Catholic Church attenders - missing spirituality?

[phil19034]

I think most of these people were just raised in a catholic home, their parents took them to church on sunday, and they went to a catholic school, and as they grew up, they just kept going to church each week, kind of just going thru the motions, like its a routine, somehow they can call themselves catholic just because they are physically at a church for one hour every sunday, but thats about where it ends.

They are usually good decent, law abiding citizens, but in general, they live a secular life, church is just something they do every sunday, they do not give much thought to it, but dont get me wrong, they are still against abortion, SSM, and other such things, in accordance with catholic beliefs, but their faith is not something they bring up or discuss that often, usually never indepth either, my own dad is like this, he went all thru catholic school, got a masters degree from a catholic college, but other than going to mass each sunday, he never discusses the faith, never brings it up, and is not that familiar with the bible, so IDK what the problem is…?

At the same time… I know several devout Catholic families who leave pretty quickly after mass because Sunday is also a day about family too. They leave to meet Grandmom for Sunday brunch or a grandparent leaves to get home to prepare an early Sunday dinner for all her grandkids who come over on Sundays.

To many devout cradle Catholics, after Mass, the domestic Church is the important one on Sundays. Aka, the Catholic wants to get home for fellowship with their family. Fellowship with other parishenors is during the week. At least that’s the way many cradle Catholics see it.

This is why I believe that our parishes should create Sunday fellowship group mainly for converts and Catholic transplants. Transplants typically have no local family, and converts can sometimes feel ostracized from their families on Sundays. So allowing them the opportunity to create a “Church family” would be nice.

Additionally, one of the major (non theological) differences between a Protestant congregation and a Catholic Parish is that the Protestant groups tend to be more homogenious. In Protestantism, if you like fellowship after worship, you attend a community that does that. But Catholic parishes are typically geographic.

God Bless

 

[ConfusedLucy]

But is that what everyone wants or needs? And i see so many praying after Mass or during the week going in to pray as I do. Faith is at heart a private matter too. “Fellowship” formalised is not everyone’s… cup of tea…

This approach doesn’t work for everyone. I feel like I have to supplement with non-Catholic Christian fellowship to meet my spiritual needs.

 

[Lenten_ashes]

This approach doesn’t work for everyone. I feel like I have to supplement with non-Catholic Christian fellowship to meet my spiritual needs.

Do they offer anything at your parish such as retreats?

 

[Markie_Boy]

This approach doesn’t work for everyone. I feel like I have to supplement with non-Catholic Christian fellowship to meet my spiritual needs.

Yes - our parish is lacking in so may ways. I keep contact with my old Baptist pastor, as he is a great guy to talk Bible and faith with, as is some of the congregation. They have Bible study one nite a week or more, mid-week prayer group, Sunday School - for kids and adults!!! And when they did the Lord’s Supper it felt like it was taken more seriously than Eucharist at my parish.

It’s hard to teach kids CCD when they don’t buy what they see at church - and they are pretty simple and strong evaluators.

My sister-in-law (a wonderful Catholic woman) even says, when you go in to a good Baptist church it’s like you can feel the Spirit there.

I know you can say it’s not all about “feel”, but it shouldn’t feel like a checkout line at the grocery store either.

 

[Michael68]

Yes - our parish is lacking in so may ways. I keep contact with my old Baptist pastor, as he is a great guy to talk Bible and faith with, as is some of the congregation. They have Bible study one nite a week or more, mid-week prayer group, Sunday School - for kids and adults!!! And when they did the Lord’s Supper it felt like it was taken more seriously than Eucharist at my parish.

It’s hard to teach kids CCD when they don’t buy what they see at church - and they are pretty simple and strong evaluators.

My sister-in-law (a wonderful Catholic woman) even says, when you go in to a good Baptist church it’s like you can feel the Spirit there.

I know you can say it’s not all about “feel”, but it shouldn’t feel like a checkout line at the grocery store either.

