Is Catholicism A Democracy?

  • Thread starter Thread starter JReducation
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
Richie and Deacon Ed,

On a more serious note. As the founder of this thread (I sound like a Mother Superior, LOL) I want to welcome both of you.

We really need some new faces and voices.

Deacon, I’m glad to have you hear. The presence of a cleric always adds some good insight and balance to our dialogue.

Richie, you are also welcome. I have read some of your other posts and am interested in more dialogue with you.

As both of you can see, we have had some tough moments on this thread and we welcome new insight and new ideas.

Originally, I started this thread as an opportunity to draw Traditionalists and non Traditionalists to dialogue and to open the doors for fellowship. My original intention is the same.

Any topic that you would like to bring to the table would be welcome, especially anything that unites us as brothers and sisters and helps us all learn and enjoy learning from each other.

Thanks for being here. Please take a seat and make yourselves at home. Invite your friends to join us too. 👍

JR 🙂

PS. Sorry Deacon, but I didn’t make my first communion until I was an adult. I’m a convert from Judaism. I did start elementary school in 1957, if that means anything. :eek: That’s half a century ago!
 
Rev. Mr. Ed

I didn’t fully understand your response to the question I asked you earlier.

Is Islam still considered a religion by the Catholic hierarchy?

I thought they considered three: Christianity, Judaism and Islam. Did that change somewhere along the line?

JR 🙂
 
JReducation said:
By any chance, do you play a guitar and sing? :confused:
Click to expand...
Actually, my teenage son is in the next room playing “stairway to heaven” on a guitar I’ve had since the 70’s. I’m NOT making this up.

If “brotherhrolf” reads this he will NOT be happy. 😉

thanks, Richie
 
Yes, I’m back after a very brief respite. Quite renewed. (Of course of course.)

Yes, re Islam, me too. Always understood it to be one of the three religions that recognize only one God. Yes, no, maybe?
 
Richie_Nelson said:
Actually, my teenage son is in the next room playing “stairway to heaven” on a guitar I’ve had since the 70’s. I’m NOT making this up.

If “brotherhrolf” reads this he will NOT be happy. 😉

thanks, Richie
Click to expand...
I promise not to tell Rolf.

I’m sorry but I associated your name with Ricky Nelson.
 
Actually, back to the original question, that is one of the things I like about the catholic church. The power structure. The pope passes it down to the bishops, down to the priests, down to us.

Most of the non-catholic churches have boards and elders who hire and fire the pastor. How crazy is that? Talk about the inmates running the asylum?

Maybe that is one of the most unique things about the catholic church, besides the liturgical stuff. The people in the pews are NOT in charge.

thanks, Richie
 
JReducation said:
I promise not to tell Rolf.

I’m sorry but I associated your name with Ricky Nelson.
Click to expand...
gee, you ruined my garden party 😦 my best friends dad used to call me that back in school…freudian slip I guess.

thanks, Richie
 
Since we have some new faces, can we hear a little about you. We promise not to tell. 😉

You old folks can say something too.

JR 🙂
 
JReducation said:
Since we have some new faces, can we hear a little about you. We promise not to tell. 😉

You old folks can say something too.

JR 🙂
Click to expand...
Grew up going to catholic church with my mom til late grade school.

Didn’t go to church for years and years until I got married.

Several years after marriage and kids, we started going to a nondenominational Bible Church. With the dark seating area, lit stage full of musicians, and video screens with the words to the music, sometimes I feel like I’m at a Jesus party at a karaoke bar.

Don’t get me wrong, the people are really great, but the service just doesn’t work for me especially since I started going to mass lately. I always thought you were supposed to be quiet and respectful in a church.

When I started back going to mass, I found this site, and asked some questions. I asked why catholics seemed so grumpy compared to the church I was going to.

Some people called me a pirate and a duck whatever that means.

But it’s been ok since then. The wife is not happy with my interest in the catholic church, she say’s I’m having my midlife.

This site is interesting. There is a lot of fighting, but sometimes I learn some pretty good stuff.

thanks, Richie
 
Richie_Nelson said:
Grew up going to catholic church with my mom til late grade school.

Didn’t go to church for years and years until I got married.

Several years after marriage and kids, we started going to a nondenominational Bible Church. With the dark seating area, lit stage full of musicians, and video screens with the words to the music, sometimes I feel like I’m at a Jesus party at a karaoke bar.

