"Catholic" By title, driving me nuts!

[JillianRose]

Hello wonderful friends:

I need your help. I am trying really really hard to learn more about our Catholic faith. I study our Bible, read our Catechism and recently learning more about our Saints. What I am trying to find are other Catholics like me. I do not want myself or my children to be Catholic by “title” only. To me it is more then a title. Lately I feel alone. So far these are the people I have met at my sons school. It is making me question why I am even paying for a religious education.

1. Two parent that are Catholic, don’t practice, and told me that you don’t need Jesus to be saved. That the Catholic Church is wrong. They also said that the Bible is just stories
2. Two Lutherans who don’t want to talk about religion, they just like the school. They don’t want to go to our local Lutheran Church because they are “hillbilly’s”. (according to them)
3. One set of parents that one is Catholic and one is faithless. Don’t pray, don’t go to church, buy their children what ever they want.
4. Another set of parents that went to Catholic School their whole life and told me they don’t read the Bible or know what our Catechism says.

The list goes on and on. This scares me. I don’t know what to do. I feel sad. I can’t even share my faith. It also bugs me that I am paying for my child to go to a school that is mostly being used as a private school.

With all this secular propaganda always being shoved down our throats, I should be able to share our faith at our own Catholic School and church.

People know more why the own a Lexus, Mercedes, ford, Chevy, Nissan etc, then why they are Catholic.

I don’t know why I should stay anymore. Why!! Why do I have to defend the Catholic Faith to other Catholics…AHAHAAHHAAHAHAHH!!!

 

[bethanysamuel]

Don’t give in; next time you have a religious chat with the parents, stand your ground, don’t be afraid to challenge them. You could say something like: Do you mind me asking why you send your child to a Catholic school if you don’t really like Catholicism?
I guess it’s their business what they do, but if you find yourself in one of those discussions, don’t be afraid to put your point across. You might find yourself surprised. But I know it must be really tough for you.

 

[Incomplete]

Is the teaching solidly Catholic? Because if it is, the result could be the children one day become Catholic (or those that are, become passionately Catholic) and maybe even influence their parents. So this could be a good thing.

 

[Stylites]

I am trying really really hard to learn more about our Catholic faith. I study our Bible, read our Catechism and recently learning more about our Saints. What I am trying to find are other Catholics like me.

I assume you were not always trying really really hard to learn more about our Catholic faith. In that case, those who were trying really really hard when you weren’t trying were probably lamenting how they couldn’t find any other Catholics like them.

 

[JillianRose]

Thank you. I want to cry because the TRUTH is right in front of them and they live for today, for the world. Why can’t I be proud to be Catholic in a Catholic school? I send my children to Catholic school so they can learn their faith, they don’t have to hide it. (Oppose to other settings where they are told respecting others is by NOT talking about Jesus) I want them to love the LORD and Love their faith. I cheated on the Catholic Church and went to a Dutch Reformed Church in my younger years. I never seen these kind of attitudes with that faith and in their schools. Those people are trained. The uneducated were the minority. Why can’t we be like that? I LOVE that by the Grace of God I am Catholic. Why do I feel alone? Why can’t I raise my kids to LOVE the Catholic Faith? It makes me want to leave the Church again. I know its about GOD but it is sad to say the people are what gives the impression.

BTW, I have been hearing a priest and several others who have been Catholic that the Bible is a bunch of stories. I DONT believe it is just BOOK. If the BIBLE is not true then Jesus is not true. If that’s the case the Catholic Church would be wrong. Salvation would be gone. I don’t know how Catholics are allowed to teach and believe UN-catholic teachings?

 

[Incomplete]

Thank you. I want to cry because the TRUTH is right in front of them and they live for today, for the world. Why can’t I be proud to be Catholic in a Catholic school? I send my children to Catholic school so they can learn their faith, they don’t have to hide it. (Oppose to other settings where they are told respecting others is by NOT talking about Jesus) I want them to love the LORD and Love their faith. I cheated on the Catholic Church and went to a Dutch Reformed Church in my younger years. I never seen these kind of attitudes with that faith and in their schools. Those people are trained. The uneducated were the minority. Why can’t we be like that? I LOVE that by the Grace of God I am Catholic. Why do I feel alone? Why can’t I raise my kids to LOVE the Catholic Faith? It makes me want to leave the Church again. I know its about GOD but it is sad to say the people are what gives the impression.

