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Singinbeauty
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Wow… Just wow…
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kim3260
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Pardon me Joey, If I was not accepting of my Protestant neighbors and I really mean “neighbors”, I would be a very lonely person
I accept them as friends and fellow Christians. Many also respect me and my Catholism.
Now there are quite a few (especially younger people) who start with the their Mary worship, idols and other anti-Catholism nonsense, that is when I turn a deaf ear
and pray for them.
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donmaximuso27
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I’m not clear on what the issue is here. Of course Catholics should respect Protestants and love their neighbor. However, some, including myself, percieved the title of the thread to mean that we should accept and respect Protestant doctrine and theology. That is indeed an abomination. As a former Lutheran, I can admit that there is some truth theologically speaking, such as Luther’s Augustinian view on predestination, as well as a very similiar liturgy to that of the Catholic Church, at least in traditional services. However, should we as Catholics respect completely false and heretical doctrines, such as cosubstantiation, sola scriptura, the removal of the sacraments of reconciliation, holy orders, and anoiting of the sick, as well as his rejection of apostolic succession and the Chair of St. Peter? Absolutely not! The list of heretical Protestant docrine goes on and on, I won’t even bother listing all of it. We should of course treat our neighbors, regardless of faith, as we would want them to treat us. However, regarding doctrine and theology, that tolerance simply cannot be allowed. The Catholic Church is the truth, and is the only Church founded by Christ; this truth must be made known and Catholics must defend their faith.Wow… Just wow…
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fhansen
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The CC considers Protestants as our “separated brethren”-separated from the original Church and imperfectly connected with her. We share a love for God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The CC would benefit from the enthusiastic faith demonstrated-sometimes a little too overtly maybe-by many Protestant groups. Protestant love for the Word is something the CC is working on now and the cultivation of a more direct, individual relationship to God is another area where, I believe, we can improve. The fullness of the truth is taught by the CC but we are lacking anyway due to the separation and division of some parts of Christs’ Body.
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Righteousone
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Maybe one day we will become brothers and sisters in Christ, but I just can’t see it happening now.
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donmaximuso27
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I would agree that an increase in education in Scripture is needed. However, I don’t see how the CC is lacking in encouraging a direct, individual relationship with God. The CC has great saints, such as John of the Cross and Theresa of Avila, who have written amazing works on how to become close to God. Eucharistic Adoration is also highly encouraged, which obviously brings us into God’s very presence. But most of all, we have the mass, a time where we recieve Christ in the Eucharist! That is about as close as you can get. The sacrament of reconciliation always helps us purify our sould and also, in a true act of contrition, makes known to us the separation from God our sins cause. I honestly believe we have more of a mystical relationship with God then any others.
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brycelaliberte
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My non-Catholic friends always tended to be quite a bit more zealous than my Catholic friends. Perhaps not so wise and discerning as when it would be an appropriate time and place to discuss Jesus, but zealous nonetheless.
Mostly it just seems I see more youth who are very non-understanding of their faith and how lucky they are to be born Catholic; I find myself constantly reminding them of this. Meanwhile, those who become Christian always are very (usually) humble about their relationship with Christ. Except for those who believe OSAS who seem just slightly presumptious at the least, my Protestant friends tend to show up my Catholic friends at living up their faith.
Mostly it just seems I see more youth who are very non-understanding of their faith and how lucky they are to be born Catholic; I find myself constantly reminding them of this. Meanwhile, those who become Christian always are very (usually) humble about their relationship with Christ. Except for those who believe OSAS who seem just slightly presumptious at the least, my Protestant friends tend to show up my Catholic friends at living up their faith.
We already are, according to the Catholic Church. SeeMaybe one day we will become brothers and sisters in Christ, but I just can’t see it happening now.
vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decree_19641121_unitatis-redintegratio_en.html
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vocatio
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But LDS call them elders don’t they? So how could Catholics do this. You may mean door knocking… Don’t knock on my door unless you want to be evangelized… Those poor LDS and JWs that knocked on our door. They bipass us now, but don’t know we’re Catholic now…or they just haven’t seen the St. Francis of Assisi statue in our front yard…wait till they see Our Lady of Guadalupe statue…they’ll really freak now… They might even get dumb and think since we’re Catholic we don’t know scripture either. That will be funny…
The point is “Preach the Gospel Always, and when necessary use words.”
