Father said something interesting in the homily a few weeks ago

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The priest that was celebrating the Mass I was at started preaching his opinion of the Protestant megachurches. In a nutshell, he said that he thinks they are selling entertainment with a thin layer of Christianity on top. These were his main points:

– Theses churches usually have rock/pop and other “catchy” styles of music played.
– In his opinion, the preaching isn’t that in-depth, just skin deep, warm fuzzy feeling stuff
– These churches incorporate daycare, food stands, etc. which keeps people from feeling too “religious”.

I know that’s just his opinion. I’m curious whether any of you here on the CAF agree with it. Personally, I’ve been to a church like the ones he talked about, and I think that he’s mostly correct. NOTE: I agree with his opinion only to the extent that it applies to the megachurch-type churches. I know that more conservative Protestants (Lutheran, Presbyterian, Anglican, some Methodists) services are more like a Mass than what Father was talking about.
 
That is my general opinion of them. While I certainly don’t question the love towards God, nor the sincerity of any individual at those Churches, it does seem like worship of God takes a back seat to having a good time and having a good concert.
 
I recently attended a service at such a mega-church. Having been raised in the Lutheran Church, and currently attending mass each week with my Catholic wife, I found the experience to be quite strange. I was especially weird-ed out by the food court. Of course, if someone who had been raised worshiping that way suddenly found themselves attending a Catholic mass, I’m sure they would also find the experience to be rather bizarre.
 
Sounds like the Novus Ordo Masses they do at youth events!! 😃 (minus the food)

Hmmm… makes you think, right? It reminds me of that part of the Screwtape Letters where the demon’s uncle is advising him that people can easily be led to make their own god, and to get their soul that he’d have to try and get this to happen. I wonder what it would be like to get to heaven and realize you’ve never known God, contrary to what you’ve been led to believe all your life? :eek: I suppose you might get in on the baptism, and invincible ignorance, but not after a long time in Purgatory I am sure. 😦
 
TheWhoFreak said:
– Theses churches usually have rock/pop and other “catchy” styles of music played.
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also, usually some percentage lift up their hands and start swaying back and forth when the music starts.

not that I have a problem with that…just an observation.
 
I think they are doing that to make the church “modern” and “more relevant” to our times. They want going to church to be a feel-good experience so people will want to come back. In some ways, I like their ideas, and in other ways I believe church should be focused only on God. It’s a church, not a dance club!

A lot of people get “bored” in church, caught up in our materialistic society, leave around the end of adolescence (college age), and then come back when they have children of their own (or after their kids are grown). There seems to be a break from religion in many people’s lives. People are often too caught up in a world of instant gratification and self-pleasure and sometimes it takes us a while to realize the error of their ways, that we had bad judgment, etc.

Maybe the “make church fun” movement is to help people want to continue to go to church and have a relationship with God throughout their lives. 🤷
 
While I might on the surface agree with most of what the priest said, I can’t judge the state of the souls of the people who worship in these churches. I can’t read their minds and hearts and know their relationship with Jesus. And I cannot say that God is not pleased with those who worship Him sincerely in the best way they know how. Only God knows the motives and intentions and the hearts of people. But do I want to worship in this manner-?-No. But God knows me better than I know myself, and He may not always be pleased with my worship. So I can’t pass a judgement on them. The only thing I can say is that I am a Catholic, and I believe we hold the fullness of truth, and I worship in the manner that I believe is the right way, and in accordance with the Church.

So I have a question. Why was the priest preaching about what goes on in Protestant churches in his Sunday homily in the first place? That is not the purpose of the homily. Maybe for a discussion outside of Mass, ok, or in another context ourside of Mass. But I don’t think that is proper homiletics, as it really doesn’t deal with the Gospel or the Readings and their application to our lives. Was this in the broader context of the readings? I must say I’ve never heard a homily that addressed anything that goes on in Protestant churches.
 
stephe1987 said:
Maybe the “make church fun” movement is to help people want to continue to go to church and have a relationship with God throughout their lives. 🤷
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If that’s what it takes for some people to go to church, I agree; they’re better off going to a church like that (not to sound negative) rather than none at all.
CB_Catholic said:
So I have a question. Why was the priest preaching about what goes on in Protestant churches in his Sunday homily in the first place? That is not the purpose of the homily. Maybe for a discussion outside of Mass, ok, or in another context ourside of Mass. But I don’t think that is proper homiletics, as it really doesn’t deal with the Gospel or the Readings and their application to our lives. Was this in the broader context of the readings? I must say I’ve never heard a homily that addressed anything that goes on in Protestant churches.
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It was relevant to the Scripture readings, but I can’t remember what they were nor what the main theme of his homily was. I just remember that he preached on the megachurches for part of his homily.
 
TheWhoFreak said:
The priest that was celebrating the Mass I was at started preaching his opinion of the Protestant megachurches. In a nutshell, he said that he thinks they are selling entertainment with a thin layer of Christianity on top. These were his main points:

– Theses churches usually have rock/pop and other “catchy” styles of music played.
– In his opinion, the preaching isn’t that in-depth, just skin deep, warm fuzzy feeling stuff
– These churches incorporate daycare, food stands, etc. which keeps people from feeling too “religious”.

I know that’s just his opinion. I’m curious whether any of you here on the CAF agree with it. Personally, I’ve been to a church like the ones he talked about, and I think that he’s mostly correct. NOTE: I agree with his opinion only to the extent that it applies to the megachurch-type churches. I know that more conservative Protestants (Lutheran, Presbyterian, Anglican, some Methodists) services are more like a Mass than what Father was talking about.
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Actually, friend, Father was spot on correct. How did he know. He must have visited himself. What’s interesting is that we migrated from a church much closer to Catholicism that most fundamentalist faiths. We spent the last 6 months experiencing exactly what Father told you in his homily. It was convenience but there was no real substance to the people, most fake and very flaky. My son nearly went in to convulsions when his bible class teacher asked them “what do you have to do to be saved?” He responded with the 5 steps of salvation that we learn growing up in our previous faith. The bible class teacher said “nothing, absolutely nothing”. My son nearly ran away from home at the age of 11 because of this and nearly died when we told him we were going to visit a Catholic Church for worship. Not too long after we’re Catholic. Yes, your priest was absolutely spot on. Sad though that they don’t see it.
 
c_martyr said:
Wow, your dad is a priest?

Does he look like this: :highprayer: ??
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Is this a joke?..

If you don’t know, the Catholic title of address for priest is Father, e.g. Father Malloy, Father Jim, Father Jack, etc.
 
TheWhoFreak said:
Is this a joke?..

If you don’t know, the Catholic title of address for priest is Father, e.g. Father Malloy, Father Jim, Father Jack, etc.
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A protestant or non-Catholic need not feel required to refer to our priests as “father” or even “reverend” In fact, the other way around is also true.

BTW: that emoticon is actually a bishop, hence “miter”.
 
There are various definitions of “entertainment”, many of which compatible with Catholic worship:

Entertainment: A meal; esp. a formal or elegant meal; a banquet.

So, the Eucharist is an entertainment of the Holiest kind.
 
eucharisteo said:
A protestant or non-Catholic need not feel required to refer to our priests as “father” or even “reverend” In fact, the other way around is also true.
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I beg to differ. Out of common courtesy, good manners, and Christian charity, I am required to and always do refer to a Catholic priest as “Father”, as that is his title, the misinterpretation of the verse, “call no man Father”, notwithstanding.

Jon
 
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