I attended Catholic Mass for the 1st time.

[MyRdmrLvs]

Yes - and many parishes are trying to reach out to others in evangelization. Our parish has information in the vestibule including CD’s that can be taken for a small donation. We offer Bible studies, and coffee after some of the masses etc.
We just don’t make “evangelization” a top priority for every member of the parish like some of these “megachurches” do. This is a good thing in my opinion.

Most catholics are simply not properly prepared to preach and defend their faith.
The Catholic faith, with its nearly 2000 years of teaching history is so deep and so full, and so misunderstood, that most catholics (myself included) have only scratched the surface of understanding all that is available in our rich and fertile faith. These “catholics” could do more harm than good.
But I digress

I wonder how many people just “walk into” one of these non-denominational magachurches like MyRdmLvs did when coming to mass and are overwhelmed with “welcome”. I suspect that in most cases someone comes to The Church as the guest of, or at least knowing, another member. Perhaps they spoke to someone at work, or on a street corner. They then see this person and they begin talking. In other words it’s not as much of a “common” welcome as some might imagine.

In any event The Church, in each parish, should continue to do outreach, try to be open and inviting and welcoming. They should also work to “re-catachize” and to help fallen away catholics to return to and grow in the faith.

Peace
James

we dont swarm people but we greet them and tell them we are glad they came. sometimes they are eager to say why they are there it is these ones that I would continue a conversation. We get many people from our jail and recovery (D&A) group.

 

[twopekinguys]

thank you for your kind words!
She is twice divorced, once for her first husband who molested her daughter and once from a guy who was having sexual fantacies about the same daughter when she was 12, are these proper grounds for divorce in the Catholic church? When we were first told by a very funamentalist minister that we were living in sin and needed to move apart or marry, we had not yet read the Bible and we were willing to do whatever He told us to be right with God. We marriied and then I read the scriptures on divorce a short time later. I went and asked my boss If I shouldnt stay with my new wife and he told me “you cant undo one sin by committing another” so we stayed together.

I have to agree with JRKH.

I do work with the pastoral advocate for annullments in our parish, but they are the ones that know all of the in’s and outs so to speak when it comes to annullments.

I would not want to give you any incorrect information.

I strongly suggest you contact the parish office, and request to speak to the “Pastoral Advocate for Annullments”. They are in a better position to explain anything and everything about the process.

Depending on the size of the parish, it could be a priest, or it could be a specially trained lay person who has been commissioned to perform this function.

Each case brings it’s own special circumstances and life events. No two cases are the same. I have seen cases resolved in a matter of weeks, and some have taken years. There are just too many variables to give a yes or no answer.

Pray about it. If you do feel that you are being drawn toward the Catholic Church, then it is never too early to get all of this started.

I know from personal experience that annullments can be emotionally draining, but at the same time, very theraputic. The end result of being able to join the Church and receive the Sacraments made the wait, and the emotional pain well worth it. After all, the emotional pain that we suffer during the process is nothing in comparison to what our Lord felt.

You are definitely in my prayers.