Church pews emptying because

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Just yesterday, I went to a general meeting with my son at our parish Church for his First Communion. The female sacrament coordinator spent 50 minutes speaking about obscure matters of the Mass (Priest vestments, etc,), and zero minutes talking about the wonder, glory and mystery of the Real Presence (which my son will receive in May). At the end of the meeting the sacrament coordinator stated that the most important part of the Mass comes at the end, during the final blessing when we are sent out to the world to live our faith and evangelize.

How can we make progresss when we have people who diminish the value of the Blessed Sacrament like that?

When we see more Catholics who truly love the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, and when more Catholics love going to confession–that is when we will see incredible renewal of the faith.
 
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TPJCatholic:
At the end of the meeting the sacrament coordinator stated that the most important part of the Mass comes at the end, during the final blessing when we are sent out to the world to live our faith and evangelize.
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In many ways he was right. For a personal point of view the Blessed sacrament is the most important part of Mass but, from a Christian, or more importantly a Catholic point of view it is how we demonstrate our beliefs and our way of living that is far more important. Jesus did not spend all his time on his knees in the synagogue he went out amongst the people and showed then how to live a good life in concordance with God. It’s not a case of telling everyone how great the Church is, it’s a case of living the Catholic life to demonstrate to everyone how wonderful God is.

Having said all this I have a question, If the sacrament coordinator didn’t tell your son about the richness and glory of the Blessed Sacrament did you?
 
You missed in your poll the number one reason that dates back to the time of Jesus and the parables of the sower. Sin and secularization. The cares, worries and temptations of the world has always drawn peolple away from God. Today we see this lure presented more vividly in the modern media and stronger because of the growth of the humanistic mind set.

The “me” generation does not leave room for “Thou”.
 
Our pews aren’t empty. We are full at all the masses I have attended which can range from the Sat night vigil to the 12:15 on Sunday. That is the thing I like the most about my parish, however that being said we still have room for those that do not attend, but I suspect it’s out of laziness.

Kathleen
 
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Norwich:
In many ways he was right. For a personal point of view the Blessed sacrament is the most important part of Mass but, from a Christian, or more importantly a Catholic point of view it is how we demonstrate our beliefs and our way of living that is far more important. Jesus did not spend all his time on his knees in the synagogue he went out amongst the people and showed then how to live a good life in concordance with God. It’s not a case of telling everyone how great the Church is, it’s a case of living the Catholic life to demonstrate to everyone how wonderful God is.

Having said all this I have a question, If the sacrament coordinator didn’t tell your son about the richness and glory of the Blessed Sacrament did you?
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If one does not get on his knees and worship God, particularly in the Blessed Sacrament, one will not have the strength to endure. Mother Teresa went before the Blessed Sacrament twice each day. Without it she said she could not have done what she did. We tend to minimize the importance of the Eucharist and up play social work.

The woman who said the last part of mass is the most important is not only wrong, but responsibile for poorly forming young minds and hearts. Shame.
 
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fix:
Mother Teresa went before the Blessed Sacrament twice each day. Without it she said she could not have done what she did.
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What is Mother Teresa remembered for? What is her true legacy? Yes, praying in front of the Blessed Sacrament was important to HER it was important to HER life but, it was her work with the poor, it was her living the christian life, it was her acknowledgement and help to all of Gods children that demonstrated to the world the power of prayer, charity, care and christianity.

So my argument still stands, reverence and love of the Blessed Sacrament is a personal internal love between me and God. Charity and demonstrating a love for all humanity, carrying out of charitable works, living the life Our Lord Jesus Christ died for us to live and demonstrating his love for all on earth, that is the outward sign of our love for God and the one that has the greatest effect on those who do not, or cannot, accept Our Lord. Evangelisation is not telling, it’s LIVING.

This still leaves my original question, who is best placed to teach children of the importance of both the Blessed Sacrament and the need to live a Christian life, not just talk about it?
 
Norwich,

Yes, I teach my son regularly about the faith and about the true meaning of the Blessed Sacrament.

I strongly disagree with your view. Without God nothing is possible, we receive the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament so that we can receive the Graces we need to to do His work, and to live our lives as He desires. Without that Grace, we cannot do His work! There is nothing more important than God, and the Eucharist IS GOD!

Respectfully, you made my point about there being a lack of respect and understanding of the true need and nature of the Eucharist…which is precisely why our wonderful Holy Father has called this the year of the Eucharist.

Adore HIM, receive HIM, and HE will help you do the work HE has created for you.

To many Catholics do NOT get it.
 
