I just don't get much out of Catholicism anymore

[Monica4316]

Hi Holly,
I think that often God gives us consolations at first, just to encourage us, but later on removes them so that we learn to have a faith not dependent on feelings. That’s the best type of faith. Christ said, blessed are those who have not seen yet believed. I’ve found that feeling far from God has taught me how to love Him more than when I felt close to Him. Our faith grows when it is being tested. Try not to rely on feelings… it’s difficult, but it’s very much worth it.

God bless

 

[Poor_Clare_tobe]

Hi everyone. For the past few days, I have been considering leaving the Church. My primary reason is because I simply do not get much out of the Church anymore. It doesn’t fulfill me like it used to. I wish I knew how to fix this but I don’t know how. And so, before I make my final decision to leave the Church, I’d like to have this concern as well as my others (which will be addressed in other threads) addressed. So anyway, how do I begin to get more fulfillment out of the Catholic Church? Catholicism has lately seemed to be more of an obligation than a joy for me. What do you suggest?

Also, please be gentle with me. I know I have left the Church a number of times in the past for other denominations/religions but I sincerely do not wish to permanently leave the Catholic Church. So please, please do not be harsh with me. I honestly don’t think I can take it with the state of my soul as it is now.

Holly,
I will be praying for you my friend. Would it help to think of it more in terms of our obligation to worship God rather than what we "get "out of it? It is natural to go through various periods where one may not feel like one is getting anything from attending Mass. We all may have dry periods.The main thing is that you keep attending. Make use of the various sacraments to enrich your life. Is there one devotion that perhaps you can grasp onto at this difficult time? I urge you to not give up. The Church has so many beautiful ways to help us find our way to heaven… Perhaps you could speak to your parish priest? Is there any Catholic friend that you can connect with? Maybe become a bit involved in your parish? Do you have friends in your parish or a bible study group or a rosary group??? Something to connect you to the parish? Maybe a group does a holy hour? or a First Friday Devotion???
Lent and Easter are not far away… perhaps they could be a springboard for a renewal in your life?? Above all do not be discouraged… blessings of peace and all good!*

 

[LynneMarie]

Hi Holly,
Well, appreciate your honesty, you sound like you have alot of thoughts like Mother Theresa did, guess your in good company.Or is it life in general? …Even the most stoic of human compassion would question her faith…Try reading a book about her…Or go to a few retreats, do some volunteering, where you get outside of yourself, and help others…also, know that you are blessed to be able to take the body and blood of Jesus Christ every Sunday. Can you do that in other churches? …Most people i know that go religion shopping, are not very grounded…How can you be, if a crisis comes up, when your at a new church every month? …I feel like the catholic church really stablizes my life…I love the tradition of everything it represents.The only church to be a direct descendant of the one of the apostles, the church closest to Jesus…every other , just branched off from ours…It’s the one place i can go every week, and feel the peace, actually pushes you to be a better person, to honor Christ, in so doing, you, yes you Holly, help the world…Alot of old world values, like love, justice, and truth still can be heard inside the church…true their were some that gave it a bad name, not closing my eyes to that ,but not every priest is at fault, there are more decent ones, then not…Even in that, Catholics made amends, granted it took years too ,also, but they finally took responsibility, some priest went to trial, then prison, they paid victims, and offered counseling ,and closed churches and lost property and more property, which is more then you can say for some other denominations…Remember the mess? The Catholic church should of too… The pope apologized, how many do that at all anymore, when they have been called on something? …It changes from negative to positive.Sad it had to happen ,but since it did, all new rules are in a process now. I doubt it will ever happen again as 100% not tolerated now. I have heard other denominations, had as much abuse, but never made amends to any of the victims…None of it is excused, but think about it … Christ said his church will always live. no matter what the times…I also do a rosary once a month, and sometimes, we do a divine mercy prayer as well…from the rosary, i have heard of many miracles…May God guide you in the right direction Holly and keep the faith…Amen…Sis in Christ, LynneMarie

 

[fellowChristian]

HOLLY THE BODY OF CHRIST NEEDS YOU!

You were given talents by the grace of God to build up the Body of Christ. You can not begin to believe that you are not needed. You are!

You are precious to Him. You have to learn what it is that you are to do for Him. Discern your gifts, learn where your talents lie.

Is it praying for others? Have you ever noticed that your prayers are stronger then most? Do people ask for you to pray for them? Do you wake up at night with an urge to pray for someone?