Its the same when you go to a good Catholic Church

 

[mikekle]

At the same time… I know several devout Catholic families who leave pretty quickly after mass because Sunday is also a day about family too. They leave to meet Grandmom for Sunday brunch or a grandparent leaves to get home to prepare an early Sunday dinner for all her grandkids who come over on Sundays.

To many devout cradle Catholics, after Mass, the domestic Church is the important one on Sundays. Aka, the Catholic wants to get home for fellowship with their family. Fellowship with other parishenors is during the week. At least that’s the way many cradle Catholics see it.

This is why I believe that our parishes should create Sunday fellowship group mainly for converts and Catholic transplants. Transplants typically have no local family, and converts can sometimes feel ostracized from their families on Sundays. So allowing them the opportunity to create a “Church family” would be nice.

Additionally, one of the major (non theological) differences between a Protestant congregation and a Catholic Parish is that the Protestant groups tend to be more homogenious. In Protestantism, if you like fellowship after worship, you attend a community that does that. But Catholic parishes are typically geographic.

God Bless

Ive never been to a protestant church, but I have been to pentecostal services, and I actually feel drawn to it, I really liked how devoted everyone was to the bible and following Gods law. No one knew how long services would last that day and no one really cared, they wanted to be there.

Plus, after services, people would congregate and chit chat, but usually it was related to the faith, dealings with other people, the bible, etc. I also noticed it was quite normal when groups would go out to eat or some other activity, they would invite other people to come to their church, they would talk to complete strangers about the faith, God, etc and try to encourage them to at least come to one service, I dont think Ive ever seen one person at my catholic parish do that.

 

[ConfusedLucy]

Do they offer anything at your parish such as retreats?

I think there is an annual retreat but what I was thinking was a more regular fellowship, maybe once a week or twice a month that isn’t only accessible to non-working people. I go to what I can but its usually only about 4-5 times per year, that isn’t frequent enough to develop good spiritual habits or build rapport with other people.

My non Catholic friends tend to have weekly small groups and regular events for all ages but in the Catholic Church it seems to be just retired people and sometimes young families. Tea and coffee after church isn’t even every week and people just use it to catch up with people they already know. I’ve also found volunteering to be too infrequent to feel helpful.

 

[mattp0625]

Ive never been to a protestant church, but I have been to pentecostal services, and I actually feel drawn to it, I really liked how devoted everyone was to the bible and following Gods law. No one knew how long services would last that day and no one really cared, they wanted to be there.

Plus, after services, people would congregate and chit chat, but usually it was related to the faith, dealings with other people, the bible, etc. I also noticed it was quite normal when groups would go out to eat or some other activity, they would invite other people to come to their church, they would talk to complete strangers about the faith, God, etc and try to encourage them to at least come to one service, I dont think Ive ever seen one person at my catholic parish do that.

I went to a Catholic program held at a church which was one week long. It was focused on praise and worship

One of the guest speakers was a Pentecostal minister.

There was lots of fun and interactions during his sermon (to put it kindly). That is great… up to a certain point.

To me, the fun and interactions seemed like a way of making up for lack of something else (aka fullness of truth, authority, and real presence).

I also watched sermons of Derek Prince who was a Pentecostal minister. I respect him as a person, but he had a similar interactive style which gave me a similar impression.

I know the focus is supposed to be on the Holy Spirit, but it seemed rather “me” focused as well.

 

[Lenten_ashes]

I think there is an annual retreat but what I was thinking was a more regular fellowship, maybe once a week or twice a month that isn’t only accessible to non-working people. I go to what I can but its usually only about 4-5 times per year, that isn’t frequent enough to develop good spiritual habits or build rapport with other people.

My non Catholic friends tend to have weekly small groups and regular events for all ages but in the Catholic Church it seems to be just retired people and sometimes young families. Tea and coffee after church isn’t even every week and people just use it to catch up with people they already know. I’ve also found volunteering to be too infrequent to feel helpful.

Yeah i see what you mean. Doesnt sound like a parish id be a part of. I prefer the charismatic Parishes where people are warm and friendly. Easy to fellowship in that environment