Don’t get me wrong, the people are really great, but the service just doesn’t work for me especially since I started going to mass lately. I always thought you were supposed to be quiet and respectful in a church.

When I started back going to mass, I found this site, and asked some questions. I asked why catholics seemed so grumpy compared to the church I was going to.

Some people called me a pirate and a duck whatever that means.

But it’s been ok since then. The wife is not happy with my interest in the catholic church, she say’s I’m having my midlife.

This site is interesting. There is a lot of fighting, but sometimes I learn some pretty good stuff.

thanks, Richie
Click to expand...
😃 Welcome to the Catholic world! 😛 sometimes some fighting but you can learn a lot of good stuff!

I was born and raised in Fundamentalist/Evangelical circles. Been through the small church run by tyrants, to the mega churches, run by nicer monarchs. They just don’t admit that’s what they are.

It all comes down to where can you trust what you are being taught? The doctrines out there in the free church world change with every passing wind. There’s no stability and there’s hardly any reverence at all for worship or the Kingship of Christ. It didn’t start out that way, but it sure has ended that way.

Once you open your mind to the idea that Christ could not have meant for things to turn out this way, that there had to be some reliable way to hold onto TRUTH, God steps in and shows you the way, right to the door of the Catholic Church. 😉
 
JReducation said:
Since we have some new faces, can we hear a little about you. We promise not to tell. 😉

You old folks can say something too.

JR 🙂
Click to expand...
OK. I’m an old folk.

I’m ready for a look at the mystics.
I have a few personal favorites.
  1. St. Francis of Assisi
  2. St. Teresa of Avila
  3. St. Catherine Laboure
Catherine Laboure broke the mold. Lived an entirely hidden life as a Daughter of Charity but was a mystic and a visionary. Died of old age and only after her death was her history revealed to all. (Similar to Franics of Assisi whose stigmata was only revealed at the point of his death? Maybe? If I recall?)

Minor memory problems typical of any who are my age. No bggie.

Of course of course.
 
Son of a Catholic father and Jewish Mother.

Grew up Jewish, as per the Jewish law.

But at my dad’s insistance, we were all educated in Catholic schools. I was fortunate to be educated by Capuchin-Franciscan Friars who were awesome. Their sense of joy and simplicity was inspiring.

After high school I looked up the Capuchins again and converted to Catholicism. I have never regreted it. It seemed the most logical next step for a Jew.

Attended college and taught math for a while.

I still had many questions about God and prayer. I went back to my Capuchin friends and they directed me to the univesity to grad school where I earned an MA in Mystical Theology. It really helped me understand the movements of God in my life through payer, liturgy and other sacraments.

Then I got antsy again. I wanted to know how logical all of this spiritual theology was. Went back to my Capuchin friends. They pointed me to Salamanca Spain to their college of philosophy. Earned a Phd in Philosophy of Theology. Now my conversion was complete. Not only did I understand, but it made sense. In other words, I had information and the logic to back it up.

Married, had 3 children. My wife, father and son were killed in auto accident in 1993, leaving me alone with my oldest daughter (9 at that time) and youngest son (4 and autistic). Today they are adults and the joy of my life.

I stayed close to the Capuchins. Went to the missions for 7 years, worked in ministry in several dioceses and have taught.

I came to the forum looking for Catholics and other people of faith to celebrate with and learn from. I still have a lot to learn.

I too find some Catholics grumpy and stuffy, but that’s not how I define the Catholic church. I define her as beautiful, full of joy and enthusiasm, if people look past the externals and see what the Church teaches us about God’s love for all of us and his mercy for all of us.

I don’t like quiet churches, but don’t enjoy a circus either. I love worship that is joyful and reverent at the same time. I guess balance is a good word for it. Prayer and contemplation are of extreme importance to me, as are penance and a life of poverty. Of course St. Francis method of following Christ and Mother Teresa’s have always been my inspiration since I became a Catholic.

That’s my resume. Do I get the job?

JR 🙂
 
JR, I Don’t see why not. 😃

But remember:

"People yakkity yak it seems,

and waste the time of day,

But Deacon Ed B will never speak,

Unless he has something to say…

sorry, couldn’t resist 🤷

thanks, Richie
 
Jeanette_L said:
😛 Sorry, but you just cracked me up! 😃

I’m all for learning about the mystics too. I’m waiting on some books I just ordered, until then, I could use a primer. 😉
Click to expand...
Tonight I just bought the Lambs Supper by Scott Hahn, I hope it’s good!

thanks, Richie
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top