Just want to rant....

[42stars]

I’m not really sure where to begin so I’ll just get to the point. I believe the Catholic church holds the truth, but I don’t want to call myself a Catholic.

I started really looking into the Catholic teachings when I became Adventist and my family had a cow over it (I was raised Catholic). I was truly in search of the truth, which is what led me to join the SDA church in the first place because their teachings made sense to me. I’m still in search of the truth and always will be - once you close your mind to the search for truth, you are in danger of letting religion become a set of meaningless rules and not a path to God at all.

Anyway, although I thought I had found the truth in the SDA church I was still open to searching and I gave the Catholic teachings a chance. As it turns out, I discovered I had a lot of misconceptions about what the Catholic church actually teaches, because the teachings run so deep and require a lot more study to really understand them.

I see so much beauty and depth in the catholic teachings, mostly thanks to the books and articles I have read by Scott Hahn and Christopher West. Hahn goes into so much depth with his biblical explanations, yet he is able to make it easily understood. I find West’s articles on the theology of the body are almost shocking beacuse even as a ‘spiritual’ person I am so conditioned to society’s way of thinking - his articles are so refreshing.

It was mainly the teachings on the Eucharist/Mass, marriage and family that led me to return to the Catholic Church. Everything else to me was debatable except these, and they are unique to the Catholic church. I find these teachings so profound and beautiful, if only everyone could understand them, all the world would be Catholic.

Maybe this is why I’m having trouble calling myself a Catholic… the most important reasons that led me to become a Catholic are not even generally understood by Catholics! Well, I’m only speculating but this is the feeling I get from their behaviour, especially when I go to Mass.

Everything about the way people act in church really bothers me. If people really understood the celebration of the Mass - the preparation and anticipation before the Eucharist, the presence of the King of the Universe entering the room, the ultimate sacrifice that He gives for us - they would not be clutching their car keys in their pockets during the final blessing, ready to dash for the door and get out of the parking lot before everybody else so they can get on with their busy lives.

I wish I could go back to the Adventist church and still have the Eucharist. I had such a sense of family in the SDA church. We would gather together for meals after church services, and we would spend the entire sabbath in devotion to God. We would sit and eat and share testimonies and do bible studies and pray together all day. I reeeeaally miss that.

I feel so alone in the Catholic church. Especially on those days when I haven’t gone to confession and I can’t receive the Eucharist. It doesn’t help that my husband doesn’t go to Mass with me either. I really want to share the celebration with a ‘church family’, but sadly in Catholic culture I have found that is a foreign concept. The attitude I have generally observed is a fear-driven ‘bare minimum’ faith, just enough to save you from going to hell, with no interest in growing and learning in faith with fellow believers.

I love the Church, hate the culture. It’s so frustrating and I want to leave, I want an alternative. But, in the words of Peter, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68). And so all I can do is rant, and keep on truckin’. And I don’t want to call myself a Catholic because people have come to associate that label with a ‘culture’ I don’t believe in.

Thanks for letting me rant . Anyone else in my boat want to share?

 

[ralphinal]

I am Catholic. I was born one. I cannot see myself as anything else. I do not disagree about other Catholics. But, what I can say is that you are seeing it incorrectly.

YOU NEED TO BE CATHOLIC. AND YOU NEED TO SHOW OTHERS THE TRUE REVERENCE DUE TO JESUS.

Just think, you might inspire another person, who inspires another. Next thing you know, your parrish has 24 hour adoration and men lined up to be priests!

DO not let those who lack your faith keep you from Christ. No, run to him, then try to pull others along.

 

[reteeks21]

I’m not really sure where to begin so I’ll just get to the point. I believe the Catholic church holds the truth, but I don’t want to call myself a Catholic.

I started really looking into the Catholic teachings when I became Adventist and my family had a cow over it (I was raised Catholic). I was truly in search of the truth, which is what led me to join the SDA church in the first place because their teachings made sense to me. I’m still in search of the truth and always will be - once you close your mind to the search for truth, you are in danger of letting religion become a set of meaningless rules and not a path to God at all.