Is it teaching? Do you get excited about telling others about what you’ve learned? Do you feel like you are on cloud nine after speaking with people about your faith? Do people tell you that you should teach?

Is it hospitality? Do people say that you make them feel at home? Do others tell you that they love visiting with you or that “you’re a nice person”.

Is it** music**? Can you sing,play or teach music? Does music make you feel happy and fullfilled? Do you get comments about how beautiful the music is that you play?

All of these gifts are from God given to build up His church. You have to discern your gifts. Then find the need in your parish and fill it! God works through His people He is talking to you through others. Are you listening? Can’t hear Him? Go to Adoration. Sit and empty you mind of everything…then listen.

A PRAYER FOR THE GIFT OF KNOWLEDGE
Absolute and all knowing God, Nothing is hidden from Your sight. In the prescience since the beginning, All knowledge existed within You. Kindly share Your knowledge with me, Making me aware of what is meant to be, Permitting my soul to understand it, And wisdom to agree with its outcome. Provide me with the gift of discretion, To prudently apply received knowledge, To ensure the fulfillment of Your Will. Your knowledge shines forth forever!
Amen

 

[xAlisonx]

h o l l y.
i’m so sorry beyond words, holly, that you seem to be suffering so much right now, and that you are considering leaving the Church. please know that i will be keeping you in my constant thoughts and prayers. i hope and pray that this post will be able to help you, comfort you, support you and encourage you in at least some small way, and convince you that leaving the Catholic Church is not the answer.

there could be a lot of reasons why you are not experiencing as much fulfillment in the Catholic Church as you used to. the first one that comes to mind is that this is a temptation you are going through, a temptation to give up on the Church because you are not feeling what you feel you should. i’m not judging you or trying to be harsh with you in any way when i tell you that it’s best not to rely on what we feel or experience as part of the True Church, but to rely on our faith to guide us, and the conviction within our hearts that we are living out the Truth to keep us strong in the Catholic Faith. i know that there are times when i experience spiritual dryness and have difficulty praying, meditating or living out a good Catholic life—do you think this could be what you are going through? please don’t give up, holly, at the first sign of things growing difficult. i have no doubt that you have the strength, courage, bravery, determination and perseverance to get through this and to overcome this completely, and to experience the fulfillment and beauty of the Catholic Church once more. your lack of fulfillment will most likely be only temporary—it could be a temptation from Satan or God’s way of purifying you and bringing you closer to Himself through this suffering. please don’t give up on the Church simply because you are relying completely on what you feel as part of the Catholic Faith—it’s not what we feel that keeps us in the Faith, but what we know to be true despite what our feelings tell us. for example, today i struggled with the idea that God loves me, for i was feeling rather upset and my feelings kept telling me that He doesn’t, but i persevered in overcoming this lie because of what i know to be true despite my emotions, which are weak and easily influenced—what i know to be true is that God does love me even when i fail and even when i displease Him. i hope and pray that you will be able to realize that even when you don’t feel fulfilled from the Church, you are still living out the One True Faith, and experiencing and receiving many graces from the Eucharist, from Adoration, from prayer and meditation, from the Rosary, etc., even if you can’t tangibly feel yourself receiving them.

i’m not saying that this is the answer, because i don’t know the depth of your spiritual life, but another reason that you could be experiencing this spiritual dryness when it comes to the Church is because of a shallow spiritual life. have you been persevering in prayer, even if you don’t feel the Presence of God or anticipate a response? have you been going to Mass and receiving the Eucharist? have you been reading the Bible, spending time with God, attending Adoration, etc.? if you have, then this is most likely a temptation, one that i hope and pray and trust you will overcome in hope, strength and perseverance. but if you haven’t, then please know that when we neglect the spiritual life, we will not feel or experience the same graces and fulfillment that we would know and receive if we were actively working to grow closer to God. if you haven’t been keeping up with your spiritual life because of what you’ve been feeling, then please know that it’s times like this when it is especially important to stay close to God through prayer, Mass, the Eucharist, meditation, fasting, reading the Bible, etc. i know how incredibly difficult it is to work on the spiritual life when your soul seems to be falling apart—i’ve experienced it myself. but please know, holly, that it’s at this time that it’s essential that you stay close to God so that this temptation doesn’t overwhelm you—the temptation to give up completely and leave the Church simply because of what you aren’t feeling. if you have been keeping up with your spiritual life, then my suggestion to you is to simply persevere. i know how difficult and painful it is, holly, because i’ve felt the dark night of the soul, and you are definitely not alone in this. but please know that it’s so important that you stay close to God at this time, during this temptation, and don’t allow the temptation to overwhelm you and steal you away from the Truth.