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fhansen
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You’re right about our heritage but I’m not so sure that many of us seek that closeness. Many Protestants back to the time of Luther stressed a personal relationship with Jesus which may not reflect perfect theology depending on how it’s approached but I think sometimes it’s easy in the Catholic sacramental way of things to get lost in the external aspects and forget the fact that God created and works in us as individuals. It doesn’t have to be that way but it can be. Sts. Theresa and John of the Cross were the ultimates in going “direct to God” but they are quite rare and not what most of us will experience until the next life. Vat2 and subsequent encyclicals, etc, do seem to emphasize the “approachability” of our Father more now, in case we’re of the persuasion that His holiness and majesty keep Him distant and unapproachable for us.
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fhansen
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Another thing I like about Protestant churches I used to attend was a great openness and emphasis on fellowship and support for each other. And sometimes I think Catholics are too private about their faith-maybe even ashamed of it-even with each other. A “personal testimonies” meeting might be of benefit to us. These are not doctrinal issues but point to ways we might all be challenged to live the faith a little better.
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LilyM
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Thanks for yours and all the positive sentiments on this thread. One minor beef though - Catholics ARE Christians, and we don’t like the phrase ‘Catholics and Christians’. Makes it sound as if we aren’t Christians also.
A simple ‘Catholics and non-Catholics’ would go down much better.
I’ll give you an AMEN! to that
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Protestant101
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It would depend upon what Catholics really mean when they say “unity.” If they just mean submission to the Pope, then there are miles to go before we sleep. Miles to go before we sleep.
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Righteousone
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Yea, all that hooting and hollering would do it for me…
Catholics take their faith VERY seriously. Catholics are not ashamed (oh brother) of their faith, but proud. They are content where they are.
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kim3260
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While a Catholic may not tell everyone in “Walmart” how Jesus saved them, or step up in the middle of “service” and give a personal testimony, a Catholic who follows faithfully shows everyday by even by quiet example their strong Faith
I am more then willing to tell anyone who maybe interested in the Catholic Faith.
Also I have never been ashamed to be Catholic even when I a young girl and growing up in the minority and had very few Catholic friends I only saw once a week or so at Church.
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fhansen
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OK,OK, I figured I’d get some flak for suggesting that we might be able to find something of value in the practices of those who are separated from our Church. But I never mentioned hooting or street evangelization or whatever. And “personal testimonies” might sound foreign to Catholics but when people have genuine experiences of Gods’ work in their lives and they don’t share them, I think we all lose something that would be encouraging and faith building-and having a forum for it could be a way to get Catholics out there more. Maybe not. And of course it depends on the individual, but sometimes I think Catholics want to show up for an hour, rarely look at each other, maybe worship, and then hurry home to whatever else we value. I’m not trying to attack Catholicism but rather applaud some things that I liked in these other groups and in general suggest that a greater love for and openness with each other could only be a good thing.Yea, all that hooting and hollering would do it for me…
Catholics take their faith VERY seriously. Catholics are not ashamed (oh brother) of their faith, but proud. They are content where they are.
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Righteousone
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That is totally false. Whoever tells you these things is an anti-Catholic. Jesus Christ left us a gift, a gift of the Holy Mass and as a Catholic, I am priviledged to attend this beautiful service as often as I want. You have it all wrong. The Catholic Mass is very Holy as Jesus was. Better than going to some Assembly Hall and hooting and hollering, we meditate on Christ and we pray.
We receive Jesus Body and Blood and we hear the Gospel.
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reteeks21
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We don’t all “hoot and holler”. That is a blanket statement based on misinformation and personal distaste for protestants. Believe it or not, we do spend time meditating, praying, worshiping etc. Our services are beautiful and intimate regardless of your opinion.
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donmaximuso27
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When discussing the sacraments I am not talking of “heritage”. Christ called to these seven sacraments to bring us closer to God, especially in the Eucharist. If you as a Catholic do not realize the closeness involved in the sacraments then you have been greatly misled in education.
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