Anyway, although I thought I had found the truth in the SDA church I was still open to searching and I gave the Catholic teachings a chance. As it turns out, I discovered I had a lot of misconceptions about what the Catholic church actually teaches, because the teachings run so deep and require a lot more study to really understand them.

I see so much beauty and depth in the catholic teachings, mostly thanks to the books and articles I have read by Scott Hahn and Christopher West. Hahn goes into so much depth with his biblical explanations, yet he is able to make it easily understood. I find West’s articles on the theology of the body are almost shocking beacuse even as a ‘spiritual’ person I am so conditioned to society’s way of thinking - his articles are so refreshing.

It was mainly the teachings on the Eucharist/Mass, marriage and family that led me to return to the Catholic Church. Everything else to me was debatable except these, and they are unique to the Catholic church. I find these teachings so profound and beautiful, if only everyone could understand them, all the world would be Catholic.

Maybe this is why I’m having trouble calling myself a Catholic… the most important reasons that led me to become a Catholic are not even generally understood by Catholics! Well, I’m only speculating but this is the feeling I get from their behaviour, especially when I go to Mass.

Everything about the way people act in church really bothers me. If people really understood the celebration of the Mass - the preparation and anticipation before the Eucharist, the presence of the King of the Universe entering the room, the ultimate sacrifice that He gives for us - they would not be clutching their car keys in their pockets during the final blessing, ready to dash for the door and get out of the parking lot before everybody else so they can get on with their busy lives.

I wish I could go back to the Adventist church and still have the Eucharist. I had such a sense of family in the SDA church. We would gather together for meals after church services, and we would spend the entire sabbath in devotion to God. We would sit and eat and share testimonies and do bible studies and pray together all day. I reeeeaally miss that.

I feel so alone in the Catholic church. Especially on those days when I haven’t gone to confession and I can’t receive the Eucharist. It doesn’t help that my husband doesn’t go to Mass with me either. I really want to share the celebration with a ‘church family’, but sadly in Catholic culture I have found that is a foreign concept. The attitude I have generally observed is a fear-driven ‘bare minimum’ faith, just enough to save you from going to hell, with no interest in growing and learning in faith with fellow believers.

I love the Church, hate the culture. It’s so frustrating and I want to leave, I want an alternative. But, in the words of Peter, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68). And so all I can do is rant, and keep on truckin’. And I don’t want to call myself a Catholic because people have come to associate that label with a ‘culture’ I don’t believe in.

Thanks for letting me rant . Anyone else in my boat want to share?

Bravo to you for having the courage to rant to strangers! You are doing what so many people in all types of Christian churches do NOT do: wrestling, thinking, and searching. I applaud you for your honesty. God bless, and may you end up wherever you are supposed to.

 

[42stars]

YOU NEED TO BE CATHOLIC. AND YOU NEED TO SHOW OTHERS THE TRUE REVERENCE DUE TO JESUS.

Just think, you might inspire another person, who inspires another. Next thing you know, your parrish has 24 hour adoration and men lined up to be priests!

DO not let those who lack your faith keep you from Christ. No, run to him, then try to pull others along.

I know, I know. It’s one of those situations where you know what you should do, you just don’t want to do it. They say advice is what you ask for when you already know the answer but you wish you didn’t . I guess that’s why I wasn’t asking for advice. Prayers would be nice though .

Bravo to you for having the courage to rant to strangers! You are doing what so many people in all types of Christian churches do NOT do: wrestling, thinking, and searching. I applaud you for your honesty. God bless, and may you end up wherever you are supposed to.

Thanks for the support. I have to give my husband the credit for my open mind… if he was Catholic I would have no reason to really look into the Catholic teachings. We would probably be a couple of 1-hour-a-week, eat-and-run Catholics as well. Being with a non-Catholic forces me to justify my beliefs. Of course, marriage would be easier if he shared my beliefs, but God brings people together for a reason. Thank God in his infinite wisdom for allowing those difficulties in life that bring us closer to Him.

