I just pray for them. God will lead them as He wills.

Same thing with the praying to Mary and the Saints. My response is usually just that I can use all the help I can get down here!

 

[LegoGE1947]

I just felt very sad reading your post about why you left. I don’t want to debate you about your reasons because they are what they are. I just wanted to point out that the Church was right to deny your cousin being a Godparent because he wasn’t a practicing Catholic. That is part of the whole purpose of Godparents: to help raise their Godchildren in the Catholic faith - if he isn’t practicing, how would he do that? I absolutely believe you that he is a wonderful person, but that’s not the criteria for Godparent.

And you probably should have found another parish to attend if they “forced” you to put all children in a cry room. I have never heard of that before - cry rooms are available for parents if needed, but obviously you are right - children are and should be welcome in church.

Your listed reasons for leaving aside, I’m curious about your view of the Eucharist, Jesus’ presence at Mass and your views of that part of the Catholic faith vs. what you experience in your current church.

May God bless you and your family.

That is something I have never heard of either “forcing” a parent to put the kids in a cry room. As you said the cry room is available but not manditory as a general rule. Sometime you should watch one of the episodes of season 6 of the Gilmore Girls TV show where there was an infant baptism service and the “godfather” the family picked was a letcherous, foul mouthed person who when called on to say he renounced the devils ways said "devil can kiss my ""s! Some choice for a Godfather, right? So I agree with you that a god parent, regardless of denomination, should be one who practices the particular faith diligently and would be a good influence for the child’s upbringing in the faith in question.

 

[VARC]

It’s hard to pin point exactly how my faith in Roman teachings collapsed. I think the foundation and pillar for the Roman Catholic religion is its belief in papal infallibilty. As long as one maintains belief in PI, one is going to remain firmly catholic. Once a catholic stops believing in PI, that person already has one foot out of the door. If I could pin-point when I stopped being a Roman Catholic it would be when I gave up papal infallibility.

I began to question PI for two reasons.

1)The eastern orthodox gave a more than adequate retort to papal claims both historical and theological

1. Rome’s views on human life didn’t sit well with me, beginning with the Teri Schiavo fiasco.

I read in another thread that most former RCs in the anglican churches are there because they are divorced and remarried or something like that. In other words they couldn’t hack it as catholics so they ran to TEC. That is not the case with me. I would have preferred to remain an RC but my conscience simply wouldn’t allow it. I didn’t want to remain in the RC as a dissenter barred from communion.

 

[LegoGE1947]

It’s hard to pin point exactly how my faith in Roman teachings collapsed. I think the foundation and pillar for the Roman Catholic religion is its belief in papal infallibilty. As long as one maintains belief in PI, one is going to remain firmly catholic. Once a catholic stops believing in PI, that person already has one foot out of the door. If I could pin-point when I stopped being a Roman Catholic it would be when I gave up papal infallibility.

I began to question PI for two reasons.

1)The eastern orthodox gave a more than adequate retort to papal claims both historical and theological

1. Rome’s views on human life didn’t sit well with me, beginning with the Teri Schiavo fiasco.

I read in another thread that most former RCs in the anglican churches are there because they are divorced and remarried or something like that. In other words they couldn’t hack it as catholics so they ran to TEC. That is not the case with me. I would have preferred to remain an RC but my conscience simply wouldn’t allow it. I didn’t want to remain in the RC as a dissenter barred from communion.

What began for me the loss of faith in pentacostal teachings was being a member of a church where when I felt I was losing my grip on reality and needed to seek out professional help this pastor had me up in front of a Sunday morning congregation and began to go through an exorcism! Had me running around the worship area like some nut screaming at the devil all because I dared to ask him if he knew any Christian therapists in our area. Later I found that I am bi-polar and desparately needed to get some help and get on some medication to get my damaged emotions under some semblance of control. By the way this church or sect or whatever it was usually preached the same health and wealth “gospel” as so many TV preachers are into!

 

[VARC]

What began for me the loss of faith in pentacostal teachings was being a member of a church where when I felt I was losing my grip on reality and needed to seek out professional help this pastor had me up in front of a Sunday morning congregation and began to go through an exorcism! Had me running around the worship area like some nut screaming at the devil all because I dared to ask him if he knew any Christian therapists in our area. Later I found that I am bi-polar and desparately needed to get some help and get on some medication to get my damaged emotions under some semblance of control. By the way this church or sect or whatever it was usually preached the same health and wealth “gospel” as so many TV preachers are into!

Wow. It just goes to show that one must pick one’s shepard wisely I suppose.

 

[Sellers1]

Hi! I have a question:

What made you decide to leave the Roman Catholic Church? Feel free to elaborate your answers.

Thank you very much!

No basis for the dogmas of Mary. Catholics cannot prove this other than to say that they were divine revelation to the church. Scripture warns of such explanations. St. Paul spoke to Timothy about things such as these.

Teachings not parallel and sometimes even in opposition to Scripture.

The child sexual abuse scandal. The way some of the church hierarchy flat out lied to cover up abusive priests for decades while the victims suffered (many times silently). The last place on earth I would expect a minor child to be abused would be in the one holy catholic and apostolic Church.

The feeling deep down in the soul that the Spirit was nowhere to be found at mass. I had forgotten what it felt like to be anything but dead in the Spirit until I changed denominations. I wouldn’t go back to the Catholic church for the world.

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

I’ve had this debate with people, and I am under the impression that most people (not all and this is not directed at the previous poster who commented about this) have trouble with the humbling aspect of confession. They don’t wish to admit their faults/wrongdoings to another person (even though he is acting as Christ) so they make up excuses or other reasons why they don’t need to swallow their pride and just go. It could be pride/embarrassment or whatever. Generally now I don’t even get into it with people - I just pray for them. God will lead them as He wills.

Same thing with the praying to Mary and the Saints. My response is usually just that I can use all the help I can get down here!

Oddly enough, when I was a protestant, I MISSED confession and felt that piece seriously lacking…I’ve never had trouble confessing my sins even when they were humiliating! lol…I missed the opportunity and grace when I was away from the Church. But I think you’re right about many people. Many many people hate the notion of confession, even Catholics I’ve met.

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

What began for me the loss of faith in pentacostal teachings was being a member of a church where when I felt I was losing my grip on reality and needed to seek out professional help this pastor had me up in front of a Sunday morning congregation and began to go through an exorcism! Had me running around the worship area like some nut screaming at the devil all because I dared to ask him if he knew any Christian therapists in our area. Later I found that I am bi-polar and desparately needed to get some help and get on some medication to get my damaged emotions under some semblance of control. By the way this church or sect or whatever it was usually preached the same health and wealth “gospel” as so many TV preachers are into!

Holy smokes! That sounds traumatic! Thanks be to God you are out of there! Bless you, buddy!