IYO: Are Catholic weak on fellowship?

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jane_doe said:
Having visited many parishes for Mass, Stations of the Cross, and other activities these have been my observations:
– No one knows the person sitting next to them.
– If I introduce myself to the person next to me, they freak out and try to run away.
– A large portion of the congregants do leave before the end of Mass and other activities.
– If I ask why they don’t get to know each other or support each other, my question is met with hostility of “that’s for weak Protestants!” Examples of this sentiment can be found even on this thread.
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So you go in, and at the end you criticise? Interesting approach…

When I go somewhere new I watch and listen and wait. And respect their ways then after a few more visits, see if there is a way I can help.
 
Comparing fellowship in Protestantism and Catholicism is more like apple and orange. In the Catholic church, it is mass and liturgy, where people do not only come to pray but want to be in reverent atmosphere of praying where chit-chatting would neutralize this disposition among the worshippers. The church is deemed as a place of reverence holiness and chit-chatting there is frowned upon or disturbs the others who need the silence and reverence atmosphere.

Also fellowship in Protestant churches may not be as good it appeared to be, while fellowship in the Catholic churches is not as bad as what people deem it to be.
 
Reuben_J said:
Comparing fellowship in Protestantism and Catholicism is more like apple and orange. In the Catholic church, it is mass and liturgy, where people do not only come to pray but want to be in reverent atmosphere of praying where chit-chatting would neutralize this disposition among the worshippers. The church is deemed as a place of reverence holiness and chit-chatting there is frowned upon or disturbs the others who need the silence and reverence atmosphere.

Also fellowship in Protestant churches may not be as good it appeared to be, while fellowship in the Catholic churches is not as bad as what people deem it to be.
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amen to this wisdom.

👍
 
jane_doe said:
Having visited many parishes for Mass, Stations of the Cross, and other activities these have been my observations:
– No one knows the person sitting next to them.
– If I introduce myself to the person next to me, they freak out and try to run away.
– A large portion of the congregants do leave before the end of Mass and other activities.
– If I ask why they don’t get to know each other or support each other, my question is met with hostility of “that’s for weak Protestants!” Examples of this sentiment can be found even on this thread.
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A lot of that has to do with the nature of the Mass. We believe we enter in to the one time eternal sacrifice of the cross. So it’s not really time for fellowship. Stations of the cross is something serious as well.

In regards to people leaving Mass early, this is true depending on where you go. Not much of a problem in my parish but have seen it other places.

The Church recognizes this and so we have retreats and RCIA where you actually get to know people.
 
Reuben_J said:
Comparing fellowship in Protestantism and Catholicism is more like apple and orange. In the Catholic church, it is mass and liturgy, where people do not only come to pray but want to be in reverent atmosphere of praying where chit-chatting would neutralize this disposition among the worshippers. The church is deemed as a place of reverence holiness and chit-chatting there is frowned upon or disturbs the others who need the silence and reverence atmosphere.

Also fellowship in Protestant churches may not be as good it appeared to be, while fellowship in the Catholic churches is not as bad as what people deem it to be.
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True

I attended a mega fundamentalist church for years. And it appeared to me that nobody knew those around them. Everybody was in their own little bubble even though there were thousands of people in attendance.:eek:

I even filled out one of those cards for home fellowship or cell groups, put it in the basket and nobody called me.

And then there were other protestant Churches i attended where people went out of their way to get to know you, especially if you were new.

And I have experienced similar in the Catholic Church. It really depends on where you go. Charismatic parishes are typically more warm and personable than others.
 
Reuben_J said:
Comparing fellowship in Protestantism and Catholicism is more like apple and orange. In the Catholic church, it is mass and liturgy, where people do not only come to pray but want to be in reverent atmosphere of praying where chit-chatting would neutralize this disposition among the worshippers. The church is deemed as a place of reverence holiness and chit-chatting there is frowned upon or disturbs the others who need the silence and reverence atmosphere.