 

[ralphinal]

I know, I know. It’s one of those situations where you know what you should do, you just don’t want to do it. They say advice is what you ask for when you already know the answer but you wish you didn’t . I guess that’s why I wasn’t asking for advice. Prayers would be nice though .

Thanks for the support. I have to give my husband the credit for my open mind… if he was Catholic I would have no reason to really look into the Catholic teachings. We would probably be a couple of 1-hour-a-week, eat-and-run Catholics as well. Being with a non-Catholic forces me to justify my beliefs. Of course, marriage would be easier if he shared my beliefs, but God brings people together for a reason. Thank God in his infinite wisdom for allowing those difficulties in life that bring us closer to Him.

You have my prayers:thumbsup:

 

[CHESTERTONRULES]

I’m not really sure where to begin so I’ll just get to the point. I believe the Catholic church holds the truth, but I don’t want to call myself a Catholic.

I started really looking into the Catholic teachings when I became Adventist and my family had a cow over it (I was raised Catholic). I was truly in search of the truth, which is what led me to join the SDA church in the first place because their teachings made sense to me. I’m still in search of the truth and always will be - once you close your mind to the search for truth, you are in danger of letting religion become a set of meaningless rules and not a path to God at all.

Anyway, although I thought I had found the truth in the SDA church I was still open to searching and I gave the Catholic teachings a chance. As it turns out, I discovered I had a lot of misconceptions about what the Catholic church actually teaches, because the teachings run so deep and require a lot more study to really understand them.

I see so much beauty and depth in the catholic teachings, mostly thanks to the books and articles I have read by Scott Hahn and Christopher West. Hahn goes into so much depth with his biblical explanations, yet he is able to make it easily understood. I find West’s articles on the theology of the body are almost shocking beacuse even as a ‘spiritual’ person I am so conditioned to society’s way of thinking - his articles are so refreshing.

It was mainly the teachings on the Eucharist/Mass, marriage and family that led me to return to the Catholic Church. Everything else to me was debatable except these, and they are unique to the Catholic church. I find these teachings so profound and beautiful, if only everyone could understand them, all the world would be Catholic.

Maybe this is why I’m having trouble calling myself a Catholic… the most important reasons that led me to become a Catholic are not even generally understood by Catholics! Well, I’m only speculating but this is the feeling I get from their behaviour, especially when I go to Mass.

Everything about the way people act in church really bothers me. If people really understood the celebration of the Mass - the preparation and anticipation before the Eucharist, the presence of the King of the Universe entering the room, the ultimate sacrifice that He gives for us - they would not be clutching their car keys in their pockets during the final blessing, ready to dash for the door and get out of the parking lot before everybody else so they can get on with their busy lives.

I wish I could go back to the Adventist church and still have the Eucharist. I had such a sense of family in the SDA church. We would gather together for meals after church services, and we would spend the entire sabbath in devotion to God. We would sit and eat and share testimonies and do bible studies and pray together all day. I reeeeaally miss that.

I feel so alone in the Catholic church. Especially on those days when I haven’t gone to confession and I can’t receive the Eucharist. It doesn’t help that my husband doesn’t go to Mass with me either. I really want to share the celebration with a ‘church family’, but sadly in Catholic culture I have found that is a foreign concept. The attitude I have generally observed is a fear-driven ‘bare minimum’ faith, just enough to save you from going to hell, with no interest in growing and learning in faith with fellow believers.

I love the Church, hate the culture. It’s so frustrating and I want to leave, I want an alternative. But, in the words of Peter, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68). And so all I can do is rant, and keep on truckin’. And I don’t want to call myself a Catholic because people have come to associate that label with a ‘culture’ I don’t believe in.

Thanks for letting me rant . Anyone else in my boat want to share?

I’m a convert to Catholicism, and I understand your concern.

I would like to assure you that not all Catholic parishes are the same.