BTW, I have been hearing a priest and several others who have been Catholic that the Bible is a bunch of stories. I DONT believe it is just BOOK. If the BIBLE is not true then Jesus is not true. If that’s the case the Catholic Church would be wrong. Salvation would be gone. I don’t know how Catholics are allowed to teach and believe UN-catholic teachings?

You can and should be proud, even if others don’t agree with you. The priest you mentioned, is he part of that school? If the teaching isn’t solidly Catholic, you should consider sending your kids elsewhere.

 

[JillianRose]

I assume you were not always trying really really hard to learn more about our Catholic faith. In that case, those who were trying really really hard when you weren’t trying were probably lamenting how they couldn’t find any other Catholics like them.

Yes. but at the time I was not going to the Catholic Church. Also, I did not join the Catholic Church just to get a discount . I commit. I go every week and tithe. They tell me they don’t have time.

 

[JillianRose]

Is the teaching solidly Catholic? Because if it is, the result could be the children one day become Catholic (or those that are, become passionately Catholic) and maybe even influence their parents. So this could be a good thing.

Well, they don’t have to become Catholic. Really, most use it as a private school.

 

[Stylites]

Yes. but at the time I was not going to the Catholic Church. Also, I did not join the Catholic Church just to get a discount . I commit. I go every week and tithe. They tell me they don’t have time.

Try to not compare yourself to others or judge their actions or level of commitment if you want to find peace.

 

[JillianRose]

You can and should be proud, even if others don’t agree with you. The priest you mentioned, is he part of that school? If the teaching isn’t solidly Catholic, you should consider sending your kids elsewhere.

no, it was a visiting Priest. It is suppose to be a Catholic School. You do not have to become Catholic or make sacraments.

I am just tring to figure out how 5000 per child is gonna benefit him when I can teach him at home and send him to our 5 star public schools we have already in my area.

 

[Incomplete]

Well, they don’t have to become Catholic. Really, most use it as a private school.

They might use it that way, but if the teaching is good, it is very possible that the fruits will be good and there will be conversions from it.

 

[Incomplete]

no, it was a visiting Priest. It is suppose to be a Catholic School. You do not have to become Catholic or make sacraments.

I am just tring to figure out how 5000 per child is gonna benefit him when I can teach him at home and send him to our 5 star public schools we have already in my area.

I know that you don’t have to become Catholic to attend Catholic schools. I’m glad it was a visiting priest and not one teaching at your school. You might be right that your child is better off at home or public school. My daughter went to public school, but I made certain I taught her about Catholicism and she is strongly, passionately Catholic. But if the teaching at the Catholic school is good and solid, don’t worry that some who attend are not Catholic or are Catholic-in-name-only. As frustrating as it is, a Catholic school is a great place for non-Catholics to learn about God’s Church.

 

[JillianRose]

Try to not compare yourself to others or judge their actions or level of commitment if you want to find peace.

Thats the point of going to Church and Catholic School. I know all of us are not at the same level of knowledge. I can’t even get into debates or join in convo’s with most of you guys because I am not at that level. Who joins or goes to a Church and does not know what they believe? This is why I believe in a religious education .

 

[Stylites]

BTW, I have been hearing a priest and several others who have been Catholic that the Bible is a bunch of stories. I DONT believe it is just BOOK. If the BIBLE is not true then Jesus is not true. If that’s the case the Catholic Church would be wrong. Salvation would be gone. I don’t know how Catholics are allowed to teach and believe UN-catholic teachings?

Of course, we only have a third-hand retelling of hearsay rather than any actual rebuttal of the person being paraphrased or taken out of context or being misunderstood. There’s a big difference between saying that Scripture contains allegorical stories not to be taken literally, and that it’s just “a bunch of stories.”

