Is the Church Leaving Me?

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Well said. I do not give much time for people who criticize the Church’s approved spirituality or movement as if they are wrong. More often that not, they are ignorant and do not care to read or to sincerely know what they are criticizing.

But such unwarranted criticism needs to be clarified for the benefit of other readers.
 
Not practical, too far away. There is a Ukrainian Catholic Church about 15 miles away, but very ethnic.
 
“Hellfire and Brimstone.” The better question is “Whatever happened to sin?” And, its solution, Christ? Our parish priest never, in a homily, seems to address the readings or the Gospel, but we here a lot about his home country in South America. He’s a nice enough fellow lord but too much into his own thing.
 
Clarified? OK, on the altar with the priest 7 other people, including 2 adult females dressed, not kidfing here in angelic white robes as altar servers. Off to the side, abandoning the choir loft is a projectionist, the music ministry, including a wanna be opera singer, in between the wimpy offerings of the OCP Music Hymnal. Ilike to pray before Mass, as I was taught, but can’t for all the Socializing before Mass. yes, I get there early, doesn’t help. It’s like the road show of The Sound of Music. No use complaining to our Bushop, waving his “social justice” banner with rest of the community activists. It would all be great, I guess if it were a mainline Protestant denomination. My only occasional escape is when they have Mass at the nearby hime if an order of nuns. Clear enough?
 
Prayer is about talking to, and listening to, God. You can do that anywhere, any time. As Catholics, we are supposed to see Christ in everyone and be charitable and loving towards everyone, especially our fellow Catholics. So guess who these people are talking to before Mass? Fellow Catholics, fellow human beings. With all due respect, you are making this all about you.

And what is your deal about “females?” That choice of word over “women” or “girls” sounds misogynistic. I don’t think you are that way, but some of that has crept into your vocabulary from somewhere. It sounds to me like you just hate change, which I understand. I also understand that hating change makes you grow older faster.
 
Exactly. The mass changed over 40 years ago. Why has it taken until now to so upset the OP? I don’t get it.
 
The angelic white robes are called albs. It is a plus that your church uses them for women. That is what female altar servers are supposed to wear. The OCP hymnal is okay. The one thing I remember from before Vatican II that people seem to forget is back then the laity had no right to question the priest.Anyone who did not like what their priest did had no recourse
 
I am not there so I do not know the situation that you have. From your tone, you seem to be an angry person.

For your information but I am aure you already known, mass does not change and a valid mass confers grace.

Is the mass valid or not? That would be a bottom line. If not, and if you cannot do anything about it, then look for another parish, or just do not go there. But please do not blame the mass or the Cstholic Church, which you seem to be doing.

If you truly believe and love the mass, you would be going there for wosrhip, not hating any females with any particular dresses or who were seated next to the priest. Sure, it is not the most ideal situation, but you still got to participate in a mass and maybe receive Communion, if you are so disposed, until the next Sunday, where you can choose to go to another parish.

Blaming other people for your own shortcoming is not valid. The Lord will not say, “I understand that you did not like the priest and the choir, so I would not put it on you that you left the Church.”

No, blaming others will not justify you.
 
I’m sincerely sorry for the tone of my post and I hope I didn’t contribute to the heated discussion in anyway.

God bless you all
 
The Church is Jesus; Jesus is the Church.

As such, Jesus (the Church) never leaves anybody.

Individual people, they leave the Church (Jesus).
I agree. It sounds like it is the modern American culture, reflected in parish practices, that are leaving the OP in a state of nostalgia for the good old days.
 
the modern American culture, reflected in parish practices,
It’s not even that “modern” of a culture. The 1960s and 1970s when all these changes occurred in USA Catholic churchs were 50 to 60 years ago - half a century.

The OP’s post is what I used to hear from older people, like my older relatives, back in the 1970s.

Nowadays, when people feel the way the OP does, they generally find the “traditional Catholic” community in their area and start going to EF Mass. In the 1970s, we did not have this option, and in terms of “crazy things going on at church” that era was way worse. I remember Masses back then where nuns in leotards danced on the altar. The “Way of the Cross” book used by our church for some years was a social justice “Way of the Cross” book (I recently bought an old one on Amazon because I was having a nostalgia trip). And so on. You don’t see these things happening now because the Church realized it swung the pendulum a little too far to the left and it swung back a bit to the right.
 
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Well said and very true not just in your church parish in mine I was trying to pray before mass people were talking so loud I couldn’t focus!
 
You don’t see these things happening now because the Church realized it swung the pendulum a little too far to the left and it swung back a bit to the right.
This is the nature of modern culture on the church. Just because it may take decades to make the swing does not mean it isn’t a cultural impact.
 
Some parishes get very caught up in the Charismatic movement, not realizing that it only appeals to a small subset of Catholics. Once it takes root it will take a brave pastor to reel it back in.

Is there another parish within driving distance where you can worship and be reverent?
 
Great! Then live for it - much more of a challenge under certain conditions.
 
I would suggest keeping in mind that we are all different as individuals. What moves one person perhaps does not move another. I would suggest maybe finding another Parish that could meet your needs. I would not disparage what you see today in your church. If people are coming to those masses it is because they are getting something valuable from them.
 
For the millionth time:
The SSPX is not schismatic! They are “canonically irregular”…whatever that means.
We can assist at SSPX masses as long as we do not harbor an attitude of rebellion.

So, OP…go ahead to an SSPX church. You will recognize the liturgy.

And, no…I’m not an SSPX member, but they are the closest Latin mass to me and I attend sometimes.
 
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