Catholics, Protestants, and Mormons

[mfbukowski]

The Catholic Church as 1.2 billion members and it is growing.

How is this falling apart?

Converts to Catholicism are a major factor in this growth, and I’m proud to be one of them.

I hear you might have a few problems recruiting priests? When I was catholic in the 1960’s there were 5-7 priests per parish.

Now in some places its 5-7 parishes per priest. How you guys doin in Europe?

 

[4Squarebaby]

I hear you might have a few problems recruiting priests? When I was catholic in the 1960’s there were 5-7 priests per parish.

Now in some places its 5-7 parishes per priest. How you guys doin in Europe?

Be fair all Christians not just my Catrholic brothers are concerned about the world not just the local nation. True Europe is going and the American Church is keeping its numbers by immigration. But the Catholic Church worldwide is one of those bringing people to faith in Christ.

 

[Blade_and_Blood]

The Catholic Church as 1.2 billion members and it is growing.

How is this falling apart?

Converts to Catholicism are a major factor in this growth, and I’m proud to be one of them.

I think it only grows when two Catholics reproduce. But when it comes to converts, we’re bringing in as much as we’re losing. I usually don’t source from (what I believe to be) biased resources, but I read that half of Mormon converts are Catholic, and here, where I live, my only Mormon friend tells me that there’s a Mormon community where most of their families used to be Catholic.

It was pretty alarming, I’ll admit.

 

[bbarrick8383]

A convert from Catholic faith just shows a lack of faith period, could be laziness or ignorance as well, but they will have that lack in whatever other religion they choose to convert to.

I grew up in a strict protestant Church, I was taught from the beginning that there was only one true Church. Fortunately for me, I realized that it was not “the” Church.

 

[Blade_and_Blood]

Be fair all Christians not just my Catrholic brothers are concerned about the world not just the local nation. True Europe is going and the American Church is keeping its numbers by immigration. But the Catholic Church worldwide is one of those bringing people to faith in Christ.

sigh I’ve always wanted to go to Europe and see the Vatican Church!

I’ve heard that there’ll be a Mormon temple being built in Rome. How would they like it if a Gothic Cathedral was built in Salt Lake City? You guys *know *the size of those things-- a Catholic Cathedral can kick the temple’s butt!

 

[Blade_and_Blood]

A convert from Catholic faith just shows a lack of faith period, could be laziness or ignorance as well, but they will have that lack in whatever other religion they choose to convert to.

I grew up in a strict protestant Church, I was taught from the beginning that there was only one true Church. Fortunately for me, I realized that it was not “the” Church.

I don’t think there’s “one true church”. Some faiths have valid values and characteristics; others are just… there.

 

[bbarrick8383]

I don’t think there’s “one true church”. Some faiths have valid values and characteristics; others are just… there.

I have always and will always believe so. Now, I’m not yet Catholic, but from what I understand the Catechism says something about those who are not Catholic but are wholesome goodhearted people will still have the opportunity Catholics have.

Of the 33,000 religions out there I’d say that most of them have valid values and characteristics. But I still believe in the Catholic faith as being the original faith we should all be following.

As for my original religion, if you did not believe, confess, repent and be baptized as a member of that Church, well you did not have much of a chance.

 

[MelanieAnne]

sigh I’ve always wanted to go to Europe and see the Vatican Church!

I’ve heard that there’ll be a Mormon temple being built in Rome. How would they like it if a Gothic Cathedral was built in Salt Lake City? You guys *know *the size of those things-- a Catholic Cathedral can kick the temple’s butt!

There IS a Catholic Cathedral in Salt Lake City. The style is not Gothic, but it is old, has lots of beautiful stained glass, and it is a very lovely building.

And for what it’s worth, we had a Mormon convert in our RCIA class, and I’ve read of many similar situations right here at CAF, so it goes both ways I guess. The difference being, IMO, that Catholics really DO belong to the “one true church”.

 

[Blade_and_Blood]

I have always and will always believe so. Now, I’m not yet Catholic, but from what I understand the Catechism says something about those who are not Catholic but are wholesome goodhearted people will still have the opportunity Catholics have.

Of the 33,000 religions out there I’d say that most of them have valid values and characteristics. But I still believe in the Catholic faith as being the original faith we should all be following.

As for my original religion, if you did not believe, confess, repent and be baptized as a member of that Church, well you did not have much of a chance.

I guess the first Christian Church is the *true *Christian Church. I can get used to that.

Not yet Catholic, huh? Well, I dub you Catholic, now; you seem like a Catholic to me.

 

[nebula]

I think it only grows when two Catholics reproduce. But when it comes to converts, we’re bringing in as much as we’re losing. I usually don’t source from (what I believe to be) biased resources, but I read that half of Mormon converts are Catholic, and here, where I live, my only Mormon friend tells me that there’s a Mormon community where most of their families used to be Catholic.

It was pretty alarming, I’ll admit.

This happens vice versa a lot too. It’s not all one way.

 

[LDNCatholic]

I hear you might have a few problems recruiting priests? When I was catholic in the 1960’s there were 5-7 priests per parish.