 

[xAlisonx]

holly, i have two suggestions to you when it comes to getting more fulfillment out of the Catholic Church:
1. rely on what you believe, not what you feel. instead of relying on what you are tangibly experiencing and feeling as a measure of the amount of fulfillment you are experiencing within the Catholic Church, it’s much better to rely on what you believe and know to be true as a reminder that you are living out the Truth, and that even when you don’t feel it, you are receiving many important graces.
2. live out an active spiritual life. here are some resources that i hope and pray will help you when it comes to developing an active spiritual life that will bring you closer to God.
prayer—catholic.org/clife/prayers/
catholicdoors.com/prayers/
ewtn.com/Devotionals/prayers/index.htm
catholictradition.org/prayers1.htm
catholicity.com/links/152/

• • • the Rosary—theholyrosary.org/
      ewtn.com/Devotionals/prayers/rosary/
      easterbrooks.com/personal…ar/rosary.html
      fasting—new-life.net/fasting.htm
      catholicism.about.com/od/cath…/p/Fasting.htm
      reading Scripture—bibleplan.org/
      soon.org.uk/catholic.htm
      usccb.org/nab/
      americancatholic.org/News…/CU/ac0704.asp
      Sacraments—americancatholic.org/fEAT…TS/default.asp
      newadvent.org/cathen/13295a.htm
      catholic.org/prayers/sacrament.php
      Eucharistic Adoration—therealpresence.org/eucharst/pea/a2.html
      catholic-church.org/kuwai…_adoration.htm
      savior.org/ online live Eucharistic Adoration]
      louisville-catholic.net/WebCa…5/Default.aspx online live Eucharistic Adoration]
      quiet time with God—comeaside.com

holly, if you were to leave the Catholic Church, where else would you go? i know that you said that you would not leave the Church permanently, but what would you do during that time of emptiness? i’m so sorry beyond words, holly, that you are suffering so much, and i will definitely be thinking of you and praying for you. i’m not trying to be harsh with you in any way, and i hope and pray that this post didn’t offend or hurt you. i just want you to know that leaving the Church is not the answer, and that it’s so important that you stay close to God in His True Church, especially throughout this temptation you are going through.

holly, it takes so much courage, bravery and strength to reach out for help, and i’m so glad that you’ve told us what you are going through. i hope and pray that my post was able to help and encourage you in at least some small way, and that you have decided to stay within the Church and work on growing closer to God. please know that i will be thinking of you and praying for you, and that if you ever need anything at all, you don’t ever have to hesitate to contact me. stay strong, stay safe and take care of yourself. God bless you!

love,
in the peace and love of Christ,
alison

 

[distracted]

Thanks everyone so much for your help. Some of you were a little harsher than I would have liked but I think that maybe you needed to be harsh with me in order to get me to see what it was I was getting myself in to. Anyway, thank you again. I am definitely going to stay Catholic.

was anything i said “harsh”? IF so, what?

didn’t mean to be… Pray things are going well with you, will keep you in my rosary prayers…

 

[agangbern]

was anything i said “harsh”? IF so, what?

didn’t mean to be… Pray things are going well with you, will keep you in my rosary prayers…

Am sure it was not yours, distracted. Don’t worry. The admin already deleted that post.

Thanks everyone so much for your help. Some of you were a little harsher than I would have liked but I think that maybe you needed to be harsh with me in order to get me to see what it was I was getting myself in to. Anyway, thank you again. I am definitely going to stay Catholic.

Sorry Holly if it was harsh a bit. It was simply a figurative post done in a way to drive a point. Somehow it hit it. And it is a joy that you have decided to give yourself one more chance.

Good Luck and God Bless!

 

[Oblaidon]

Thanks everyone so much for your help. Some of you were a little harsher than I would have liked but I think that maybe you needed to be harsh with me in order to get me to see what it was I was getting myself in to. Anyway, thank you again. I am definitely going to stay Catholic.

Welcome home

Peter asked Christ to whom should he turn. If you can’t find the body and blood of Jesus Christ in the Catholic Church, where should you turn?

