Coming back to the church... maybe

[RHisComingHome]

So I created this user name 8 years ago when I was converting to Catholicism, and now I’m back in this same position again. I married a Roman Catholic and converted and, for a time, I was VERY happy. After a while, though, I became very frustrated with church. Growing up Protestant, I was used to long, (usually) powerful sermons. But week after week at Mass, the homily was about the evils of abortion 98% of the time and they never talked about anything else. As someone who needs to be spiritually fed (and who is unable to have children, so hearing anti-abortion rhetoric constantly was frustrating), I was left feeling empty. We eventually left the Catholic church and I returned to Protestantism. Fast forward to now when I have done a lot of spiritual exploration and soul searching and I think I’m ready to return to the Catholic Church. The problem? My husband says he’s never coming back. I want us to worship together, but I also want to return to the Church - what’s a girl to do??

 

[1ke]

what’s a girl to do??

Come back to the only place you can ever *really *be fed-- with the Eucharist. Draw strength from the sacraments. Then perhaps with time your husband can be led back also.

 

[Sandraaustin]

Well, that’s something else, because in 30 years of Catholic sermons, I honestly don’t remember any at all being about abortion. Maybe just once in January, during the Roe v. Wade anniversary.

I’m a revert and I pray you’ll return to the Church. Don’t nag your hubby–just leave it to Jesus and your good example to bring him back. Did he also leave because of the boring sermons? have you now found another Catholic Church, or has that pastor moved on??

I was Protestant for 20 yrs, so I know how appealing they can be–for fellowship, networking and pure entertainment, they’re #1, especially the mega-churches. But I agree completely with 1ke – come back for the Eucharist, the greatest gift ever, Jesus Himself! There’s only one place to get that.

Good luck, I’m praying for you both.

 

[Xantippe]

Well, that’s something else, because in 30 years of Catholic sermons, I honestly don’t remember any at all being about abortion. Maybe just once in January, during the Roe v. Wade anniversary.

**Yes–that was one weird parish. Normally, your homily will be on the gospel.

In my experience, bad Catholic preaching is (90% of the time) just sort of mushy, generic, inoffensive and (quite possibly) lifted from some sort of “Sermon Helper” canned sermon service. On the other hand, I have a certain amount of experience with bad Protestant preaching (thanks to a childhood spent in the Assemblies of God), and I know for a fact that bad Protestant preaching is roughly 2-3X worse than bad Catholic preaching, if only because it’s 2-3X as long.

I think you’ll find that in any area with several parishes, there will always be one particularly good preacher among the priests. Also, I think you will have particularly good luck with the quality of preaching at Newman Centers as far as level of thought that goes into preparing homilies.
**

I’m a revert and I pray you’ll return to the Church. Don’t nag your hubby–just leave it to Jesus and your good example to bring him back. Did he also leave because of the boring sermons? have you now found another Catholic Church, or has that pastor moved on??

**Yes.

Also, if you find a particularly good priest that you think will make a good impression on your husband, invite him out to lunch with your husband (warning the priest in advance that your husband is non-Catholic, of course). In a casual sort of way, of course, and making sure to have lots of general conversation. The point of this is not to immediately convert your husband, but to plant the idea that Fr. Timothy is not a monomaniacal weirdo, he’s a good guy, and it would be possible to go to one of his Masses with you without discomfort. That’s all you need for the moment.
**

I was Protestant for 20 yrs, so I know how appealing they can be–for fellowship, networking and pure entertainment, they’re #1, especially the mega-churches. But I agree completely with 1ke – come back for the Eucharist, the greatest gift ever, Jesus Himself! There’s only one place to get that.

Good luck, I’m praying for you both.

Yes!

 

[MJJean]

Go to a few different parishes Masses and look for a priest who can give a good homily. Maybe attend each parish for 2-4 weeks because everyone has an off day. I prefer the Jesuits, but that’s just me. The point is to find a priest who inspires you, who makes you think, who feeds your spirit and your mind. Once you have a parish that suits you then invite your DH to Mass. Hopefully, the Mass and the homily will inspire him, too.