Catholic converts--what did you like...

[Della]

…about your former faith communit(ies)? I ask so our non-Catholic brethren can see that in becoming Catholic we don’t hate our former communities or the people we knew and loved in them.

I was both Episcopalian and Assemblies of God. I was brought up Episcopalian, so I’ll start there. I loved the “Englishness” about it–the feeling of being connected to my ancestors and a form of worship they enjoyed. The services were reverent, the music lovely, and the atmosphere one of deep contentedness. I’m no doubt projecting some of my own feelings into these descriptions but that’s what I remember about going to Divine Services when I was a girl.

When my father died, when I was about 13, my mother “got saved” through a Baptist neighbor’s efforts and we left the Episcopal Church but not for the Baptist one (which we attended for one summer only, as I recall), but for the Assemblies of God because mom had gotten involved in house prayer meetings/Bible studies run by an Assemblies of God friend of hers.

At first I didn’t care for the Pentecostal style of worship, but it grew on me as I learned a lot of Scripture (something not emphasized in the Episcopal Church at the time, although they did have Sunday school), and got all excited about the “gifts of the Spirit”. The Assemblies of God was very orthodox in belief regarding the Trinity, the Divinity of Christ, the necessity of living one’s faith not just sliding along, prayer, etc. I gained much and loved many people in it. I saw some very saintly people there–mostly older women who were like mothers to all us younger people. In many ways it was a great blessing in my life and formed some lasting habits of prayer and trusting in God that have never left me.

How about you? What good things did you bring with you into your Catholic journey?

 

[Aelred_Minor]

I was raised in the United Methodist Church. One thing I liked was the sense of community in every Methodist church I attended. Everyone knew everyone, and if someone new came to a service they were welcomed warmly and were a part of the family within a few weeks, if they stayed. After every service was a “coffee hour” which everyone attended and really tended to last an hour, with lots of talking and eating and children playing. There were Bible studies, barbeques, all kinds of events outside of Sunday worship that were well attended.

Also, the services managed to be homely without being campy (something I haven’t personally seen accomplished in lower-church Catholic liturgies) and people actually sang hymns- everyone singing, not just a third or fourth of the congregation, and all the normal verses of the song, not just two or three. And no one would have even thought of leaving before the last hymn was finished.

 

[Della]

I was raised in the United Methodist Church. One thing I liked was the sense of community in every Methodist church I attended. Everyone knew everyone, and if someone new came to a service they were welcomed warmly and were a part of the family within a few weeks, if they stayed. After every service was a “coffee hour” which everyone attended and really tended to last an hour, with lots of talking and eating and children playing. There were Bible studies, barbeques, all kinds of events outside of Sunday worship that were well attended.

Also, the services managed to be homely without being campy (something I haven’t personally seen accomplished in lower-church Catholic liturgies) and people actually sang hymns- everyone singing, not just a third or fourth of the congregation, and all the normal verses of the song, not just two or three. And no one would have even thought of leaving before the last hymn was finished.

It was pretty much the same in the Episcopal parishes I attended. Everyone knew everyone and the participation was 100%. Of course, the smaller congregations contributed to the friendlier atmosphere, I think. Many small Catholic parishes are like that too. With Catholicism people tend to come and go with the lukewarm worshipping along side the very devout–so it’s quite universal in that way. And since the Mass is over when the priest or deacon says: “The Mass is ended…” with one of the optional closing admonitions, people feel no need to stay to sing if they don’t want to. Besides, in recent years the music has degenerated into the pop/folk tune genre that most people can’t or are unwilling to sing. Plain old hymns would work better, IMHO since music is only meant to aid worship in a Catholic Mass not be one of the main attractions.

 

[ZDHayden]

I was raised Southern Baptist. Their reverence for Scripture, activity in the community and no-questions-asked attitude to new people I think is what I like most. The S.B. communities I was a part of when I was younger always had excellent preachers (very few Catholic priests come close to the average Southern Baptist preacher. Mostly, they are a Father of Mercy or Dominican). I think, though, each member of the congregation that regularly attended knew we all had darkness in our pasts. If you wish to share yours, that is up to you. When you came in to seek membership, they asked only if you had a Bible and, if you do not, if you would like one. The reverend who baptized me is still a close family friend and a very wise man.

