Can a Catholic attend a United Methodist service?

[CMatt25]

Yes, my mistake, should have said parishes.

Surely you just need a copy of your Baptismal certificate/ confirmation from your current parish priest that you are a Catholic, and then you are free to attend any Catholic church you like, without the need for being on their ‘books’?

The issue is a lot less complicated here in the UK anyway.

The conservative/liberal thing can be a pain. Does your church have an SVP branch?

No problem LDNCatholic. Not a mistake. I figured that was what you meant.

Well yes Catholics in my diocese are free to attend any parish. Registration from what I gather provides a donation record and perhaps documentation that a Catholic
is active. But from what the chancellor at my local diocese has told me, it is left to the priests if a person can register as a parishoner if the parish is not their proper territorial parish. Some priests in the diocese allow it and some do not. And Sacraments, I’m assuming such as Confirmation, Matrimony, and also something like providing funerals are the responsibilty of only the territorial parish. Although that does not mean one would be refused the courtesy at another parish. It seems in the docese I am in, leeway is given to the priests on these matters.

I have heard registration matters are less complicated there. Yes I know the parish considered to be territorial for Catholics in my neighborhood has a SVP ministry. The last I attended a Mass there however one of the priests didn’t exactly win me over in regard to something he said in his homily pertaining to the conservative/liberal divide I mentioned. So I haven’t been back there. Thanks for writing. God bless you and peace.

 

[Roy5]

Back to the issue of attending a Methodist service.

I recall, after Vatican II, how ecumenism seemed to floruish where we were living. There were ecumenical services on certain occasions, and priests and ministers even exchanged pulpits, especially around the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in January.

**Sadly, this emphasis seems to have faded**, though Christians and others do cooperate on soup kitchens and homeless shelters in this area. I find that most Catholics and Protestants have dropped their defensiveness and now 'agree to disagree'. I have attended different churches on occasion, and rarely hear a word of criticism of other religions. Most of such criticism I run into appears here on CAF and on EWTN.

** Over the years I have come to the conviction that most of our devotion to our particular faiths arises out of a tendency of human beings to be tribalistic**. We cheer on our favorite teams, for example, and certainly our families. It’s normal and not bad except when it leads to silly prejudice based more on this tribalism than on any reasonable basis.
**
Few Catholics have any extensive and independent knowledge of Protestantism**. They are told that their church is right and the others are wrong, and many accept this.

 **The same among Protestants.** They are inclined to believe, for example, that Catholics worship Mary because they see Mary so elevated when visit a typical Catholic Church - a statue of Mary, etc. Much misunderstanding. It's a scandal, in my view. 

 **Actually, I doubt if any of us have serious insight into the fully reality of this mammoth, magnificent, miraculous and mysterious universe**. But most need some worldview, some ''faith system' to live by. Different religious provide us with that. So, we havge the Christians and Jews, Muslims and Buddhists. I seek to follow Christ, but I suspect that God is just as approving of a moral and giving Jew or Buddhist as he is a Christian.

 **As for the Methodism: one thing I like about it is that it provides more space for individual thought and expression.** I read years ago a book entitled "The Christian Agnostic" by an English Methodist minister whose name, as I recall, was Weatherhead. I was influenced by his main point. Yes, we seek to be devout and worthy Christians, but most thinking people recognize that beyond our faith there are many essential truth that our finite minds don't know and/or understand. In a nutshell, the dimensions of God are not for us to understand. That makes God God. I believe it is in Psalm 139 that we read that "such knowledge is too wonderful for me."

 **God bless Catholics, Methodists and all of his children** of every creed, color, culture and country. Let us work together to make religion a bridge rather than a barrier.

 

[GreggAlvarez]

Sadly, this emphasis seems to have faded, though Christians and others do cooperate on soup kitchens and homeless shelters in this area. I find that most Catholics and Protestants have dropped their defensiveness and now ‘agree to disagree’. I have attended different churches on occasion, and rarely hear a word of criticism of other religions. Most of such criticism I run into appears here on CAF and on EWTN.

Catholics want to make sure we are loving God with all our minds also. That is, make sure we believe what the Truth is. If one believes Faith Alone and another believe Faith and Works, then clearly one believes the Truth the and other does not. Remember that Christ is also the Truth. To believe something that is not true is clearly not loving God with all our minds also.

** Over the years I have come to the conviction that most of our devotion to our particular faiths arises out of a tendency of human beings to be tribalistic**. We cheer on our favorite teams, for example, and certainly our families. It’s normal and not bad except when it leads to silly prejudice based more on this tribalism than on any reasonable basis.

That is a bad conviction. There is some truth to it but not in the primitive way you are suggesting. What Christianity needs is for Christians to be Christians. Not “Oh ok, that sounds fine and dandy. I will just go to this other denomination because they threw one Bible verse at me.” Or “I will become atheist because they threw a seeming contradiction in Christianity that cannot be answered.” Some Christians are too non-chalant. This is why we need apologetics. To defend the Truth and defend our own brothers and sisters that struggle with disbelief.

** Few Catholics have any extensive and independent knowledge of Protestantism**. They are told that their church is right and the others are wrong, and many accept this.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with submitting to the authority of a divinely-appointed institution. Romans 13:1-2 should shed light on why we must do this. I will defend this position and the Catholics too pious to waste their time on silly discussions like this.