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Norwich:
What is Mother Teresa remembered for?
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Her obedience to Christ.
What is her true legacy?
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Obedience to Christ.
Yes, praying in front of the Blessed Sacrament was important to HER it was important to HER life but, it was her work with the poor, it was her living the christian life, it was her acknowledgement and help to all of Gods children that demonstrated to the world the power of prayer, charity, care and christianity.
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It was not only a personal relationship, but is necessary for all who want to obey Christ in all things.
So my argument still stands, reverence and love of the Blessed Sacrament is a personal internal love between me and God. Charity and demonstrating a love for all humanity, carrying out of charitable works, living the life Our Lord Jesus Christ died for us to live and demonstrating his love for all on earth, that is the outward sign of our love for God and the one that has the greatest effect on those who do not, or cannot, accept Our Lord. Evangelisation is not telling, it’s LIVING.
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It is not an either/or but a both/and.
 
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TPJCatholic:
Norwich,

Yes, I teach my son regularly about the faith and about the true meaning of the Blessed Sacrament.

I strongly disagree with your view. Without God nothing is possible, we receive the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament so that we can receive the Graces we need to to do His work, and to live our lives as He desires. Without that Grace, we cannot do His work! There is nothing more important than God, and the Eucharist IS GOD!

Respectfully, you made my point about there being a lack of respect and understanding of the true need and nature of the Eucharist…which is precisely why our wonderful Holy Father has called this the year of the Eucharist.

Adore HIM, receive HIM, and HE will help you do the work HE has created for you.

To many Catholics do NOT get it.
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Therein lies the difference, you put the Blessed Sacrament above all else, you grade life and spirituality, Blessed Sacrament first, charity and good works second. I do not. They are one and the same, my love of the Blessed Sacrament is my love for God and Gods love for me, my need to evengelise by what I do, or how I behave, is my love for God and his love for all.

Try:
JAS 2:14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

JAS 2:18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”

Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that–and shudder.

JAS 2:20 You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? 21 Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.

JAS 2:25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
 
Norwich,

I place God above all else. Doing loving works means nothing if we do not first love God–works cannot save us. I put God first…do you?
 
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TPJCatholic:
To many Catholics do NOT get it.
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It is the lament of many a pastor who has had to point out that we are not social service directors, that is not the true function of faith. We are charitable and look after one another because we are Christian - that is fueled by our love for God. It is Step A in the process - Charity is step B. And you are right, many Catholics today are confused about what comes first and foremost.
 
Atheists, pagans, nazis can all do social work. Either we are in the mystical body of Christ, or we are simply happy, clappy do-gooders.

Being Catholic is much more than being a social worker.
 
Hagia,

Very good points, I totally agree. I pray more Catholics can come to see it that way. 🙂
 
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HagiaSophia:
It is the lament of many a pastor who has had to point out that we are not social service directors, that is not the true function of faith. We are charitable and look after one another because we are Christian - that is fueled by our love for God. It is Step A in the process - Charity is step B. And you are right, many Catholics today are confused about what comes first and foremost.
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Sorry folks but you see GOD IS CHARITY not seperate from, not different too, not step A or B or C through Z.
MT 25:34
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  • "Then the King will say to those on his right, `Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
MT 25:37 "Then the righteous will answer him, `Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

MT 25:40 "The King will reply, `I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’

MT 25:41 "Then he will say to those on his left, `Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

MT 25:44 "They also will answer, `Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

MT 25:45 "He will reply, `I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
 
If I want to hear fluff and watch a show, I’ll turn on Joel Ostein or Creflo Dollar.
 
**1324 **The Eucharist is “the source and summit of the Christian life.” “The other sacraments, and indeed all ecclesiastical ministries and works of the apostolate, are bound up with the Eucharist and are oriented toward it. For in the blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ himself, our Pasch.”
 
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fix:
Either we are in the mystical body of Christ, or we are simply happy, clappy do-gooders.
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Either/or??? No both/and? And was it necessary to scoff at the notion of Christian service? Read Matt 25:31-46 and see what Christ had to say about “happy, clappy do-gooding.” Read to see the basis on which Christ will judge you.
 
John Higgins:
You anti-VatII guys crack me up!

John
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The Vatican II documents are anything but anti-real presence, anti-papal authority or anti-any other Church teaching prior to Vatican II. The documents are clear. It is a liberal “interpretation” (also known as a purposeful misrepresentation) of these documents that had muddied the waters so that Church teaching is practically incoherent in many of today’s churches.
 
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Richardols:
Either/or??? No both/and? And was it necessary to scoff at the notion of Christian service? Read Matt 25:31-46 and see what Christ had to say about “happy, clappy do-gooding.” Read to see the basis on which Christ will judge you.
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I am scoffing at the notion the Eucharist should be downplayed. We must obey the moral law and do good works. We should not think the Eucharist is exactly equal to good works, singing songs or anything else.
 
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