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dominikus28
Guest
Is it wrong to go to another denomination’s church?
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St_Benedict
Guest
Toward unity
820 "Christ bestowed unity on his Church from the beginning. This unity, we believe, subsists in the Catholic Church as something she can never lose, and we hope that it will continue to increase until the end of time."277 Christ always gives his Church the gift of unity, but the Church must always pray and work to maintain, reinforce, and perfect the unity that Christ wills for her. This is why Jesus himself prayed at the hour of his Passion, and does not cease praying to his Father, for the unity of his disciples: "That they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be one in us, . . . so that the world may know that you have sent me."278 The desire to recover the unity of all Christians is a gift of Christ and a call of the Holy Spirit.279
821 Certain things are required in order to respond adequately to this call:
scborromeo.org/ccc/p123a9p3.htm#819
Attending other services, i.e weddings, funerals etc, or at the invitation of friend is fine. It’s worth considering where you are going, e.g you probably would be well recieved at most episcopalian services, where some denominations would see you as a Catholic to be targeted for conversion.
Attending is fine but with the exception of very limited circumstances Catholic’s should not recieve communion in other Churches / eccelsial communities.
820 "Christ bestowed unity on his Church from the beginning. This unity, we believe, subsists in the Catholic Church as something she can never lose, and we hope that it will continue to increase until the end of time."277 Christ always gives his Church the gift of unity, but the Church must always pray and work to maintain, reinforce, and perfect the unity that Christ wills for her. This is why Jesus himself prayed at the hour of his Passion, and does not cease praying to his Father, for the unity of his disciples: "That they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be one in us, . . . so that the world may know that you have sent me."278 The desire to recover the unity of all Christians is a gift of Christ and a call of the Holy Spirit.279
821 Certain things are required in order to respond adequately to this call:
- a permanent renewal of the Church in greater fidelity to her vocation; such renewal is the driving-force of the movement toward unity;280
- conversion of heart as the faithful “try to live holier lives according to the Gospel”;281 for it is the unfaithfulness of the members to Christ’s gift which causes divisions;
- prayer in common, because “change of heart and holiness of life, along with public and private prayer for the unity of Christians, should be regarded as the soul of the whole ecumenical movement, and merits the name 'spiritual ecumenism;”'282
- fraternal knowledge of each other;283
- ecumenical formation of the faithful and especially of priests;284
- dialogue among theologians and meetings among Christians of the different churches and communities;285
- collaboration among Christians in various areas of service to mankind.286 “Human service” is the idiomatic phrase.
scborromeo.org/ccc/p123a9p3.htm#819
Attending other services, i.e weddings, funerals etc, or at the invitation of friend is fine. It’s worth considering where you are going, e.g you probably would be well recieved at most episcopalian services, where some denominations would see you as a Catholic to be targeted for conversion.
Attending is fine but with the exception of very limited circumstances Catholic’s should not recieve communion in other Churches / eccelsial communities.
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WILKM
Guest
I have no problem in attending other churches for funerals or weddings but that’s all.
About twenty years ago, when I was in my early twenties (I was very much a lapsed Catholic in those days), I attended lots of different services at various non-Catholic churches. It’s because of doing that, that I sped back to the Catholic Church very quickly where I knew I was home and has made me a better (although not perfect) Catholic as a result.
About twenty years ago, when I was in my early twenties (I was very much a lapsed Catholic in those days), I attended lots of different services at various non-Catholic churches. It’s because of doing that, that I sped back to the Catholic Church very quickly where I knew I was home and has made me a better (although not perfect) Catholic as a result.
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JLM316
Guest
right or wrong is not the question, if you want to go to another denominations church for a regular service (not a wedding or special event for a friend), then you need to be careful. attending another church is one of the most mind manipulating things a person can do. ie: it can mess you up inside if you do not know with a 100 % certainity who you are. the reason is because the emotions of a worship session with a really good praise band, followed by the convincing arguments made by a charismatic preacher in a really well worded sermon, can get you thinking. you will either start to agree with them, and say wow- I am not getting this at the catholic church and start to bash our church OR you will listen to it - take it for what its worth - analyze it in light of you believe as a catholic, and decide never to go again. in the beginning it will all make sense, it will sound like they are preaching everything you always believed as a catholic - to follow Christ, to walk the talk, to give your heart to Jesus- all things that we are all supposed to do each day - and you will say wow I am being fed, I am growing, all these people are hugging me, and want to know my name… then someone will walk up to you and say something bad about the catholic church,- and either you will agree with them, or it will eat into you, and make you wonder why they are so negative. then you will go to a bible study, and eventually learn how different the doctrine really is - how its not about what you do, but rather what you believe - and then you will either agree and convert to being a protestant, or end up on the fence- totally messed up inside unsure of what you believe. that is a very bad place to be - messed up inside about who you are. the truth of the matter is the grass is always greener somewhere else, but remember every church has weeds. you need to first understand the holy church you are a part of now, and be commited to it before deciding to attend another church’s services, and even then be very strong if you do. been there - done that is the best advice I can give. stay home. look for friends and warm feelings among those you love, and learn what the catholic church really teaches, and you’ll save yourself alot of trouble. sometimes its necessary to do it, to make the journey to realize what you have at home - if do - good luck and be safe.