The same among Protestants. They are inclined to believe, for example, that Catholics worship Mary because they see Mary so elevated when visit a typical Catholic Church - a statue of Mary, etc. Much misunderstanding. It’s a scandal, in my view.

Agreed. Some Catholics even have wrong views of Sola Scriptura. That is why I defend and not attack.

Actually, I doubt if any of us have serious insight into the fully reality of this mammoth, magnificent, miraculous and mysterious universe. But most need some worldview, some '‘faith system’ to live by. Different religious provide us with that. So, we havge the Christians and Jews, Muslims and Buddhists. I seek to follow Christ, but I suspect that God is just as approving of a moral and giving Jew or Buddhist as he is a Christian.

Perhaps even harsher on Christians because we are actually taught the moral law. But, this view seems like faith hardly matters or that faith is a commodity. That could just be a misunderstanding on my part.

As for the Methodism: one thing I like about it is that it provides more space for individual thought and expression. I read years ago a book entitled “The Christian Agnostic” by an English Methodist minister whose name, as I recall, was Weatherhead. I was influenced by his main point. Yes, we seek to be devout and worthy Christians, but most thinking people recognize that beyond our faith there are many essential truth that our finite minds don’t know and/or understand. In a nutshell, the dimensions of God are not for us to understand. That makes God God. I believe it is in Psalm 139 that we read that “such knowledge is too wonderful for me.”

I disagree to an extent. God made us wondering creatures. Granted He is too large to be fully understood but we can understand at least a little. If God is “not for us to understand,” how in the world are we supposed to be a nice relationship with Him? Even if somebody just knows that He loves and listens to him, then that is some understanding of His Person.

God bless Catholics, Methodists and all of his children of every creed, color, culture and country. Let us work together to make religion a bridge rather than a barrier.

Indeed. But perhaps, Christianity will be more effective if Christians were not arguing with Christians. That is, perhaps Christianity will actually be respected if Christianity was actually One Body. That is, that we be one in body and TRUTH!

 

[CMatt25]

Back to the issue of attending a Methodist service.

I recall, after Vatican II, how ecumenism seemed to floruish where we were living. There were ecumenical services on certain occasions, and priests and ministers even exchanged pulpits, especially around the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in January.

**Sadly, this emphasis seems to have faded**, though Christians and others do cooperate on soup kitchens and homeless shelters in this area. I find that most Catholics and Protestants have dropped their defensiveness and now 'agree to disagree'. I have attended different churches on occasion, and rarely hear a word of criticism of other religions. Most of such criticism I run into appears here on CAF and on EWTN.

** Over the years I have come to the conviction that most of our devotion to our particular faiths arises out of a tendency of human beings to be tribalistic**. We cheer on our favorite teams, for example, and certainly our families. It’s normal and not bad except when it leads to silly prejudice based more on this tribalism than on any reasonable basis.
**
Few Catholics have any extensive and independent knowledge of Protestantism**. They are told that their church is right and the others are wrong, and many accept this.

 **The same among Protestants.** They are inclined to believe, for example, that Catholics worship Mary because they see Mary so elevated when visit a typical Catholic Church - a statue of Mary, etc. Much misunderstanding. It's a scandal, in my view. 

 **Actually, I doubt if any of us have serious insight into the fully reality of this mammoth, magnificent, miraculous and mysterious universe**. But most need some worldview, some ''faith system' to live by. Different religious provide us with that. So, we havge the Christians and Jews, Muslims and Buddhists. I seek to follow Christ, but I suspect that God is just as approving of a moral and giving Jew or Buddhist as he is a Christian.

 **As for the Methodism: one thing I like about it is that it provides more space for individual thought and expression.** I read years ago a book entitled "The Christian Agnostic" by an English Methodist minister whose name, as I recall, was Weatherhead. I was influenced by his main point. Yes, we seek to be devout and worthy Christians, but most thinking people recognize that beyond our faith there are many essential truth that our finite minds don't know and/or understand. In a nutshell, the dimensions of God are not for us to understand. That makes God God. I believe it is in Psalm 139 that we read that "such knowledge is too wonderful for me."

 **God bless Catholics, Methodists and all of his children** of every creed, color, culture and country. Let us work together to make religion a bridge rather than a barrier.

Roy, I recall those days as well. In the small town I grew up in the Catholic priest and the PCUSA pastor had a great relationship. I recall I believe too there were ecumenical meetings of various clergy, including the Catholic priest, where many would gather for coffee and discussion at the local diner. And there might be as you said an ecumenical service where the priest, UMC pastor, and various Protestant clergy would serve together.

I would also agree with the rest you wrote.

And how true our finite human minds can not possibly know with absolute certainty all there is to know of God. Regardless of how much we convince ourselves that we do. Many do need a system to live by and it is human nature to want to think we have all the answers. But if we are truly honest with ourselves our finite human minds can not truly grasp all there is of God. As you stated that is what makes God, God. And I might add, what makes the rest of us, well, human. We humans I think have a tendency to mix up what is our faith and belief with absolute knowledge. We call it knowing even though it is faith. Sometimes perhaps forgetting we walk by faith. Not by sight.

Indeed God bless all His children. Peace be with you always and thank you for your contributions here. God bless.