My wife and I recently moved to the DFW area and we’ve visited about 10 different churches. We like the reverence and atmosphere at about half of these churches, and none were terrible.

I don’t know if you live where there are other Catholic Churches in range, but I recommend that you not restrict your search to one or two parishes.

The Catholic Church needs people like you and other converts who really appreciate the mass and the wonderful gifts we have been given.

Don’t give up on us, we need you!

 

[sambos671]

I’m not really sure where to begin so I’ll just get to the point. I believe the Catholic church holds the truth, but I don’t want to call myself a Catholic.

I started really looking into the Catholic teachings when I became Adventist and my family had a cow over it (I was raised Catholic). I was truly in search of the truth, which is what led me to join the SDA church in the first place because their teachings made sense to me. I’m still in search of the truth and always will be - once you close your mind to the search for truth, you are in danger of letting religion become a set of meaningless rules and not a path to God at all.

Anyway, although I thought I had found the truth in the SDA church I was still open to searching and I gave the Catholic teachings a chance. As it turns out, I discovered I had a lot of misconceptions about what the Catholic church actually teaches, because the teachings run so deep and require a lot more study to really understand them.

I see so much beauty and depth in the catholic teachings, mostly thanks to the books and articles I have read by Scott Hahn and Christopher West. Hahn goes into so much depth with his biblical explanations, yet he is able to make it easily understood. I find West’s articles on the theology of the body are almost shocking beacuse even as a ‘spiritual’ person I am so conditioned to society’s way of thinking - his articles are so refreshing.

It was mainly the teachings on the Eucharist/Mass, marriage and family that led me to return to the Catholic Church. Everything else to me was debatable except these, and they are unique to the Catholic church. I find these teachings so profound and beautiful, if only everyone could understand them, all the world would be Catholic.

Maybe this is why I’m having trouble calling myself a Catholic… the most important reasons that led me to become a Catholic are not even generally understood by Catholics! Well, I’m only speculating but this is the feeling I get from their behaviour, especially when I go to Mass.

Everything about the way people act in church really bothers me. If people really understood the celebration of the Mass - the preparation and anticipation before the Eucharist, the presence of the King of the Universe entering the room, the ultimate sacrifice that He gives for us - they would not be clutching their car keys in their pockets during the final blessing, ready to dash for the door and get out of the parking lot before everybody else so they can get on with their busy lives.

I wish I could go back to the Adventist church and still have the Eucharist. I had such a sense of family in the SDA church. We would gather together for meals after church services, and we would spend the entire sabbath in devotion to God. We would sit and eat and share testimonies and do bible studies and pray together all day. I reeeeaally miss that.

I feel so alone in the Catholic church. Especially on those days when I haven’t gone to confession and I can’t receive the Eucharist. It doesn’t help that my husband doesn’t go to Mass with me either. I really want to share the celebration with a ‘church family’, but sadly in Catholic culture I have found that is a foreign concept. The attitude I have generally observed is a fear-driven ‘bare minimum’ faith, just enough to save you from going to hell, with no interest in growing and learning in faith with fellow believers.

I love the Church, hate the culture. It’s so frustrating and I want to leave, I want an alternative. But, in the words of Peter, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68). And so all I can do is rant, and keep on truckin’. And I don’t want to call myself a Catholic because people have come to associate that label with a ‘culture’ I don’t believe in.

Thanks for letting me rant . Anyone else in my boat want to share?

I’m kind of there brother! However, this should not stop you from calling yourself Catholic. Before 325 AD, Before the Council of Trent, before the declaration of Papal infallibility, Before the declaration of the Immaculate Conseption. All christians considered themselves to be Catholic. Part of th Universal Church that Jesus established. So they hadn’t tied down The Trinity or the dual nature of Christ but they all had the liturgy and the Eucharist. They were Catholics and so are you. God bless.

 

[Patrick_Murebil]

I know, I know. It’s one of those situations where you know what you should do, you just don’t want to do it. They say advice is what you ask for when you already know the answer but you wish you didn’t . I guess that’s why I wasn’t asking for advice. Prayers would be nice though .