I think if my mother had not been diagnosed with cancer, I probably would never have left. I went from being a devout Southern Baptist (plus some short forays into the United Methodist community with a family friend until I found a new Southern Baptist community and Pentecostalism with a classmate - I only went a few times) to an anti-religion atheist within months, if not weeks, of my mother’s diagnosis. I was not spiritually prepared for that, and the fiery sermons only made me angrier during this period - any emotional display, really. If I had been more mature then, I probably would still be a Southern Baptist.

I am thankful for my upbringing, because it taught me the importance of authority; it taught me a respect for scripture; it taught me a respect for clergy. Perhaps most important, it taught me a lesson that I would not learn until near my Confirmation, when it was echoed by a priest: It does not matter what you want; it’s not about you. It’s about Him Who created you. Do everything for Him.

 

[luvlyknits]

I loved the Wednesday night bible studies. I loved that there was a daycare (free) for every type of service and even when there were special events going on. I loved that I wasn’t the only one with my bible in hand. I loved the music! I loved how everyone went out of there way to help others out and to welcome new people. I attended a church with well over a few thousand other people and never felt like I didn’t “belong”.
I am now in a smaller maybe a few hundred (if that) Catholic Church. For the past few years I have been stuck in a small cry-room with other kids, most of the time sick kids, I can’t hear what is being said and it is always a horrible experience.
So far the majority of people seem to be nothing but gossipers and backbiters. I used to go almost daily and I still can’t say that I have more than 1 friend. From a worldly perspective I feel lonely and unwelcome but from a spiritual perspective I have EVERYTHING, I have the REAL PRESENCE and the FULL truth!!!
So thank God I found the Catholic Church but oh how I long for the days when I really enjoyed going to church!

 

[Della]

I loved the Wednesday night bible studies. I loved that there was a daycare (free) for every type of service and even when there were special events going on. I loved that I wasn’t the only one with my bible in hand. I loved the music! I loved how everyone went out of there way to help others out and to welcome new people. I attended a church with well over a few thousand other people and never felt like I didn’t “belong”.
I am now in a smaller maybe a few hundred (if that) Catholic Church. For the past few years I have been stuck in a small cry-room with other kids, most of the time sick kids, I can’t hear what is being said and it is always a horrible experience.
So far the majority of people seem to be nothing but gossipers and backbiters. I used to go almost daily and I still can’t say that I have more than 1 friend. From a worldly perspective I feel lonely and unwelcome but from a spiritual perspective I have EVERYTHING, I have the REAL PRESENCE and the FULL truth!!!
So thank God I found the Catholic Church but oh how I long for the days when I really enjoyed going to church!

I’m so sorry for your unhappy experience in your parish. Is it possible for you to get involved in some parish activities to meet people? Or maybe you could talk to some of the other parents in the cry room to start a parents’ group in which you can share your difficulties and maybe have a Bible study together and/or get a nursery started so parents don’t have to miss out on participating in the Mass. You might propose the young people man a nursery as a part of their outreach service as a part of their confirmation process. Talk to the pastor to see what he might suggest. You might be the one to get the ball rolling that would help you and others.

 

[Tyuiop411]

Also, the services managed to be homely without being campy (something I haven’t personally seen accomplished in lower-church Catholic liturgies) and people actually sang hymns- everyone singing, not just a third or fourth of the congregation, and all the normal verses of the song, not just two or three. And no one would have even thought of leaving before the last hymn was finished.

This has also been something I noticed in Protestant churches that doesn’t really happen in Catholic churches. At the parish I attend everyone stays until after the last hymn is sung, but when I went to Mass at the other parish in town everyone bolted for the door as soon as “the mass has ended” was said. It was only me and about 10 other people that stayed until the hymn was finished.

But in my aunt’s UM church they stopped singing a hymn at the end of the service because people kept leaving, so this isn’t a strictly Catholic thing.

 

[Della]

This has also been something I noticed in Protestant churches that doesn’t really happen in Catholic churches. At the parish I attend everyone stays until after the last hymn is sung, but when I went to Mass at the other parish in town everyone bolted for the door as soon as “the mass has ended” was said. It was only me and about 10 other people that stayed until the hymn was finished.

But in my aunt’s UM church they stopped singing a hymn at the end of the service because people kept leaving, so this isn’t a strictly Catholic thing.

Part of the reason for this is that the Mass is ended after the final blessing and the proclamation of “Go, the Mass is ended”. The recessional hymn is actually not part of the Mass. Before the vernacular Mass was instituted, the priest simply left the sanctuary, usually located right off the sanctuary and a bell was rung. There was no closing hymn. So, people are within their rights to leave, but I think it’s tacky unless it’s necessary, for instance older people who don’t want to get run down by the crowd.

