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SVP
Guest
Actually, the Vatican does recognise that many of the Eastern Orthodox Churches do retain valid sacraments, though in schism with Rome.
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Jack_Bauer
Guest
Correction:
Eastern Orthodox Churches do in fact have valid sacraments, 7 sacraments - the same at the Catholic Church. In fact, it’s a matter of time and pride set aside before the two become one again. Lots of work though. This is what we understand about the faith. Even the Jews will believe in the end.
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Gardenman
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For the past 10 years I have gone to Christmas Eve “services” at a Nazarene chuch that one of my sisters (a former catholic) attends. This “service” in my opinion, is nothing more than a musical revue. The church is nothing more than an auditorium. They have a cross on wheels that they move about on what they call a “sanctuary”…but it’s just an empty stage.
The “pastor” reads the story of the nativity and the rest is nothing but Christmas Carols in a sort of “talent show” fashion. Yes, the music is nice, but that’s about it. I don’t feel anything even remotely “religious’ about any of their services that I’ve attended. I’ve never seen them have 'communion”…maybe they do…who knows ?
It’s all very strange to me and doesn’t seem at all Christ-Centered except for maybe ten minutes during one of their services when the pastor uses a biblical quote and relates an example of it to present day life. The whole thing about their Sunday service reminds me more of a coffee-clatch with a hymn or two thrown in.
The “pastor” reads the story of the nativity and the rest is nothing but Christmas Carols in a sort of “talent show” fashion. Yes, the music is nice, but that’s about it. I don’t feel anything even remotely “religious’ about any of their services that I’ve attended. I’ve never seen them have 'communion”…maybe they do…who knows ?
It’s all very strange to me and doesn’t seem at all Christ-Centered except for maybe ten minutes during one of their services when the pastor uses a biblical quote and relates an example of it to present day life. The whole thing about their Sunday service reminds me more of a coffee-clatch with a hymn or two thrown in.
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vittorio
Guest
yeh, I visited a church that had kneelers that were like footstools for a living room…I was worried I would bounce off like on giant springs, but it was a nice lookin church.
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KWR_1
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When I was a teenager I explored many churches by attending services. On one occasion I attended a Oneness Pentecostal Church where people were literally running down the aisles, jumping in the pews and being slain in the Spirit. Then as luck would have it the preacher had a sermon on the fact that the Roman Catholic Church was the Beast in Revelation and Pope John Paul II was the anti-Christ. But I must say that 80% of the Protestant Church services I have attended have been just fine about Catholics.
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ElToro
Guest
Welcome Home! That actually sounds very cool. I love Gregorian Chant, pipe organs, etc. but I also love Gospel music. I dismiss those who believe Gospel music has no place in the Mass is done with good taste within the rubrics. I live in a deanery with 13 parishes in a dicese with 58 parishes. Very homogenious. Nothing like you describe but I will be ont he lookout when I travel.
I believe it. The non-Catholic parish I attend is fairly light on the Bible too. Overall it is very much “feel good Christian Lite” and I don’t think I would be satisfied with it if I were Protestant and that was my only worship for the day. When I visit it’s after a long day that began with an early morning Mass and a mid-morning Eastern Catholic Divine Liturgy so I’m ready to relax and sing…
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ElToro
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Did typing the above somehow make you feel good?Only if someone holds a gun to my head. But I’ll stay open as long as I get the interrogate the preacher.
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ElToro
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Reseda, huh?We will sometimes attend Vespers on Saturday evenings at a nearby Eastern Orthodox church. The reason we go there is that there are no Vespers services at any of the Eastern Catholic churches (or Western, for that matter) in our area.
Even if there were, we would probably still attend the EO church, as we have friends there whose parents attended our EC church before they passed away.
FWIW, I find that the closer a non-Catholic church is to Catholic belief and worship, the more comfortable I feel about attending/visiting - for example, Eastern Orthodox churches, or the more traditional Anglican or Lutheran parishes. Just my 2 cents.
Is Fr. Mel still over at St. Mary’s Byzantine in Sherman Oaks? Maybe you could talk to him about starting vespers there. Byzantine vespers are amazing. “Let my prayers ascend to you like incense…”
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ElToro
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What is the matter with some of you? I have stated at least a half dozen times on this thread that the non-Catholic worship service I attend on Sunday evenings IS NOT a replacement for attending (under obligation) a Catholic sacrificial liturgy.
If you want to compare it to something, compare it to a large Catholic Bible study with music and singing. Stop trying to compare it to the Mass. That’s silly. I don’t and never will.