May the Peace of the Lord be with you,
Al

 

[Sunniva]

How are you doing now? I’m worried. I know you on another message board and you have in a matter of hours gone from being a Catholic to a seeker, to a very liberal agnostic, atheist, Quran only Muslim, Catholic and now at the moment you are a liberal agnostic.

You have in several threads about Leaving the Church got lots of good advice. Please, head the advice.

 

[Sailor_Kenshin]

Hi everyone. For the past few days, I have been considering leaving the Church. My primary reason is because I simply do not get much out of the Church anymore. It doesn’t fulfill me like it used to. I wish I knew how to fix this but I don’t know how. And so, before I make my final decision to leave the Church, I’d like to have this concern as well as my others (which will be addressed in other threads) addressed. So anyway, how do I begin to get more fulfillment out of the Catholic Church? Catholicism has lately seemed to be more of an obligation than a joy for me. What do you suggest?

Also, please be gentle with me. I know I have left the Church a number of times in the past for other denominations/religions but I sincerely do not wish to permanently leave the Catholic Church. So please, please do not be harsh with me. I honestly don’t think I can take it with the state of my soul as it is now.

I’m not going to be harsh at all. I think what’s lacking is not in you, but in the Church, and its failure to teach orthodoxy from the bottom up.

A lot of the time I feel like attending Mass is an obligation only. (Of course I don’t feel all that well, but still…)

It was only last night watching Father Corapi’s Catechism that I began to understand the true meaning of Mass. I wasn’t taught that at all.

 

[ARRBASQUE]

You are in my prayers. I was just going to respond by suggesting that you (and all Catholics from the age of 10 to 110) read the book Rediscovering Catholicism and see that someone else suggested this. Bravo!!! This book will change your live - I promise. I experienced a spiritual renewal quite unlike anything I expected and learned so much reading this book. We are using this book at our parish for lenten reflection - asking all of our ministries and small faith communities to use this for faith sharing and reflection. We are encouraging families and friends to get together in groups and use this book and the study/reflection questions. We are thinking how great this would be if the majority of our parishioners were all on the same page, discussing the same book. The interest generated at this point has been tremendous - hopefully it continues.

 

[Sailor_Kenshin]

Hi Holly,
I think that often God gives us consolations at first, just to encourage us, but later on removes them so that we learn to have a faith not dependent on feelings. That’s the best type of faith. Christ said, blessed are those who have not seen yet believed. I’ve found that feeling far from God has taught me how to love Him more than when I felt close to Him. Our faith grows when it is being tested. Try not to rely on feelings… it’s difficult, but it’s very much worth it.

God bless

Does what you just described differ from ‘going through the motions?’ I mean those times when you have a sense that praying when you don’t FEEL it is the right thing to do?

 

[Shin]

I mean those times when you have a sense that praying when you don’t FEEL it is the right thing to do?

Praying when you don’t -feel- like praying is the best kind of praying.

Not that one shouldn’t struggle to put one’s heart in the right place and in it, but with all that… when it’s hardest… it’s best! Oh the very best!

 

[fox6pack]

I recently just went through this SAME situation! I went “Protestant” for a few months because I wasn’t getting anything out of the Catholic Church. I continued to ask God to reveal to me if I was making a mistake, and finally He did. What I had to realize is that THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IS TRULY THE CHURCH INSTITUTED BY JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF. By rejecting it and any of it’s teachings, I was sinning. Once you can grasp this concept, then your faith will carry you the rest of the way. God revealed to me that I was not putting enough into my Church. We shouldn’t go to church to “get something out of it”. We go there to worship our Lord. We are His servants, He is not our servant! I always pray that He will help me to see His Church the way He sees it. Through this prayer, He has given me the grace to learn all that I can. I surround myself with books, audio CD’s, radio programs, TV programs, classes…all teaching about the Catholic Faith. The more I learn, the more I understand the beauty of it all. I truly feel your pain, because I have been there. I heard it put this way…Look at what Jesus went through on the cross; and he was the son of God! How can anything less be expected from us sinners? The Catholic Church is not easy, but it is what we are called to followed, so pick up your cross and stay faithful to your Lord!