 

[Tyuiop411]

Part of the reason for this is that the Mass is ended after the final blessing and the proclamation of “Go, the Mass is ended”. The recessional hymn is actually not part of the Mass. Before the vernacular Mass was instituted, the priest simply left the sanctuary, usually located right off the sanctuary and a bell was rung. There was no closing hymn. So, people are within their rights to leave, but I think it’s tacky unless it’s necessary, for instance older people who don’t want to get run down by the crowd.

From what I understand the proper way to do it now is to leave after the processional cross has passed your section. Our priest kinda forces people to stay because he doesn’t start processing until the last verse, but at St. Joseph’s they had the fastest procession I’d ever seen.

 

[Della]

From what I understand the proper way to do it now is to leave after the processional cross has passed your section. Our priest kinda forces people to stay because he doesn’t start processing until the last verse

Yes, the priests do prefer that people remain as long as the recessional is being sung–and I think that’s the most respectful thing to do.

but at St. Joseph’s they had the fastest procession I’d ever seen.

Some don’t linger long, do they? I’ve attended a Mass at a parish that takes only 30 minutes for a whole Sunday Mass. They do everything, but they don’t let any grass grow under their feet, either. Ha!

 

[Lovesa]

I did (do? I still go to service w/my folks each week, in addition to mass) very much like all the singing done at a Lutheran service, as well as the liturgy, which is very tradition and reverent at my church. There is a lot more singing in my experience, and it is nice that whole hymns are sung, rather than just a few verses.

I was and remain (although in a different way) rather a fan of Luther, who I did and do consider an admirable person, though I disagree on various aspects of his theology now. I also love the youth bible study we have, something like which I’ve not been able to find at a Catholic church.

I do like everyone staying to the end of church too. That may have something to do (at my church) with bible study being right after service–No point leaving, unless you’re skipping bible study. That’s a plus too. Can’t speak for all churches in my denomination, but a lot of them have such a conveniently-timed bible study. I just can’t make weekdays most of the time.

On a less faithy note, Lutherans can be really easygoing (although not irreverent) about faith as well, so the humor one encounters in bible study etc. is of a fun character. There are those little things jokes are told about one grows up loving too. Jello salads and all that. It’s a little culture almost, and some of it’s just too fun not to miss. In a way, it’s like being raised in a certain country. The raised-Lutheran quirks aren’t about to get talked out of me. (I mean non-faith quirks, of course. )

 

[Tyuiop411]

Some don’t linger long, do they? I’ve attended a Mass at a parish that takes only 30 minutes for a whole Sunday Mass. They do everything, but they don’t let any grass grow under their feet, either. Ha!

St. Joesph’s was like that too, I was in and out of there in 45 minutes. Where I normally attend, St. Mark’s, we’re lucky to get out in an hour and a half. But It may just be unique to the Spanish Mass there, since I’ve never been to an English Mass at St. Joseph’s.

However the most irrational thing was that they had six deacons at St. Joseph’s when the church only seats 150 and only has Masses on the weekends. While at St. marks we only have one deacon and we have three weekend Masses, daily mass everyday, and a church that seats 600. What the rational was for assigning deacons like that, I don’t know. Not to mention I don’t think poor St. Thomas More even has a deacon at all.

 

[Stepson]

On a less faithy note, Lutherans can be really easygoing (although not irreverent) about faith as well, so the humor one encounters in bible study etc. is of a fun character. There are those little things jokes are told about one grows up loving too. Jello salads and all that. It’s a little culture almost, and some of it’s just too fun not to miss. In a way, it’s like being raised in a certain country. The raised-Lutheran quirks aren’t about to get talked out of me. (I mean non-faith quirks, of course. )

I can’t speak for Catholic humor, but I feel the same way. If/when I jump in the river I hope there is humor on the other side. There was definitely humor in my Catechism class. I remember we used the “Winking Luther” handbook. There was a section in the book on how to make strong coffee in order to stay awake in church. Also I remember there was a section on how to avoid being burned at the stake. This section ended with the advice that if you could not avoid being burned at the stake, be sure to ask for dry wood and not green wood. Then there was a picture of two people being burned at the stake, one (who had the dry wood) was smiling and the other was sweating and worried because the wood was smoldering. I hope I don’t sound irreverent, but it was nice learn about God in a class setting like that.