I don’t think some people feel comfortable with comparing liturgical singing/music, preaching and even prayer with some non-Catholic groups when the comparison is made OUTSIDE of the celebration of the Eucharist. It shows how incredibly deficient some Catholic parishes are in this area.
In plainer terms this parish has FAR better music/singing than ANY Catholic parish in my diocese. The ONLY Catholic preaching I have heard that compares are priests who visit parishes on behalf of missions (they are typically excellent) or those that are renouned for their preaching and travel. Priests like Larry Richards and Pablo Straub.
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ElToro
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That’s right. They are a “service” and not a liturgy. There is nothing that I detect that is anything but Christian in the one I attend. Maybe Christian lite but 100% Christian.
I wouldn’t want to attend a mainline Protestant worship service. I wouldn’t go near a service with a simulated communion, altar calls and the like.
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ElToro
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Quite a sample size, huh? Sadly I could apply your comments to more than one Mass which I have attended…
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ElToro
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The charges of schism were mutually lifted many years ago with the ecumenical patriarch of the East. The Orthodox are in imperfect communion with the Catholic Church. Depending on the Orthodox state church (there are several) they look at Catholics to be anywhere from schismatic to outright heretics…
The Catholic Church also has a non-heretical reationship with the ancient Oriental Churches…
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ElToro
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Based on what I have described in several posts on this thread why would anyone want to mention a church where “people were literally running down the aisles, jumping in the pews and being slain in the Spirit. Then as luck would have it the preacher had a sermon on the fact that the Roman Catholic Church was the Beast in Revelation and Pope John Paul II was the anti-Christ.” To make themselves feel good about being Catholics?When I was a teenager I explored many churches by attending services. On one occasion I attended a Oneness Pentecostal Church where **people were literally running down the aisles, jumping in the pews and being slain in the Spirit. Then as luck would have it the preacher had a sermon on the fact that the Roman Catholic Church was the Beast in Revelation and Pope John Paul II was the anti-Christ. **But I must say that 80% of the Protestant Church services I have attended have been just fine about Catholics.
As an excuse for poor music/singing/preaching/fellowship? Such comments have absolutely no application on this thread yet they keep coming. Why?
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Jack_Bauer
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Why? Did you want to help?Did typing the above somehow make you feel good?
I have many deacons, preachers and some elders in my family and after going through the manipulation tactics we went through under some preachers and elders, I find it quite naive that so many Catholics do not truly understand how ridiculous they look in the eyes of some Protestants.
Every home visit is met with someone trying t manipulate us into reverting to our previous Protestant faith.Words like "pagan, apostate, are among the "charitable remarks made to us. And that by family members. So, my statement was quite spot on in the way I feel about visiting a non-Catholic service. One preacher, a military Chaplain, used my mother’s death as a “come to Jesus” sermon opportunity to frighten people into changing their lives.
Go ahead and mock and make fun of me, but we all have our crosses to carry. Mine is quite annoying…
Note: My brother-in-law are fun a trip, funny that is to say. We joke around when visiting. However, since my father-in-law passed away in 2004, the door open to return to the Catholic faith came upon me in a major conversion experience which lead my wife into converting with me, without my proselytizing her. As far as the interrogation part, make note that the church leaders from my previous Church of Christ faith have earned the interrogation comment after putting my wife and I through living hell on several occasions. They are not as charitable as people like to paint them.
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ElToro
Guest
I attended my non-Catholic parish last Sunday night after having attended the Mass and Divine Liturgy much earlier in the day. The opportunity cost was the loss of 2 hours of: watching TV/reading the Sunday paper/surfing the Web. In other words, cheap.
When I arrived I didn’t notice anyone in shorts, shower thongs or ball caps which are common at the Mass I attend. If anything some people put on a bit of a show. No, no cheap business suits but a lot of casual Polo. We began with 3 gorgeous hymns including a sung Psalm. It is such a wonderful feeling singing in the midst of that group.
Then a short prayer. Then there was a reading from the Gospel of John (everyone with their Bibles and highlighters – nice.) I had my Bible was well – the Jerusalem version.
Then another sung Psalm. I wish they could do it that nice in my Catholic parish.
Then a nice sermon based on the reading. Very Christian lite but also very inspiring. Certainly nothing anti-Catholic.
This was followed by more singing. We then prayed for different intentions, much like Catholics do during the Mass. Then a couple was recognized because they are moving to be near their kids in Arizona.
Finally a closing prayer.
Then beautiful fellowship complete with gourmet pizza and a nice Merlot. All in all a great way for my wife and I to spend 2 hours on a Sunday night.
