How do I meet "conservative" Catholics?

[sacramentdivine]

Yep, I did just that. With you first. And then with the other poster. And actually, now that you bring it up, with this entire thread. The whole thing is evidently a lost cause and is truly a waste of time.

BTW, please cut out the “ahems” and “coughs” why dontcha? Enough is enough.

“Ahem…cough” and you lost the argument “ahem cough!”

 

[Wampa]

This is a great thread posted by someone coming into our faith and asking valid questions. Please don’t hijack it into a political thread or an extended debate about home schooling. You can start a new thread to fight those battles.

Like many new Catholics (me included), the OP is probably struggling to know what labels applies to what things. Although she used the term “conservative”, I think everyone in the thread (until now) has understood that she meant orthodox. You can see from her original post that, after using the conservative/liberal language, all of her examples relate to faithfulness to Church teaching, NOT politics.

I think everyone here understands that conservative (politically) and faithful/orthodox are not synonymous. While there may be a large overlap, let’s stick with her intent. She’s looking for faithful, orthodox Catholics.

Thank you for allowing this thread to get back on track

Hi - I’m joining the Church this Easter Vigil. I am feeling a little bit lost (OK, a lot lost) in our parish. The leaders of RCIA seem to be a lot more liberal than I am prepared to be – they told us that almost no one considers sterilization a sin, and they let women participate in the foot-washing on Holy Thursday, and some of them are really into women’s ordination, etc.

 

[yellowbicycle]

Might you be able to attend a women’s retreat?
the webpage of your diocese probably lists some.
I think you might find more orthodox catholic women there. Also, have you gotten involved in any catholic pro-life ministries or looked into volunteer efforts at a local pregnancy crisis center? I have generally found the women there to be more orthodox - not all, but certainly many.
PS - if you are in the detroit area, I know BUNCHES of orthodox catholic women who are just wonderful and I’m sure they’d be happy to hang out with you!

 

[maryjk]

This is a great thread posted by someone coming into our faith and asking valid questions. Please don’t hijack it into a political thread or an extended debate about home schooling. You can start a new thread to fight those battles.

Like many new Catholics (me included), the OP is probably struggling to know what labels applies to what things. Although she used the term “conservative”, I think everyone in the thread (until now) has understood that she meant orthodox. You can see from her original post that, after using the conservative/liberal language, all of her examples relate to faithfulness to Church teaching, NOT politics.

I think everyone here understands that conservative (politically) and faithful/orthodox are not synonymous. While there may be a large overlap, let’s stick with her intent. She’s looking for faithful, orthodox Catholics.

Thank you for allowing this thread to get back on track

Here is what I see or feel:
Conservative: Follows the teachings of the Catholic Church
Liberal: is a “cafeteria Catholic” or is a CINO (Catholic in name only)

This says nothing about their political leanings.

Back to the topic at hand.
Families that home school are generally very Conservative in their religious leanings. Most attend daily Mass at some point. Most teach religion daily rather than just during Sunday school. They generally have more children than the average family, but not always. (I have one child.) You could talk about NFP, and they all know what it is. All in all generally they will be Conservative in their religious leanings.

Again, this says nothing about their political leanings. I gotta tell you, we generally don’t talk politics.

 

[MikeDunphy]

Hi Debbie,

If you have time to read it, Karl Keating’s Catholicism and Fundamentalism will help you answer some of the objections you are likely to hear to your conversion. It is obvious that your sister-in-law and the others don’t know the Catholic Church very well. Maybe your good example will, over time, dispel some of their ignorance.

I hope your Lent is holy and your Easter joyful, even in the face of trials.

Michael

Thanks, Ockham. As I posted on the Evangelization forum, we have actually been uninvited to Easter dinner with the family since we are “no longer Christian.” My sister-in-law crosses the street when she passes a Catholic church so she doesn’t “give the Devil a foothold.” “Friends” of over 20 years will no longer go to dinner with us. I can only conclude that Satan has a powerful reason for wanting us to stay Protestant. Last week my autistic son’s former Sunday School teacher saw us at the grocery store and told my son that his mother was taking him to “the devil’s church.” (After we left, my son told me, “Father is more like Jesus than that lady is.” What a great moment!) So, yes, it is safe to say that we are under attack from the rabid Fundamentalists. Debbie:shrug:

 

[Nino]

furst my young friend…conservative means : for the status quo…and since we have been moving more and more to the fascist left…we are hardly ‘conservative’ actually we are the true liberals…ie: for personal freedom versus a hard left dictatorship ruled by spoiled rich brats who have never worked for a living…instead use the word Orthodox…it was the Orthodox Jews that Hitler and his left wing nationa socialist workers party of germany hated for in their one world…a peasant must worship the state…a small handful of lazy good for nothings who have inherited immense wealth from those who pillaged the Catholic churchs in various lands…its not easy…the RCC has been infiltrated by agents of the establishment…see if they are truly Catholic,be carefull…some that claim to be like the feenyites stick in their anti-semitism etc…it was one of the greatest of Americans…JE Hoover,who titled his great informative book…Masters of Deceit…there was a reason for this…our rulers know Pavlovs secret method of population control…study them like one of his dogs…condiontioned reflexes, subliminal seduction etc…thats why I spoke to my local school board against these psycho tests…they ask personal intimate questions about a student and his her family,plus likes and dislikes…this info is all used to further enslave us and destroy Gods only vehicle of truth on Earth…The RCC…see ya at the mall…

 

[Shin]

Hi Debbie,

If you have time to read it, Karl Keating’s Catholicism and Fundamentalism will help you answer some of the objections you are likely to hear to your conversion. It is obvious that your sister-in-law and the others don’t know the Catholic Church very well. Maybe your good example will, over time, dispel some of their ignorance.

