Catholics Converting to Non Denominational

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Many non-denominational churches are money-driven and shallow. However, many are faith-driven and offer their members a beautiful spiritual experience that is practical as well. It is wrong to lump all of them together under the umbrella of “bad.” We cannot say all priests are sexually abusive because some are. In fact, most definitely are not.

Each person has to find the path to G-d that is right for him or her. I think the poster should check out this church. She will know soon enough if it’s right for her. I, myself, judge churches by their fruits, i.e., how loving their members are toward G-d’s creation.
 
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Read it (twice actually).

Sorry, that doesn’t change my answer. We still like my church as well as we’re able to take something from the sermon to think about and apply to our lives for the week. Maybe it’s just where she’s a member, but sometimes we just walk away confused and off-put. Like I said, maybe that’s just us.
 
Feels like “Non Denominational” is a denomination in itself. Most services, as far as I’ve been made aware, are quite similar and follow the same basic pattern.
 
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The Holy Mass is literally when Heaven kisses Earth.

I encourage you both to get a journal. Go to a Sunday Mass and write in the Journal, “God what do you want me to take away from this Mass this week” Pray about that during the Mass and the answer will hit you like a sack of rocks during the music and the prayers. Write that one thing down and pray about it during the week. See how that transforms your life.

The Mass is heavily supernatural. All you have to so is ask and thou shalt recieve.
 
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OP:

I would encourage you to seek to learn more about the Mass itself. Check this series out:

https://mass.wordonfire.org/episode1 (First episode is free but its a good start, I can find you other resources if you like)

The Mass cannot be compared to any other religious services. I grew up Protestant (Methodist to be exact) and attended many other denominations and non-denomination church services. While some may seem more exciting or entertaining at face value consider the following:
  1. The Mass goes back to the time of Christ. For an example reach St. Justin martyrs 1st apology (Ap. 155 AD) http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0126.htm
It was not some worship style invented hundreds or thousands of years later but it the same format as the Apostles worshipped.
  1. Jesus is literally and truly present. There is no comparison and I would rather die that separate myself from that. I would encourage you to explore this concept more and see how truly important it is. St. John Paul II said that “The Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith”
3 You don’t have to worry about the Catholic Faith dying out. Jesus specifically said it would not. Just because some people have abandoned it does not mean its true. Heck when Jesus taught the real presence in the Eucharist some of his followers left him, (See John Ch. 6). What the Early Church Believed: The Real Presence | Catholic Answers
  1. Non-denomination church services are specifically designed to elicit an emotional reaction through the music and sermon. On the other side the Mass is designed to foster a willful response. The difference is that while emotions can fade quit quickly and force of will is your most deep set conviction. I can feel happy at a church service but that doesn’t mean I am truly fulfilled. Only Jesus can truly fulfill us and he is physically present at each Catholic Mass.
  2. I have never had an issue with the money thing. The Church asks for us to support its mission which is to preach the gospel and help those in need. I am happy to do so. I have never felt it overly preached in my experience, but I can only speak for my personal experience.
Please let me know if I can be of any assistance to you or if you have any specific concerns I can maybe help with.
 
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the local non denom church here has an elder who is anti catholic, few of my catholic family go there sadly, one calls us cannibals but has many strange views, so not surprising she is in an anti catholic environment.
 
I was a devout Nondenom for years.
But it was the Eucharist that called me. Because within the mass we recieve the actual Body Blood Soul AND Divinity within ourselves during communion. What else could one need aside from the Living Bread hinself?
 
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ConstantLearner said:
Each person has to find the path to G-d that is right for him or her. I think the poster should check out this church.
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With all due respect, Our Lord did not leave open the option of many paths to God. Especially when they contradict each other–they cannot both be true. (Matthew 7:13-14, Acts 4:12)

Of course there are many different devotions, styles of liturgy and so forth in the Catholic Church; and in that sense, there is some variety in the way that we pray and worship. But making up your own “path” outside the Church is a modern-day fallacy.
 