Cheers!
When I arrived I didn’t notice anyone in shorts, shower thongs or ball caps which are common at the Mass I attend. If anything some people put on a bit of a show. No, no cheap business suits but a lot of casual Polo. We began with 3 gorgeous hymns including a sung Psalm. It is such a wonderful feeling singing in the midst of that group.
Then a short prayer. Then there was a reading from the Gospel of John (everyone with their Bibles and highlighters – nice.) I had my Bible was well – the Jerusalem version.
Then another sung Psalm. I wish they could do it that nice in my Catholic parish.
Then a nice sermon based on the reading. Very Christian lite but also very inspiring. Certainly nothing anti-Catholic.
This was followed by more singing. We then prayed for different intentions, much like Catholics do during the Mass. Then a couple was recognized because they are moving to be near their kids in Arizona.
Finally a closing prayer.
Then beautiful fellowship complete with gourmet pizza and a nice Merlot. All in all a great way for my wife and I to spend 2 hours on a Sunday night.
Cheers!
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ElToro
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Let me try to parse that sentance. You find it “naive?” What do you mean? Nevermind. Here’s the real question. Why would I care one whit what I looked like in the eyes of the “many deacons, preachers and some elders in (your) family.” So you know I couldn’t care less what you or your family thinks of me and my faith.
So because members of your family treat you poorly you feel that’s license to make nasty comments on this thread? Your statement was hardly “quite spot on.” I wouldn’t attend a worship service if it was populated by people like you and your family.
So you have family troubles and you try to take it out on me?
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Jack_Bauer
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You appear to be one odd cookie.
I guess you don’t see the humor in my first post, nor the reasons behind it. It was a funny post to convey the idea that I will not attend a Protestant worship service for casual purposes. I’d attend for a funeral or marriage service. And, as long as my families Catholic obligations are not violated I would attend only to show charity towards my family, but avoid the interrogative responses towards my children that are certain to be part of the visits. No one is attacking you, friend. It’s not a good idea to read too much into someone’s comments.
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TrueLight
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A nice merlot? That’s interesting.
The church I was most recently attending has awesome music and I guess you can say they are Christian light too. Very liturgical in their services but also very open minded to different cultures and unfortunately lifestyles. Very welcoming church.
But never have they served alcohol in the church itself. Oh they would go out for a drink among friends, but never in the church.
I believe God led me to this church in preparation for Catholicism. I was able to adapt to the liturgical nature of its services, which I first found boring, having come from more charismatic circles. Also, because they were open to Catholicism, in fact, there is an nun biblical scholar who does twice weekly bible study, I was able to stop seeing Catholics as seriously in darkness.
Everything happens for a reason.
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SwizzleStick
Guest
Why would you ask such a thing in this manner?
We get it, we know. You keep coming back and extolling the virtues of attending your Protestant services, the wonders of the music and fellowship, and even the food and drink now.
Is your purpose here to get support or validation for your choice? Perhaps you are getting frustrated because you are not getting it? Perhaps you are frustrated that your sharing isn’t prompting some obvious positive reaction to your Protestant experiences? Are you frustrated due to the lack of enthusiasm for your choices? I’m sorry for your frustration, whatever the cause if you are, in fact, frustrated, but there is no reason to imply that there is something the matter with some other posters.
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CindySpeaksUp
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Perhaps the title to your thread ''Do You Ever Attend Non-Catholic Worship Services?" is throwing people off. My initial thought when i read the title was to think of the times i have been to non-catholic services and my experiences attending them and it made me more inclined to share them on this thread. Although now i’m not so sure i should, i might get barked at for sharing my experiences!Based on what I have described in several posts on this thread why would anyone want to mention a church where “people were literally running down the aisles, jumping in the pews and being slain in the Spirit. Then as luck would have it the preacher had a sermon on the fact that the Roman Catholic Church was the Beast in Revelation and Pope John Paul II was the anti-Christ.” To make themselves feel good about being Catholics?
Perhaps the question everyone is answering (although you did not specifically ask) is “have you ever attended a non-catholic worship service? But really, what did you think people were going to respond when asked if they ever attend non-catholic services? just a simple yes or no answer? isn’t the point to also provide the reason behind the yes or no and share and your experiences? otherwise it would be a pretty boring thread with pages of yes’s and no’s…I’d also like to point out that the poster you quoted did follow that by saying ''But I must say that 80% of the Protestant Church services I have attended have been just fine about Catholics.” so I’m not sure why you would assume they simply stated that to make themselves feel better about being Catholic, they were simply pointing out an experience at a non-catholic service.
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