At what point do you decide to just give up on a parish?

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Elzee

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My frustrations are mounting and I’m beginning to ask myself at what point should I just give up and change parishes.

Maybe I’m just feeling sorry for myself and need to buck it up, but I’m tired of being the only person in RCIA meetings at my parish who believes the Catholic Church has the fullness of truth and it isn’t okay if we just all believe in the ‘essentials’ (whatever those are) and make up our own minds on everything else. I may be ranting some here in my post, but I try my best to raise points in our meetings in a caring and diplomatic way, and occasionally will reference passages from Scripture, Vatican II documents, or the CCC so they realize I’m not just ‘making this stuff up’. I also try to be selective on what I’ll comment on - picking my battles, so to speak.

But, it’s getting harder and harder to be the lone voice - and I mean LONE voice - in a full room saying these things when your priest and RCIA director are saying something totally different, and everyone there shakes their head in agreement with the priest and director and look at me like I’ve just grown a second head. I constantly hear - *“Well, that may be what the Church teaches, but it’s just not my personal opinion - that’s between me and Jesus Christ.”

*For those of you in this situation, what do you do? Do you stay, hoping to be able to make some kind of difference, or move to a more orthodox parish. I’m really just getting tired.
 
You should have gone yesterday!
You are such a wonderful witness to the Catholic Church, don’t waste your fruits where nothing but weeds grow.

Cardinal Arinze spoke her in Detroit. My family set up for the event but could not attend. I was just talking to a friend of mine who did attend. She did many years at my old “Catholic Community” trying to change things. She told me that the Cardinal (God Bless him) even said that when things are not the way the Catholic Church wants a things to be in a parish, move to where the CCC is being followed.

I’m with you, many here are as well.
Go now and Go with God!!!
 
Elzee said:
I constantly hear - *“Well, that may be what the Church teaches, but it’s just not my personal opinion - that’s between me and Jesus Christ.” *
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People who say such things are not Catholic. Go find a Catholic parish.
 
If you don’t even have the priest behind you, you should probably leave. When you do leave, write a letter to him detailing why you think you would have more to offer in another parish.
 
Elzee said:
I constantly hear - *“Well, that may be what the Church teaches, but it’s just not my personal opinion - that’s between me and Jesus Christ.”

*For those of you in this situation, what do you do? Do you stay, hoping to be able to make some kind of difference, or move to a more orthodox parish. I’m really just getting tired.
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These people are no longer Catholic. The worse in all this—is that they will continue to create more non-Catholics.

From where I sit–it seems you have done the best you can—it may be time to find an Orthodox parish.

Ps. I don’t know if you have mention where your bishop stands in all this. If he has been made aware of what is going on in your church.
 
With all due respect, how do you know that you are correct in everything that you are commenting on in the RCIA class? Is this a situation of the student “teaching” the professor?
 
MaryD7 said:
With all due respect, how do you know that you are correct in everything that you are commenting on in the RCIA class? Is this a situation of the student “teaching” the professor?
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With all due respect—we do have the CCC and other documents to guide us in decerning whether what is being taught is Catholic or not.
 
Walking_Home said:
With all due respect—we do have the CCC and other documents to guide us in decerning whether what is being taught is Catholic or not.
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Elzee did not state what he/she was disagreeing with. Some things aren’t written in stone.

But I have a feeling that those that have stated that Elzee should find another parish are correct. If Elzee is that unhappy then go elsewhere.
 
MaryD7 said:
Elzee did not state what he/she was disagreeing with. Some things aren’t written in stone.
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Elzee:
and it isn’t okay if we just all believe in the ‘essentials’ (whatever those are) and make up our own minds on everything else. I may be ranting some here in my post, but I try my best to raise points in our meetings in a caring and diplomatic way, and occasionally will reference passages from Scripture, Vatican II documents, or the CCC so they realize I’m not just ‘making this stuff up’. I also try to be selective on what I’ll comment on - picking my battles, so to speak.
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Elzee said:
My frustrations are mounting and I’m beginning to ask myself at what point should I just give up and change parishes.

Maybe I’m just feeling sorry for myself and need to buck it up, but I’m tired of being the only person in RCIA meetings at my parish who believes the Catholic Church has the fullness of truth and it isn’t okay if we just all believe in the ‘essentials’ (whatever those are) and make up our own minds on everything else. I may be ranting some here in my post, but I try my best to raise points in our meetings in a caring and diplomatic way, and occasionally will reference passages from Scripture, Vatican II documents, or the CCC so they realize I’m not just ‘making this stuff up’. I also try to be selective on what I’ll comment on - picking my battles, so to speak.

But, it’s getting harder and harder to be the lone voice - and I mean LONE voice - in a full room saying these things when your priest and RCIA director are saying something totally different, and everyone there shakes their head in agreement with the priest and director and look at me like I’ve just grown a second head. I constantly hear - *“Well, that may be what the Church teaches, but it’s just not my personal opinion - that’s between me and Jesus Christ.”