Hope1960 said:
If people really are rapidly leaving the CC as much of what I read indicates, what’s going to happen to the Catholic Church? Will it’s members age, pass away and make the Church obsolete?
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no and people have been claiming this since the founding of the Church on Pentecost. Church is not a popularity contest. Church is the keeper of the Truth as handed to us by Jesus Christ through his Apostles and their successors.

What’s the point in joining a group that lacks the fullness of the faith… outside of it’s more fun?
 
Hope1960 said:
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There’s no way to tell about what will happen in the future.
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Thats not very comforting.
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Hope, in the end only GOD is certain support. Any visible church can be attacked from outside or inside, or fade away, or fall apart, or be destroyed. I wish it wasn’t true, but unfortunately it is.

As for this thread, you’re not going to get much love here. I can see that some have been supportive, but many will disregard the valid points you have made and disparage your understanding or faith.

In my view, you can stick with the RCC or you can switch to a non-denom church, or to something different still. You can even test things out for a while, as you seem to have been doing. Fortunately the RCC doesn’t police her members so there is nothing preventing you from attending services elsewhere to see what that’s like. But in the end, no church is 100% free from problems, or 100% safe from attack on either the inside or outside, so ultimately it all depends on your faith and your personal bond with God, through Christ.

In closing, given your OCD I would recommend to stay away from public discussions on this forum.
 
Hope1960 said:
Thats not very comforting.
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Assuming that being comforted is the important end of why we are here.

The fundamental question is whether we are to form God according to our will, our ideas, our wishes, our desires, our securities, our comforts, and our motives, or whether we are to form our will, ideas, wishes, desires, securities and motives, etc, according to God’s will.

This presentation by Fr. Sly, a convert from Anglicanism to Catholicism, on CS Lewis’ The Great Divorce might give some food for thought. Pay particular attention to the question and answer section starting sometime around 50:00, where he speaks about his former role as Pastor in an Anglican Church and how it was centered on keeping the congregation surprised, entertained and involved so they wouldn’t become disengaged.


Lewis’ book, The Great Divorce, provides an interesting bird’s-eye view of existence, a view that we often lose sight of being stuck in our immediate surroundings, looking through our subject-focused lenses.
 
I’m sure your wife likes your church fine but could it also be that she feels worn down about how much you dislike her Church and she sees the contrast of how you react to yours? That would weigh on me, personally. She should really switch parishes as it isn’t good for her faith or your marriage, to have you disliking her church so much.
 
Mary is our mother so we can ask for her protection and help. It also says ask for intercession there, and we can do that as well. Regardless of what other stripes of Christianity think, there is ONE body of Christ and it includes those in heaven and on earth. If you feel ok asking your parent on earth to protect you then you should feel ok asking Mary, and if you would ask another person on earth to pray for you, then you should feel ok asking someone who has passed on. Either way it’s through the grace of God that the prayers are heard and answered.

The main thing is, you should take it at face value when people are saying it’s different than a prayer to and the worship due to God. After all, the person themselves knows their own intention better than the outsider who is insisting something different, if that makes sense.
 
Gingersnaps4 said:
I’m sure your wife likes your church fine but could it also be that she feels worn down about how much you dislike her Church and she sees the contrast of how you react to yours? That would weigh on me, personally. She should really switch parishes as it isn’t good for her faith or your marriage, to have you disliking her church so much.
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Honestly, no I don’ t think that at all. TBH, she isn’t a fan of her current church at that much either. We’ve had a few issues between the two parishes here within driving distance. I think she’ll be switching again after this RE cycle is over and #2 has received 1st communion.

She really…really honestly likes the priest at my church, the lessons he gives and the community. She was really hoping he could have been the one to marry us, in my church, but it didn’t work out.
 
I would seriously start going to another parish for Sunday mass even if you stick with that one to complete RE. It has to be hard for you too, if this place is that condescending toward non-Catholics and is that non-inspiring for all involved.
 
Hope1960 said:
was hopeful the Catholic Church could help me
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if medical science couldn’t help how did you think the Church could help? For that matter, how can a non-denominational church help? Does music and feel good sermons ease your condition? What happens if you do attend this church and then nothing changes? Won’t you be right back where you started?
 
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