Now in some places its 5-7 parishes per priest. How you guys doin in Europe?

Actually, quite good. My parish has 4 resident priests and 2 weekly visitors. We’re set for priests thanks.

 

[MelanieAnne]

My parish has 4 resident priests and 1 snowbird that is with us 6 months a year.

 

[RebeccaJ]

My parish has 2 resident priests, 1 permanent deacon and other various priests coming 'round now and then. The only parishes I know who are sharing priests are out in the sticks, and I mean, the sticks, where there are few Catholics.

I know several mormon converts, all baptized here in Salt Lake City. (I’m one of them Baptized in the Cathedral in SLC, just up the road from Mormon central.) There’s a large group of new converts every year, and in UT many are former Mormons.

And yes, immigration and migration have doubled the size of the Salt Lake diocese in recent years. I meet very few Catholics who actually grew up in Utah.

 

[LDNCatholic]

My parish has 2 resident priests, 1 permanent deacon and other various priests coming 'round now and then. The only parishes I know who are sharing priests are out in the sticks, and I mean, the sticks, where there are few Catholics.

I know several mormon converts, all baptized here in Salt Lake City. (I’m one of them Baptized in the Cathedral in SLC, just up the road from Mormon central.) There’s a large group of new converts every year, and in UT many are former Mormons.

And yes, immigration and migration have doubled the size of the Salt Lake diocese in recent years. I meet very few Catholics who actually grew up in Utah.

That reminds me, in addition to the four resident priests, the two regular visiting priests, we also have a permanent deacon and seminarians, and new priests stay with us often, particularly from India and Central Africa. And I for one am glad for the immigration, it has given new life to our parish and is making it a centre of the community.

So yeah, Europe is doing just fine for priests cheers. Haven’t seen any Mormons about though. Are you guys doing alright?

 

[MelanieAnne]

Haven’t seen any Mormons about though. Are you guys doing alright?

Mormons have a lay hierarchy, including all priests, bishops, etc.

 

[cazayoux]

Unless the central conceit isn’t that it’s somehow “better” than other churches, but rather that it has a special purpose, that it often falls short of due to the weakness inherent in all **earthly **systems.

Yet, the Mormon focus is not ‘earthly’ at all.
Their focus is on other planets.

michel

 

[cazayoux]

I hear you might have a few problems recruiting priests? When I was catholic in the 1960’s there were 5-7 priests per parish.

Now in some places its 5-7 parishes per priest. How you guys doin in Europe?

I’m actually pretty happy with the substance of the young men coming out of the U.S. seminaries today.
I think we hit a bad bump since the 40s.
By the 60s, the seminaries were filled with liberal teachers that were not properly training our young priests.
The young men becoming priests today are very orthodox in spite of some of these liberal teachers.
Soon we’ll have flushed these 60s-minded teachers and will be in an even better place.

In other areas in the world, vocations are booming.
I have two priests in my parish, one is from India.
We have one deacon and have four men in the deaconate at the moment.

michel

 

[LDNCatholic]

Mormons have a lay hierarchy, including all priests, bishops, etc.

I haven’t seen any Mormons, lay or otherwise. They have a place in London that looks like a compound but I have never seen a Mormon about.

 

[4Squarebaby]

That reminds me, in addition to the four resident priests, the two regular visiting priests, we also have a permanent deacon and seminarians, and new priests stay with us often, particularly from India and Central Africa. And I for one am glad for the immigration, it has given new life to our parish and is making it a centre of the community.

So yeah, Europe is doing just fine for priests cheers. Haven’t seen any Mormons about though. Are you guys doing alright?

Of course that is the rub which most don’t want to face. When the Church in the western world is cut down they point to the increasing amount of Priest and members who come from the Thrid World. It is quasi racist in thinking they only believe in supersition because they are beneath us Europeans.

It is truly remarkable if Europe will be saved it may be because of Africa. At least African missionaries to Europe won’t be accused of converting by bribery as our brothers in India are accused of.

On the other hand we shouldn’t stick our heads in the sand. Mormons have a very high conversion rate. Depending on whose survey maybe a higher rate then the Catholic Church, Pentecostal movement and Islam. We don’t see as many solely because their overall numbers are so small to begin with. Ofcourse if their numbers grow larger it will be impossible to maintain as high a rate of conversion.

 

[MelanieAnne]

On the other hand we shouldn’t stick our heads in the sand. Mormons have a very high conversion rate. Depending on whose survey maybe a higher rate then the Catholic Church, Pentecostal movement and Islam. We don’t see as many solely because their overall numbers are so small to begin with. Ofcourse if their numbers grow larger it will be impossible to maintain as high a rate of conversion.

It has been my experience (anecdotal only, from Mormon acquaintances) that Mormons also have a severe retention problem among new “converts”. That may be true in other faiths as well to a greater or lesser degree, but since Mormons hide some of their more arcane and peculiar things from potential converts, many enter the faith having no idea of some of the weird parts of Mormonism. When they find out, they often leave.

I have no statistics and it is doubtful that any faith would be anxious to share problems with retaining members, but it makes sense that faiths that hide some of their strange beliefs would experience a drop off in membership once those things were known.