 

[revialfirefall]

Hi Holly. Praise the Lord Jesus Christ that you are having this problem. It’s a good problem to have that you are thirsting for more. I hadn’t been a memeber of this site until my wife sent me this thread because I seem to have the same problem. I was a catholic for the first 19 years of my life. I then became a member of an Assembly of God church then to have returned to the catholic church about a year ago. I thank God everyday for allowing me to be a member of the Assembly of God church. They evangelized me, taught me how to pray, how to study the word of God and mostly how to have a deep and personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

I am now back in the Catholic Church where I am struggling yet again. One thing I do know for sure is that, this is the true church of Jesus Christ and Holy Communion is so so so important. It is truly an intimate moment where we truly become one with Christ, where his body and blood run through ours.

With that being said, one things that concerns me greatly when reading all these threads is that everyone keeps talking about Church. All the people having responded to your post has been stating everything about Church, whether good or bad. This is not about Church, and the feeling you get from Church whether you’re getting anything out of it. We need to BE IN LOVE WITH CHRIST. Isn’t that feeling good enough? When we come into the loving arms of Christ and he welcomes us and forgives us for all our mishaps, isn’t that love and grace enough to fill us? Many people including myself at one time said I’m not getting anything out of it. IT’S NOT ABOUT CHURCH, IT’S ABOUT A LOVING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD.

I understand your concerns with the Catholic Church. I share them with you. In most cases we are not being evangelical, nor are we being evangelized by the priests. The GOSPEL is not being preached. I’m not saying we don’t read the passages each and every week and the gospel is read. THE GOSPEL IS NOT BEING PREACHED. Most catholics are not reading and studying the word of God. The word is God… We need to read the study the word of God and never step away from it. For it is the truth. If we read, study and live by the word of God we cannot steer wrong for we know God. It also frustrates me that our priests just reflect and/or reitterate what the Gospel message just read. They need to get up there in everyones face and preach the word of God. Please read Ezekiel 34 1-26. God tells us that the Shepards will be held accountable for their flock. Unfortunately, most people in the Catholic Church are not born again. The Bible tells us that unless you are Born again we cannot enter the kingdon of heaven. I believe most catholics are living a life for God but we truly don’t know him in a deep and personal way. God tells us in 2 Timothy 3 verse 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. That’s coming straight out of the word of God. I’m not saying it…he did.

No matter what though, we need to push on. The Church is not perfect but our relationship with Christ can be fulfilled. My advice to you is join a charasmatic prayer group and do not leave the Church. HOLY COMMUNION IS SO SO SO IMPORTANT. Read this scripture and adhere to it…

Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them.

I will close with this, and most catholics will disagree with this last statement but I have to say it, try and join the charasmatic prayer group, attend adoration and if you are still not being fulfilled, maybe you should attend a service once a week in a bible based church while continuing to go to Mass and receive communion. The Blessed Sacrament is the most important. If you are just going to a bible based church to be envagelized there is nothing wrong with that. God is working in those other churches. Don’t seperate yourself from the sacrament.

I LOVE THE LORD JESUS CHRIST WITH ALL MY HEART!!! I praise the catholic church for all it’s good works. We just need a little bit more. AMEN CHRISTIANS???

 

[shubbysr]

Yes, your feelings are real! This reminds me of a reference that we have become “route” catholics. We are stick in a rut, going through the motions because that is how we were taught. Why do you think we can recite prayers, sing songs from memory. I remember when I received the sacrament of confirmation, we had to memorize 100+ questions & answers because there was a chance that the bishop would call on you with the question.
Break the habit as suggested, talk with fellow catholics, talk with your priest, get involved in group activities. You may not feel an immediate difference but, God will certainly notice.

 

[mrsp813]

I truly and strongly feel that Christ and his Church are one. Christ is the bridegroom and the Church his bride. This image of the bride and bridegroom that we are given in 2 Cor 11:2-3 and in Eph 5:23-30 is no mistake! Christ and the Church are compared to a bride and bridegroom “at least” 4 different times in Scripture. (Also see Revelations.) As Christians, we are also taught that in marriage, “the two become one.”

Henceforth, to deny Mother Church is to defy Christ! While God may be present and working in other Churches, Catholicism is still the true faith. I fear for those who are aware of this, yet seek Protestantism bc they “aren’t feeling it” anymore. It isn’t always about you and what you feel. It isn’t right to just “drop out” of a religion bc it doesn’t give you what you want. You should attend Mass to worship the Lord and to offer your thanksgiving to him in the Sacrifice of the Eucharist as we were instructed to do by Christ himself.

