Advice on how to deal with Anti Catholics

[OMI]

As some of your are aware I a member of the Scouting Movement in Ireland. We have a chat forum like this and yesturday somebody started a thread on Scouting and Mass attendance. Some are saying that because we are a multi faith country mass should not be provided for catholics children when they are away with the scouts. The Counter defence is that we have an obligation to bring catholic children to mass or any other child to a service that prescribes to their faith and that is enshrined in our constitution. their counter defence is that if we are doing that we should be doing the following as well.

Catholic Communications Office wrote:
Because Friday recalls the crucifixion of our Lord, it is set aside as a special penitential day. In accordance with the mind of the universal Church, the Irish bishops remind their people of the obligation of Friday penance, and instruct them that it may be fulfilled in one or more of the following ways:

By abstaining from meat or some other food;
By abstaining from alcoholic drink, smoking or some form of amusement;
By making the special effort involved in family prayer, taking part in the Mass, visiting the Blessed Sacrament or praying the Stations of the Cross;
By fasting from all food for a longer period than usual and perhaps by giving what is saved in this way to the needy at home and abroad;
By going out of our way to help somebody who is poor, sick, old or lonely.
While the form of penance is an option and doesn’t have to take the same form every Friday, the obligation to do penance is not. There is a serious obligation to observe Friday as a penitential day. We are confident that the Irish people as a whole will take this obligation to heart. We recommend that each person should choose some form of penance for Fridays, in memory, as was Friday abstinence, of the passion and death of our Lord. (Statement from the Irish Bishops on Canons 1249-1253, November 1983)

url=http://www.latinmassireland.org/newshappenings/fridayfast.html] The Latin Mass Society of Ireland /

How do I deal with that??

 

[Scottgun]

I’m not I sure I fully understand the objection. I mean, if no mass is made reasonably available, then the kids are not obligated. If one is provided, they would be obligated. There is Friday pennance (and it looks pretty well spelled out from the document.) How is it a counter-defence? Perhaps if I saw the thread I could make more sense out of it.

 

[OMI]

I’m not I sure I fully understand the objection. I mean, if no mass is made reasonably available, then the kids are not obligated. If one is provided, they would be obligated. There is Friday pennance (and it looks pretty well spelled out from the document.) How is it a counter-defence? Perhaps if I saw the thread I could make more sense out of it.

Its a long thread and I cant put it up here and its a private website as well.

We as Scout Leaders are obliged as its stands to help our young people to Adhere to spiritual principles, loyalty to the faith that expresses them and acceptance of the duties resulting there from. Some people are objecting and are quite anti catholic in their objection. They feel that we should have multi faith services which would include everybody.

 

[Scottgun]

Ahh…I think I get it. They want everyone to go to some non-denominational service right? I’m not sure how to handle this. My own very feeble speculation is that is that if no mass is available, then the kids are not obligated. The question is then can they go to this whatchamacallit service. Technically, I think it is permissible for Catholics to attend non-Catholic services as long as they don’t participate in any rituals, but that might be wildly imprudent–I’d be very wary of doing such without an authoritative opinion. Especially if you have opponents that are deliberately trying to mess you up.

They have a small point I suppose in that if we allow a service for Catholics, don’t we have to provide a service for Jews, Buddhists, etc.?

The nice thing about Catholicsim is that mass does not have to be a big to do. If you can line up a priest willing to be there, there is not much they can do about it since all it takes is the priest (who can bring the basic necessities), a room and about 30 minutes. In other words, you can do it without your poo-pooers having to do any work. If they still object, then yeah, they are being incredible butt-heads. The whole Friday pennance thing seems to be a non-starter because it doesn’t require anyone but the Catholic himself to do anything.

 

[scylla]

I would stress in any discussion that there is no comparison whatsoever between Catholicism and any other faith.
To substitute a general service instead would have no use to a Catholic as we our proper worship service is the Mass.

So Catholics have to go to Mass on Sunday and if it is impossible nothing substitutes as that would be an insult to God and to Catholics.

For non-catholics it is not wrong to miss a Sunday service even if they can help it, as this has no consequence in their faith system. It then is pure selfishness and hate of others that would want to deny Catholics the possibility of Mass. A Catholic sees it as a necessary element to their faith as the Holy Sacrifice of Jesus is central and required of all Catholics to attend.

There is not comparison in the faith systems and no way a generic service would suffice, unless Catholics deny the faith.

This is serious business and should be defended to martrydom.

God Bless
Scylla