 

[Stylites]

Thats the point of going to Church and Catholic School. I know all of us are not at the same level of knowledge. I can’t even get into debates or join in convo’s with most of you guys because I am not at that level. Who joins or goes to a Church and does not know what they believe? This is why I believe in a religious education .

Well, you were asking for help, and claimed to not know why you should stay anymore, assuming you meant in the Catholic Church. Maybe the ones you are criticizing are saying the same thing.

 

[JillianRose]

Of course, we only have a third-hand retelling of hearsay rather than any actual rebuttal of the person being paraphrased or taken out of context or being misunderstood. There’s a big difference between saying that Scripture contains allegorical stories not to be taken literally, and that it’s just “a bunch of stories.”

I am just writing the exact word he told our whole school during childrens mass. That is the phrase he uses. But this is not the first time I have heard Catholic say it is just a bunch of stories. Maybe this priest used the wrong phrase. It did not sit right with the congregation and regular priest.

 

[bethanysamuel]

I think you could set aside 1 minute per day to pray solely for patience. There are so many spiritual difficulties that just need time. I know how frustrated you must be but things will work out for you if you try a little patience and just stick to what you’re doing.

 

[JillianRose]

I think you could set aside 1 minute per day to pray solely for patience. There are so many spiritual difficulties that just need time. I know how frustrated you must be but things will work out for you if you try a little patience and just stick to what you’re doing.

Thank you very much. I will pray for patience. I think if I pray for strength I might slap someone. (Just kidding) I am resposible for my family. We need to be examples. I am just floored (not at the ones who just don’t understand) but the ones who try to change God and his Church for their own belief system. I am just happy we have a God that always has time for us. It is sad that we can not always say the same.

 

[Iron_Donkey]

Reminds me a lot of a priest’s rant that was on newadvent recently: reverendknow-it-all.blogspot.com/2012/06/we-are-starting-over.html?showComment=1340343440498:

Catholic schools, by and large, have become failures themselves. There are some splendid Catholic schools, but in my experience of 40 years in ministry, increasingly, especially in large urban areas, Catholic schools have become inexpensive private schools for middle class people who have little or no interest in the Catholic faith, maintained at great expense by Catholic parishes. Catholic schools are, for the most part, over.

We may have a few parish schools still plugging along, but are they Catholic? It seems that all we have left to us is the threadbare cousin. All our resources and energies go to maintaining the private school in the building next to the church. While the world is starving for Christ, we are giving them bingo and bratwurst, raffles and dinner dances, all to keep the school going.

“But,” I can hear you say, “this is our major form of evangelism!” Aren’t you paying attention? The few kids from our schools who go to church don’t go because the school has converted them. They go because they have parents dedicated enough to bring them every Sunday, even in summer. Even in soccer season. Those kids may end up Catholic, not because they went to our schools and religious education programs, but because their parents were the first and best of teachers. In a recent conversation with a local pastor who runs a school of 250, give or take, I asked how many of his students and their families attend Mass during the summer months. He said, “about thirty of them.”

I have to agree, knowing the students who attended the nearby Catholic school while I attended a nearby public school, I didn’t really see the benefit. Not sure how that applies to your situation. Best of luck, in any case.

 

[JillianRose]

Well, you were asking for help, and claimed to not know why you should stay anymore, assuming you meant in the Catholic Church. Maybe the ones you are criticizing are saying the same thing.

I don’t understand why you are playing devils advocate. I am asking fellow Catholics how I should handle this. Not to be patronized by someone who is obviously too smart to understand a question of this caliber. I have read your other threads and I don’t even know why you care to bother with my question that is a matter of the heart. You are very smart and should understand how I feel since you have the same kind of questions regarding Apologetics and there patience of answering incessant questions by non catholics.

There is a difference between showing people Charity and allowing Ignorance. Once they start speaking false truths of the Church or “Use” our school to do something with their children that they lack as parents, is unacceptable. We are Catholic, We have the Truth and if we doing it in a loving matter We should be proud of that truth. I am sick of being tolerant of non-tolerant people.