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Br.Rich_SFO
Guest
The only exception for reception of Communion would be if a Catholic finds himself in an Orthodox region with no means of attending a Catholic Church for quite some time. Otherwise they may and should attend the Divine Liturgy of the Orthodox but not receive Communion.
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jemfinch
Guest
As I understand it, though this is the rule for Catholics, according to Orthodox law, we would not be permitted to receive the Eucharist at their liturgy, which case I assume that the Church would have us respect their law and refrain from participation.
Jeremy
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RevDrNorth
Guest
I don’t think there is anything wrong in and of itself BUT it is what could come of it by doing more than simply a visit. Before long you become a part of that church family and if you are not a well armed Catholic you may be deceived by convincing but not necessarily accurate arguements.
I knew a Catholic couple that went to Mass and then off to a Baptist Bible study (they found it very intellectuall stimulating and full of fellowship opportunities). Eventually they became…Baptist.
Rev North
I knew a Catholic couple that went to Mass and then off to a Baptist Bible study (they found it very intellectuall stimulating and full of fellowship opportunities). Eventually they became…Baptist.
Rev North
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MrIrish
Guest
Just want to clarify that the Catholic Church is not a “denomination” - it is a church. By definition a denomination may choose to change its beliefs by its members (e.g., one denomination may reject such-and-such teaching of some other denomination and substitute or invent its own).
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scylla
Guest
Why go?
If you know your faith, you can go and share it with them so they will become Catholic.
For worship?, then you are denying you faith and it would be good to maybe study Catholicism a bit before you deny it.
For fun?, that may be fine but that is a slippery slope and if you go for fun, why not go to a ballgame or something?
To share Christ?, make sure you know your faith well as everyone who disagrees with the Catholic faith based this on a lie or bad Catholics and usually it is a very clever lie and many Catholics are decieved. This is good and noble, as everyone should be Catholic.
Study your faith as there is always an answer to every question.
God Bless
Scylla
If you know your faith, you can go and share it with them so they will become Catholic.
For worship?, then you are denying you faith and it would be good to maybe study Catholicism a bit before you deny it.
For fun?, that may be fine but that is a slippery slope and if you go for fun, why not go to a ballgame or something?
To share Christ?, make sure you know your faith well as everyone who disagrees with the Catholic faith based this on a lie or bad Catholics and usually it is a very clever lie and many Catholics are decieved. This is good and noble, as everyone should be Catholic.
Study your faith as there is always an answer to every question.
God Bless
Scylla
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RevDrNorth
Guest
The RCC does this. It went into schism from the Church that remains as the Orthodox Church and developed and entrenched new beliefs ranging from the immaculate conception to Papal infallibility. It is this that led the Old Catholics to break away from the RCC breakaway in the 1800’s.
If I am not mistaken the newest change in belief from the Church established by Jesus Christ may be Mary Co Redemptric which is being pushed by certain segements of the Roman Catholic Church. I saw a program once on EWTN (?) where a group was hoping that Pope JP II would speak ex cathedra on the subject.
Respectfully, the RCC does indeed keep developing new beleifs and systematizes them. Depending on your point of view there is nothing necessarily wrong with this. The RCC gave birth toother break away denominations developing various doctrines.
With respect to the poster, as far as I can tell the only church not continuously developing new beliefs is the Orthodox Church. This is one reason I am studying them and considering swimming the Bosphorus (sp??).
Rev North
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Ani_Ibi
Guest
Yes, but not viz Magisterial teaching.
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mayra_hart
Guest
I WENT ONCE TO A DISCIPLE OF CHRIST CULT BECAUSE MY SISTER INVITED ME, AN PERSONALLY I DIDN’T FOUND NOTHING THERE. A LOT OF PASTORS SPEAK TOO LOUD YOU CAN EASILY GET A HEADACHE. THE ALTARS ARE SO EMPTY, THEY DON’T LOOK AS THE BIBLE DESCRIBE THEM. I JUST LEFT BEFORE THE CULT WAS FINISH. I FELT VERY EMPTY. FOR ME THE ONLY PLACE I FEEL FULFILLED IS WHEN I GO TO MASS. FROM THERE I ALWAYS COME OUT FULL.
