Catholic in name only

  • Thread starter Thread starter hermit
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
H

hermit

Guest
What is your opinion of those who call themselves catholic and attend mass twice a year on Christmas and Easter.

Are these people Catholic?
 
40.png
hermit:
Are these people Catholic?
Click to expand...
Ah, the Creasters! It’s really not for us to say whether they’re Catholic or not.

I had a pastor who made sure to welcome (without any sarcasm) the people who were at Mass for the first time in a while. The parish has a special ministry for them. And he was able to encourage a lot of them toward weekly attendance.

John
 
I’d hope they would come more often…and not look at religions as an “obligation” BUT…they are better than I was…until I came back FULL TIME, I was away ALL THE TIME.
 
How sad for them. To have and know the fullness of truth and yet NOT attend Mass, I wonder if they fear for their souls. Maybe they DON’T know the fullness of truth, thats even sadder.

My mother is one of those C/E Catholics, and she KNOWS better. I attend Holy Mass 6 days a week and could not imagine starting off my day without the Graces I recieve from my Lord. For her, I know this because my mother lives with me, being Catholic is “Cool” and “Looks Good”. Her response to me is that I should just join a Convent when my children are grown for as much time as I spend in Mass, AND THIS STATEMENT COMES FROM A CATHOLIC :eek:

Just pray for all those who feel no need to worship God, maybe this Christmas the Holy Spirit will move them and they will come to understand the richness, beauty, and peace of attending Holy Mass and receiving the sacraments that our Lord gave His Church.
 
Yes! In my former parish they were called the “Pasqualini” and the “Natalini”…I belonged to an Italian Parish. Though probably most of these people were clearly putting their time in, as it seemed to be the same people every year, I feel that w/ a little more encouragement from the pastor would have been nice… He would always give them a rather sarcastic welcome…really singling them out. I know if this happened to me I wouldn’t have felt welcome…I would have been very embarrassed.
 
It is hopeful that they at least show up once or twice per year. While certainly it seems scandalous to those who are fully committed to Christ, it is at least a show that the seeds planted have not totally withered and died. One day their faith may catch fire once again.

My father used to call them “Christmas Cactus and Easter Lilies.” The meaning was humorous perhaps but my Dad always said one never knew from whence a flower would bloom. The “Cactus Flower” of faith may one day become the pure Lilly. 😉
 
40.png
Annunciata:
Yes! In my former parish they were called the “Pasqualini” and the “Natalini”…I belonged to an Italian Parish. Though probably most of these people were clearly putting their time in, as it seemed to be the same people every year, I feel that w/ a little more encouragement from the pastor would have been nice… He would always give them a rather sarcastic welcome…really singling them out. I know if this happened to me I wouldn’t have felt welcome…I would have been very embarrassed.
Click to expand...
I have to laugh, because I come from an Italian family. Italian men are notorious for this, & even my grandfathers & uncles did the same thing. When my parents were young, they had a pastor straight from Italy who used to end the Mass after his blessing by saying, “Peace, I see you at Easter/Christmas!” Surely every religion has these in their midst, not just us.
 
I think they should be welcomed as a seed may be sown which encourages them to come more often or even every Sunday.🙂

It reminds me of their cousin, that other irregular attender, the ‘hatch, match and dispatcher’ (Baptisms, weddings and funerals)🙂
 
I agree with most here that these people need to feel welcomed no matter how often they go to church. Before I came back to the faith as a “practicing Catholic”, I was one of these people. I only attended mass maybe 12 times a year. At this time, I was preparing for my wedding and meeting with the priest for marriage prep classes. At one meeting he told me that I was going to hell for not going to church! He said “the flames of hell are lapping at your feet!”

Well, this statement only pushed me farther from the church and as a result I almost converted to my husband’s religion -Episcopalian. Thank the Lord that He called me back, but it just goes to show that we need to encourage, not berate, people who may not be as “practicing” as others.

Just my two cents… 🙂
 
I agree that they should be made to feel welcome.

One year during advent, our priest read something to us, and I don’t remember all of it, but it went along the lines of "…and for those of you who are too hot, we’ll supply fans, for those of you who are too cold, we’ll supply blankets, for those of you who can’t hear, we’ll supply hearing aids, for those of you who say it’s too loud - cottonballs, for those of you who can’t see we’ll reserve a space up front. We’ll keep the Easter Lillies and Christmas trees up all year so that you’ll feel at home - just please come to Mass!!! "

Does anyone have that or can they get it? It’s pretty cute and gets the point across using humor.

I’ve been known to remark ( and I am not serious, I am kidding here) that those of us who go every Sunday should be exempt from the Holiday services just because of the parking and having to stand because all the pews are full. Just kidding, Just kidding, Justkidding. 😃
 
Doesn’t the church teach that missing mass is a sin? It used to be a mortal sin, but after Vatican II - who knows.

I feel for those poor souls who are still doing time on the meat rap.
 
Years ago, I saw a cartoon of a man and woman getting out of their car at church one Easter morning. The wife turns to her husband and says, “Are you sure this is our church? I don’t remember any of these people from last year.”

John
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top