Also fellowship in Protestant churches may not be as good it appeared to be, while fellowship in the Catholic churches is not as bad as what people deem it to be.
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I’ve been to quite a few " fellowships" in certain Protestant churches ( Baptist, Presbyterian, Episcopal, Lutheran) and honesty compels me to say " they’re not all what they’re cracked up to be." The Baptists seem to have been the more courageous in seeking out and greeting strangers, with the Lutherans running them a distant second, followed by Presbyterians and tailed by Episcopalians. That is just my own experience, though. People in general tend to gravitate around people they know and friendships that have been fostered outside the walls of the church. I’m not going to get into a lot of detail in my own situation, but I will say that I’ve decided to attend my mother’s Baptist church with her for a few weeks following some distasteful rumor and gossip flowing through a relatively small Lutheran congregation. The Baptist church is a lot larger and I just want to lose myself for awhile, maybe make a friend ( or even two) while I figure out how to handle my situation.
 
Rosebud77 said:
So you go in, and at the end you criticise? Interesting approach…

When I go somewhere new I watch and listen and wait. And respect their ways then after a few more visits, see if there is a way I can help.
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👍
 
Originally Posted by cradlecatholic5 View Post
Yes
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and
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with our YOUTH - middle-school age and older
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Is this universally tue, or a parish by parish occourance?
Irish2: PJM
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At my parish, we have many things to get involved in …
ACTS
Senior group
Blue Army
St VdeP
Altar Soc
Martha’s - Funeral Luncheon group
Bible study
RCIA
I feel we are lacking in keeping our YOUTH engaged in their Catholic roots. We need more events for our youth - we are trying to have XLT Masses and a Romans 8 group for our youth … when I was young we had CYC - dances, sports events, along with furthering our Catholic faith.
 
Reuben_J said:
Comparing fellowship in Protestantism and Catholicism is more like apple and orange. In the Catholic church, it is mass and liturgy, where people do not only come to pray but want to be in reverent atmosphere of praying where chit-chatting would neutralize this disposition among the worshippers. The church is deemed as a place of reverence holiness and chit-chatting there is frowned upon or disturbs the others who need the silence and reverence atmosphere.

Also fellowship in Protestant churches may not be as good it appeared to be, while fellowship in the Catholic churches is not as bad as what people deem it to be.
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Well said.👍
 
Rosebud77 said:
So you go in, and at the end you criticise? Interesting approach…
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No, no criticizing at Mass or any other Catholic hosted venture.
Rosebud77 said:
When I go somewhere new I watch and listen and wait. And respect their ways then after a few more visits, see if there is a way I can help.
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I do watch and listen and respect and do my best to understand. Hence my many attendances.
 
jane_doe and others … As the old saying goes, no bunch of apples in completely homogenous, so you can’t get much of an idea of Catholicism from this or that Catholic (whether IRL or on “CAF”).

I suggest reading the first half of this page from Rome Sweet Home.
 
Peter_J said:
jane_doe and others … As the old saying goes, no bunch of apples in completely homogenous.
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Of course not, and no one is suggesting that. I was just sharing my experience at half a dozen parishes, as requested by the OP.
 
LutheranScholar said:
I’ve been to quite a few " fellowships" in certain Protestant churches ( Baptist, Presbyterian, Episcopal, Lutheran) and honesty compels me to say " they’re not all what they’re cracked up to be."
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Amen Sister!

I’m suspicious of anything that makes one group look entirely good and the other group entirely bad.
 
jane_doe said:
Of course not, and no one is suggesting that.
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No one has suggested that, you’re right (and I edited that post a bit to make more sense); but you’d be surprised how often people read something that one Catholic said on an Internet Discussion Forum and assume that other Catholics feel the same way.
 
Peter_J said:
No one has suggested that, you’re right (and I edited that post a bit to make more sense); but you’d be surprised how often people read something that one Catholic said on an Internet Discussion Forum and assume that other Catholics feel the same way.
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I don’t feel fellowship is weak
 
Peter_J said:
No one has suggested that, you’re right (and I edited that post a bit to make more sense); but you’d be surprised how often people read something that one Catholic said on an Internet Discussion Forum and assume that other Catholics feel the same way.
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Amen to that!
 
Peter_J said:
Amen ***Brother! ***

I’m suspicious of anything that makes one group look entirely good and the other group entirely bad.
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Fixed. 😃 I’m suspicious of such things as well. We’re all humans, tainted by Original Sin, but God has bestowed His grace on us, so there is some good to us.
 
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