*For those of you in this situation, what do you do? Do you stay, hoping to be able to make some kind of difference, or move to a more orthodox parish. I’m really just getting tired.
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This mindset is pretty typical of many today, especially among our separated brethren the Protestants where everyone is pretty much free to believe whatever they want. Don’t agree with the pastor, start your own Church. Don’t agree with the Bible, either edit one to your liking or write your own. All that really matters is what your personal Jesus looks like and amazingly enough He will look and act just like you:thumbsup:

My reccomendation, hit the road. Find another church. A Catholic Church might be nice, instead of the apparent haven of ecumenically minded zealots that you have wandered into.
 
palmas85 said:
This mindset is pretty typical of many today, especially among our separated brethren the Protestants where everyone is pretty much free to believe whatever they want. Don’t agree with the pastor, start your own Church. Don’t agree with the Bible, either edit one to your liking or write your own. All that really matters is what your personal Jesus looks like and amazingly enough He will look and act just like you:thumbsup:

My reccomendation, hit the road. Find another church. A Catholic Church might be nice, instead of the apparent haven of ecumenically minded zealots that you have wandered into.
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Wow!
You pegged it!
 
Sound like you need to leave St. Whatever’s Catholic Cafeteria and find a Catholic parish. Now!
 
mystified said:
Sound like you need to leave St. Whatever’s Catholic Cafeteria and find a Catholic parish. Now!
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Sound like you need to leave St. Whatever’s Catholic Community and find a Catholic parish. Now!

There. Those are the ones I know! 😛
 
Elzee said:
My frustrations are mounting and I’m beginning to ask myself at what point should I just give up and change parishes…

…For those of you in this situation, what do you do? Do you stay, hoping to be able to make some kind of difference, or move to a more orthodox parish. I’m really just getting tired.
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Don’t waste your time, talent, or treasure - you are given a precious quantity of graces with them…

Listen to the Words of the Word of God - Jesus Christ!

Matt.7:10
“Do not give dogs what is holy; and do not throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under foot and turn to attack you.”

Matt.10:14
“And if any one will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town.”
 
RUN!!! RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!!!

Find a new parish before you become indoctrinated into the dictatorship of relativism!!!:eek:

Oh and try contacting the bishop.😉
 
I attend a parish that has some of the issues as the op…I wish things were different …I could go somewhere else but my parish is my home church and where my children were confirmed etc. Maybe we should stay to try and be an example …priests change…and their deliberate ‘mistakes’ should be brought before the Bishop…:confused:

I do grow tired of it though…:confused:
 
Elzee said:
My frustrations are mounting and I’m beginning to ask myself at what point should I just give up and change parishes.

Maybe I’m just feeling sorry for myself and need to buck it up, but I’m tired of being the only person in RCIA meetings at my parish who believes the Catholic Church has the fullness of truth and it isn’t okay if we just all believe in the ‘essentials’ (whatever those are) and make up our own minds on everything else. I may be ranting some here in my post, but I try my best to raise points in our meetings in a caring and diplomatic way, and occasionally will reference passages from Scripture, Vatican II documents, or the CCC so they realize I’m not just ‘making this stuff up’. I also try to be selective on what I’ll comment on - picking my battles, so to speak.

But, it’s getting harder and harder to be the lone voice - and I mean LONE voice - in a full room saying these things when your priest and RCIA director are saying something totally different, and everyone there shakes their head in agreement with the priest and director and look at me like I’ve just grown a second head. I constantly hear - *“Well, that may be what the Church teaches, but it’s just not my personal opinion - that’s between me and Jesus Christ.”

*For those of you in this situation, what do you do? Do you stay, hoping to be able to make some kind of difference, or move to a more orthodox parish. I’m really just getting tired.
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Well, in humility, pray for them and by all means, forgive them if they offend you.

In times of crises, we need to be better Catholics by living it, not getting into debates on what other’s are doing wrong etc.

Also when you encounter another person lacks understanding on a teaching or doctrine of the church, be compassionate toward them. See this is their poverty. We are to love the poor, and that doesn’t mean only the material poor.

God Bless
Jim
 
We as Catholics are called to defend the Faith against all false teachings no matter where we encounter them—moreso when they are coming from within the Church.
 
MaryD7 said:
With all due respect, how do you know that you are correct in everything that you are commenting on in the RCIA class? Is this a situation of the student “teaching” the professor?
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That’s a very fair question and one I worry about also, so I’m careful to only comment on topics I’ve studied well before-hand, and that I can back up with the CCC, church documents, etc. even though I don’t typically bring them and read them out loud - I do occasionally as I said in my first post, but I also know people would get tired of being ‘quoted’ to all the time. So, I instead try to study before-hand and talk more casually and informally on what I’ve learned about the Church’s teaching and say that I’m basing what I’m saying on the CCC, or a particular VII document, etc. but I don’t typically pull the document out and read it to them. It seems to work well on one hand - I’m still being asked to help with the various ministries in our parish so it seems like I’m doing it in a way that isn’t turning people off, but on the other hand it also doesn’t seem to be doing much good.
 
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