O most holy apostle, St. Jude, faithful servant and friend of Jesus, people honor and invoke you universally, as the patron of hopeless cases, of things almost despaired of. Pray for me, for I am so helpless and alone. Please help to bring me visible and speedy assistance. Come to my assistance in this great need that I may receive the consolation and help of heaven in all my necessities, tribulations, and sufferings, particularly (state your request) and that I may praise God with you always."
O most holy apostle, St. Jude, faithful servant and friend of Jesus, people honor and invoke you universally, as the patron of hopeless cases, of things almost despaired of. Pray for me, for I am so helpless and alone. Please help to bring me visible and speedy assistance. Come to my assistance in this great need that I may receive the consolation and help of heaven in all my necessities, tribulations, and sufferings, particularly (state your request) and that I may praise God with you always."
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Janet_S
Guest
So the CC continues to come up with new beliefs–I really don’t see this. If this is true, why do the ECF’s seem so Catholic when you read them? Why do so many people become convinced that the CC is the Apostolic Church when they read the ECF’s if the CC today is so different from the ancient Church?
Maybe the CC comes up with better ways to explain and defend the Truths of the faith, but her beliefs do not change.
If you are concerned because the CC doesn’t look exactly like the ancient Church, all I can say is do you really expect that it would?
Even the Church we see at the end of the book of Acts doesn’t look exactly like the Church at Pentecost.
I have heard, though, that the Orthodox churches are biased against Catholicism. Are you learning these things (about Catholics changing their beliefs) from Orthodox sources?
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jemfinch
Guest
The Catholic Church continues doing what it did during its first millennium: resolving doctrinal disputes, determining the logical and theological consequences of the deposit of faith, and declaring such consequences as dogma binding upon all Christians.
Which causes me to wonder: why have the Orthodox stopped doing what they did for the first thousand years of the Church? It seems to me to be a claim very similar, at least in spirit, to the Protestants’ claim that the Church’s authority died with the last Apostle. Problems have arisen in the Church since the Great Schism (wherever you prefer to place it in history), and the Catholic Church has continued to hold councils and declare dogma in order to resolve these problems. Why haven’t the Orthodox done the same?
Jeremy
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gwenred
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If you go, you are still obliged to attend a Roman Catholic Mass as well - a visit to another church cannot take the place of your Sunday obligation.
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Ave_Maria_1
Guest
My non-denom, no-rules, Sister really wanted me to see her church. I went to Mass first of course.
It was painful. There is Christian rock music and there was a skit about not much. And people ate their bagles and drank coffee for the entertainment. No older folks to speak of and it certainly is not a ‘faith’ to pass down the generations. Pastor Cal in his blue jeans talked aobut something. I prayed my rosary and wanted to leave, like run out the door but stuck it out.
What my sister liked was that people help each other there like with moving and so on. And you can be married and divorced any number of times, no problem. In fact there really are no rules. No Cross either.
I see no reason to ever go to another church ever. I need my Lord in most Holy Communion and the Sacramental life. Period.
It was painful. There is Christian rock music and there was a skit about not much. And people ate their bagles and drank coffee for the entertainment. No older folks to speak of and it certainly is not a ‘faith’ to pass down the generations. Pastor Cal in his blue jeans talked aobut something. I prayed my rosary and wanted to leave, like run out the door but stuck it out.
What my sister liked was that people help each other there like with moving and so on. And you can be married and divorced any number of times, no problem. In fact there really are no rules. No Cross either.
I see no reason to ever go to another church ever. I need my Lord in most Holy Communion and the Sacramental life. Period.
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JugglingReferee
Guest
I had a similar experience! Cradle Catholic, got away from the church in my late teens/first-half-of-my-twenties (though always a CnE Catholic). At 26, I started to feel something again, but wasn’t sure what. At 27, I realized it was a calling to Christ. I remembered enough of my Catholic upbringing to know some things, but still had many questions right off the bat.
I tried a Baptist church after I saw it featured on a local television program. I went sofar as trying their Discovery Diamond program. At this “first base” session, the pastor found out that I was Catholic. His disposition to me changed quite a bit after that. (Previously he had invited me to join the church softball team after he found out about my athletic talents.)
So I was at this Baptist church for 3 months, then a few other Protestant churches.
I then went to a Catholic church and I lost it. I felt God telling me that I was home. I burst out in tears after I got back to my seat after receiving the Eucharist. That was 5.5 years ago and I haven’t looked back.
Like all Catholic males should, I looked into religious life, but I have a stronger calling to married life.
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