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7_Sorrows
Guest
thanks Denise.
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ComplineSanFran
Guest
My experience has been that when Roman Catholics come to my parish for an event such as a wedding or a funeral, we graciously welcome them and try to make them feel comfortable. The liturgies are so similar that it is only a question of customs that need some explaining. We have open Communion, and all are free to receive or not, with no one looking over their shoulder.
I would think that not much attempt at conversion happens, in either direction, but rather just wanting people to feel at home in God’s house. And I expect the same when I go to Catholic churches for events.
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Brendan_64
Guest
We are allowed to attend weddings, funerals and such events in non-Catholic places of worship (because we are attending out of love or respect for a non-Catholic friend or family members) and we are also allowed to participate in special ecumenical services.
The problem arises if Catholics attend non-Catholic in order to worship with non-Catholics as one congregation, as one body. The danger here is that indifferentism could start to creep in where (especially if it becomes a regular occurrence) the Catholic may start to think that there isn’t that much difference between us, and that we are all pretty much part of the same family, a wider ‘Church’ almost. The Catholic may even start to view himself as part of the congregation. That is where the danger lies.
The problem arises if Catholics attend non-Catholic in order to worship with non-Catholics as one congregation, as one body. The danger here is that indifferentism could start to creep in where (especially if it becomes a regular occurrence) the Catholic may start to think that there isn’t that much difference between us, and that we are all pretty much part of the same family, a wider ‘Church’ almost. The Catholic may even start to view himself as part of the congregation. That is where the danger lies.
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7_Sorrows
Guest
yes this is true. I had a close friend who was a cradle Catholic and was attending the Methodist church with her daughter when she visited her once or twice a month and took communion. I was a convert, but still felt I should tell her that was not allowed and she seemed shocked. who knows how long she was doing this and she was in her 80’s and a Eucharistic Minister. she didn’t see anything wrong with it.
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Brendan_64
Guest
I think the danger comes when the focus of worshipping shifts from who you are worshipping to who you are worshipping with. The ‘community’ of worshippers takes over and people focus on the nice, well-meaning, nice, friendly people around them and a sense of fellowship takes over. That combined with a tendency to think, “We’re all Christians, we’ve all been baptised, so we are all pretty much one and the same,” along with a false sense of what ecumenism is about, can result in a Catholic effectively seeing himself part of a wider Christian congregation.
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7_Sorrows
Guest
yes. that is a good point.
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ProVobis
Guest
This would be true with vocal prayer, not so much with contemplative or meditative prayer.
That said, when attending a wedding or funeral (or organ recital, concert, etc.) there is usually much socializing outside the worship. This, of course, should not be mistaken with the worship proper.
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DeniseNY
Guest
No Byzantines?
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ComplineSanFran
Guest
That’s a good question. I have not met someone who introduced themselves as Byzantine, but that isn’t indicative of who is in the congregation. My parish has a lot of visitors on a Sunday morning, and there have been many from eastern rite churches over the years. I will have to start paying attention more. Thank you.No Byzantines?
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ComplineSanFran
Guest
Do people know the series of books called ‘How to be a Perfect Stranger: the Essential Religious Etiquette Handbook’?
They are extremely helpful in guiding you through other traditions when you are a guest. I have used them on many occasions. Baptisms, bar mitzvahs, funerals, weddings, etc.
“Enables the stranger to hold fast to the integrity of their own tradition while stepping onto someone else’s holy ground…Concise, informative, and eminently practical.”
―Rev. Christopher Leighton, executive director, Institute for Christian-Jewish Studies
amazon.com/How-Perfect-Stranger-Essential-Religious/dp/1594731403
They are extremely helpful in guiding you through other traditions when you are a guest. I have used them on many occasions. Baptisms, bar mitzvahs, funerals, weddings, etc.
“Enables the stranger to hold fast to the integrity of their own tradition while stepping onto someone else’s holy ground…Concise, informative, and eminently practical.”
―Rev. Christopher Leighton, executive director, Institute for Christian-Jewish Studies
amazon.com/How-Perfect-Stranger-Essential-Religious/dp/1594731403
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Brendan_64
Guest
Weddings, funerals etc. are different. We attend such events in non-Catholic churches not as party of a religious congregation, but as friends and family of the deceased or those getting married. We are there to display our love and regard for the person(s) concerned. Such services attended in this frame of mind are not a problem.
It’s when we attend non-Catholic services as part of the congregation that the problem arises. Attending such services is false-ecumenism and leads to indifferentism. Sadly it is quite common and leads to many Catholics viewing all Christian denominations as varying denominations of one Faith, which is not the case.
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ProVobis
Guest
RIght. And there are probably a few who attend worship of different faiths, for the sake of their families, communities, etc. Maybe that was one of the reasons for having similar liturgies, I don’t know. Ecumenism can be quite a good thing, but if shouldn’t be at the expense of compromising one’s faith to any degree.
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Brendan_64
Guest
There are indeed, and attending out of loves for one’s family is fair enough. Attending for the sake of one’s community? Why would a person do that? Should their community not be their fellow Catholics, their own Faith community?
Ecumenism can be a good thing, but there ought to be a real purpose to it. If the aim is to directly evangelise others and bring them to the one true Faith, then great. If the aim is to foster a better understanding so as to enable us to find ways to sew seeds that will bring people to the one true Faith, great. If the aim is to create links in order to cooperate together in charitable actions, helping those in need etc, great. As a joint act of public Christian witness, also good.
But often ecumenism is viewed as a way in which we can worship together as one group of Christians, with no real evangelising aim, then that is questionable. That leads to a pushing aside of our very real differences and moving to a ‘comfortable’ common ground where we don’t upset each other, so that we can worship as one. That is dangerous, but sadly it is not uncommon.
Ecumenism should not be thought as something that is automatically good, or as an end in itself. It should be viewed as a tool to achieve a particular goal.
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ProVobis
Guest
I was thinking like nursing homes or hospitals or other places where they might have people of different faiths dwelling together. Or even Congress where I hear a chaplain starts the session with a prayer. He doesn’t have to be Catholic.
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Brendan_64
Guest
That would be fair enough, I suppose. Or perhaps a Catholic employee working in an Anglican school attending their service when the local vicar comes in to the school, or when the children are taken to the local Anglican church for a service.
I was thinking more of individuals who live in a geographic community know the local people around them well, feel part of that community, and as a result attend services in the place of worship where the majority of that community attend. Which is very different to the scenario you present above.
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