I hope your Lent is holy and your Easter joyful, even in the face of trials.

Michael

I am trying to recall but did Keating once have out a thinner but similar variation on this book? Or was that someone else?

Somehow I have two copies of it, I need to find some fundamentalist to give it to who will actually read it.

 

[convert999]

My goodness! Yes, I meant “orthodox” not “radical right wing”! “Conservative” is a word frequently used by Protestants to mean “orthodox.” However, I made a neat discovery – I’m from the Pittsburgh area and discovered that there is a big Latin Mass contingent here. Up until now I thought they were the group that is not loyal to the Pope but I discovered I was wrong and they are part of the Pittsburgh Diocese. I am going to try to find someone to go with me sometime (too chicken to try it alone, lol). It’s about 45 minutes from my house but it would be doable some weeks.

Ockham, you’re embarrassing me. If God found a way to use my story to bless you, I am truly thankful.

Debbie

 

[Arandur]

Just want to chime in a word of encouragement here. Conservative (Orthodox as well as politically) Catholics ARE out there, so you need not be discouraged about that.

I find that listening to EWTN radio, listening to various other speakers, and keeping in touch with Catholic Answers Forums comforts and strengthens me. Maybe you’ll find these communities helpful as well.

 

[Al_Masetti]

furst my young friend…conservative means : for the status quo…and since we have been moving more and more to the fascist left…we are hardly ‘conservative’ actually we are the true liberals…ie: for personal freedom versus a hard left dictatorship ruled by spoiled rich brats who have never worked for a living…instead use the word Orthodox…it was the Orthodox Jews that Hitler and his left wing nationa socialist workers party of germany hated for in their one world…a peasant must worship the state…a small handful of lazy good for nothings who have inherited immense wealth from those who pillaged the Catholic churchs in various lands…its not easy…the RCC has been infiltrated by agents of the establishment…see if they are truly Catholic,be carefull…some that claim to be like the feenyites stick in their anti-semitism etc…it was one of the greatest of Americans…JE Hoover,who titled his great informative book…Masters of Deceit…there was a reason for this…our rulers know Pavlovs secret method of population control…study them like one of his dogs…condiontioned reflexes, subliminal seduction etc…thats why I spoke to my local school board against these psycho tests…they ask personal intimate questions about a student and his her family,plus likes and dislikes…this info is all used to further enslave us and destroy Gods only vehicle of truth on Earth…The RCC…see ya at the mall…

One of the unfortunate trends is that words have lost their original meanings.

Conservative USED to mean “status quo” … but no longer. Conservative now means traditional … orthodox … “pro-ten-commandments” … in the political arena, it means lower taxes, smaller government, less intrusive government, Pro-second Amendment. Pro-Tenth Amendment. [10th amendment? What’s that??] traditional family values, original intent of the Constitution. Conservative today is the same as Liberal 200 years ago.

Liberal today really means radical socialist. Pro-abortion, atheistic. Big intrusive government. High taxes. Government by a self-nominated elite. Using violence to gain political control.

 

[brigid12]

Hi - I’m joining the Church this Easter Vigil. I am feeling a little bit lost (OK, a lot lost) in our parish. The leaders of RCIA seem to be a lot more liberal than I am prepared to be – they told us that almost no one considers sterilization a sin, and they let women participate in the foot-washing on Holy Thursday, and some of them are really into women’s ordination, etc. They’re really nice people, but…I disagree with them on many points. Unfortunately, I don’t know any other Catholics, in this parish or any other one, and I would like to meet some like-minded women. I was invited to the group that prays the Rosary, but I heard them one day and they say it so fast I would never be able to keep up! (I still need a crib sheet, I’m sorry to say.) I am a convert from an Evangelical church and I just recently dared to say my first Rosary. My family and friends have practically disowned me for my conversion, and I’m missing Christian friends. Changing parishes is not an option. I guess my question is, what kinds of “groups” should I look for to find conservative people? Thanks – Debbie

Pro-life/respect life groups - many, if not most are “conservative”.

 

[brigid12]

Just want to chime in a word of encouragement here. Conservative (Orthodox as well as politically) Catholics ARE out there, so you need not be discouraged about that.

I find that listening to EWTN radio, listening to various other speakers, and keeping in touch with Catholic Answers Forums comforts and strengthens me. Maybe you’ll find these communities helpful as well.

They help me, too.

 

[The_Prodigal]

You can look for a traditional Mass in your area here.

 

[MikeDunphy]

I am trying to recall but did Keating once have out a thinner but similar variation on this book? Or was that someone else?

Somehow I have two copies of it, I need to find some fundamentalist to give it to who will actually read it.

Maybe you are thinking of “What Catholics Really Believe”? I haven’t read that one. One set of very slimmed down books I can recommend is Beginning Apologetics from San Juan Catholic Seminars. Volumes 1 & 3, along with Keating’s book, really helped with some conversations I had with a Baptist coworker.

I had two copies of Catholicism & Fundamentalism, too. The second copy went to my mailman, when he mentioned a family situation similar to the OP’s. I don’t think that many fundamentalists will sit down and read the book, but some will listen to arguments from it.

I forgot to say earlier: welcome to Debbie and all new Catholics entering the house of the Lord this Easter Vigil. Sorry about the mess. But even in its current disheveled state, it is the Church the Lord built. May you find peace therein.

 

[Al_Masetti]

Seems to me that a lot of conservative political publications are staffed heavily by Catholics.

National Review

Human Events

You can also go on line to their Web sites.

Subscribing to these may result in opportunities to meet some of the folks there and also fellow readers.