It is one thing to be ignorant that we are the true Church. It is another to be wholly cognizant of this fact and ignore it to serve our own ends.

Having said this, there are way too many Catholics that just show up on Sunday and expect to be filled. We believe in a lifelong conversion process. This means constantly seeking out your Catholic faith through ministries, bible study and research. Cathechism does not stop at Confirmation! There are so many wonderful Catholic authors out there (my favorites are the Hahns) that we can learn to grow in our faith from. How many “rote” Catholics have acutally read Humane Vitae or any other encyclical for that matter?

I think that if you truly seek the Church and “all” that it offers you will discover the true richness of the faith. 2000 years can’t be wrong!

 

[distracted]

I recently just went through this SAME situation! I went “Protestant” for a few months because I wasn’t getting anything out of the Catholic Church. I continued to ask God to reveal to me if I was making a mistake, and finally He did. What I had to realize is that THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IS TRULY THE CHURCH INSTITUTED BY JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF. By rejecting it and any of it’s teachings, I was sinning. Once you can grasp this concept, then your faith will carry you the rest of the way. God revealed to me that I was not putting enough into my Church. We shouldn’t go to church to “get something out of it”. We go there to worship our Lord. We are His servants, He is not our servant! I always pray that He will help me to see His Church the way He sees it. Through this prayer, He has given me the grace to learn all that I can. I surround myself with books, audio CD’s, radio programs, TV programs, classes…all teaching about the Catholic Faith. The more I learn, the more I understand the beauty of it all. I truly feel your pain, because I have been there. I heard it put this way…Look at what Jesus went through on the cross; and he was the son of God! How can anything less be expected from us sinners? The Catholic Church is not easy, but it is what we are called to followed, so pick up your cross and stay faithful to your Lord!

This is SO well worded… I knew there was some reason i always hated when someone would say: I don’t get anything out of Mass… I guess your words were somewhere amidst the clutter & debris of my overly-crowded brain but i just couldn’t get access to them…

No, The Catholic Church is definitely NOT easy… because the world is SO anti- and un-Catholic… But thanks to this Catholic website & other things, that is changing… slowly but surely…

 

[distracted]

thank God everyday for allowing me to be a member of the Assembly of God church. They evangelized me, taught me how to pray, how to study the word of God and mostly how to have a deep and personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Adoration is the personal relationship with Christ for Catholics… too bad the Church doesn’t “push” this more…

Most catholics are not reading and studying the word of God. The word is God…

i don’t agree with this. If a preson goes to daily/Sun Mass s/he will hear the entire Bible in 3 yrs. Frankly, i don’t believe God wants us to “Study” the word of God… He wants us to listen to it and DO it… and listen to the priest’s homily about it… (hopefull the priest is orthodox. There is a problem when he is not… yet hearing the Word in the Presence of Christ is more poweerful than studying the Word on our own. I think we should read scripture when not in Church but not necessarily “study” it…

frustrates me that our priests just reflect and/or reitterate what the Gospel message just read.

I WISH i had that problem… I think a lot of them just ad lib & add their own opinions to the Word … however, i’ve been going to Mass long enough & spent enough time with Jesus… to know when something isn’t “right”… in a homily.

They need to get up there in everyones face and preach the word of God. Please read Ezekiel 34 1-26. God tells us that the Shepards will be held accountable for their flock. Unfortunately, most people in the Catholic Church are not born again. The Bible tells us that unless you are Born again we cannot enter the kingdon of heaven.

baptism is the first time we are “born again”… The Bible confirms this (John 3:3, i think, & elsewhere).

I believe most catholics are living a life for God but we truly don’t know him in a deep and personal way. God tells us in 2 Timothy 3 verse 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. That’s coming straight out of the word of God. I’m not saying it…he did.

We have a stronger personal relationship w/ Christ than Protestnats because of the Real Presence.

maybe you should attend a service once a week in a bible based church while continuing to go to Mass and receive communion.

the Catholic Church is the most Bible-based of all… Scirprture is read, verbatim, in the RCC 26% of the time during Mass… In other chruches, this % is about 2-6.

The Blessed Sacrament is the most important. If you are just going to a bible based church to be envagelized there is nothing wrong with that.

i definitely do NOT agree. Christ instituted the RCC for EVERYONE… Just because everfyone doens’t know or believe that doesn’t change anything.