Thanks for the support. I have to give my husband the credit for my open mind… if he was Catholic I would have no reason to really look into the Catholic teachings. We would probably be a couple of 1-hour-a-week, eat-and-run Catholics as well. Being with a non-Catholic forces me to justify my beliefs. Of course, marriage would be easier if he shared my beliefs, but God brings people together for a reason. Thank God in his infinite wisdom for allowing those difficulties in life that bring us closer to Him.

Hi, I’m a former SDA in R.C.I.A. right now and I understand what you are saying. My wife is Catholic and we have been married for 23 years, and it was not always easy when I was a SDA. But God does bring people together for a reason…His Reason!

I would go to church with my wife and kids once in a while and look around at the other people there. I would tell my wife…“did you see that…”, etc. She told me (over and over) that I am not there to look at others and think about what they are doing and why. I am there to think about Jesus and what He is doing with me and I with Him.

Recently we were invited by a couple, whose son is friends with my son, to attend a Focolare get together in their home. I shared my conversion story with them and the lady who hosted the event told my wife that she thought I was “unchurched” and didn’t really care about religion when she first met me or would see me at church, and then how surprised she was that I have been searching for just about 30 years for Truth. It made me realize that I have no idea what is going on with those other people in church whom I was looking at. God is working with everyone who is in church…in ways that we don’t even know.

Maybe you could look into the Focolare movement, if you don’t know about it already, and host something for a few of your friends from church on a sunday afternoon. It reminded me of those special times on sabbath afternoon I spent with friends when I was an Adventist. It basically looks at a scripture and then we talk about ways it impacts our daily lives, and then we go and put it into practice in our daily lives. I like it!! And it has a tendency to grow!!!

You will be in our daily prayers!!!

God Bless All!!!

 

[reteeks21]

I know, I know. It’s one of those situations where you know what you should do, you just don’t want to do it. They say advice is what you ask for when you already know the answer but you wish you didn’t . I guess that’s why I wasn’t asking for advice. Prayers would be nice though .

Thanks for the support. I have to give my husband the credit for my open mind… if he was Catholic I would have no reason to really look into the Catholic teachings. We would probably be a couple of 1-hour-a-week, eat-and-run Catholics as well. Being with a non-Catholic forces me to justify my beliefs. Of course, marriage would be easier if he shared my beliefs, but God brings people together for a reason.*** Thank God in his infinite wisdom for allowing those difficulties in life that bring us closer to Him.***

AMEN! I am INSPIRED by your attitude! I will pray for you right now, and I will pray I can have the attitude you have. Keep trucking along, and don’t give up going wherever God leads you. You’re too valuable to quit now.

 

[42stars]

Thanks everyone for the encouraging replies. At least I know there are some people out there who know what I’m talking about. And I appreciate your prayers

Thanks!

 

[flameburns623]

One of the emotional ties that have bound me to the LDS Church for years is that even among Evangelical churches they must be one of the warmest and friendliest churches around. (Head’s-up: of course, once one is fully ‘part of the family’ one suffers the usual ‘family squabbles’, hurt feelings, catiness, hypocrisy, acting-out, personal politics of all kinds, and so on. Nonetheless, I have to stress that the LDS do act LIKE FAMILY).

Catholic Masses, by contrast ARE so very very cold and unwelcoming, and not many other resources exist in most parishes where one can feel welcome. It’s not surprising that very often it’s the highly motivated–usually the activists with anti-Catholic agendas–who make themselves heard in many parishes and dioceses. Catholic fellowship is almost self-consciously designed to be daunting to outsiders. It is one area where parishes, priests, and lay leadership have a lot to learn, an area where the Church could stand to grow.

And yet–I’m one of those folks who is grossly offended by the handshake free-for-all that has become so normative during the ‘kiss of peace’. I consider that practice to be distracting to the purpose of the Mass, no matter where it might take place during the service, but especially at that point in the Mass, when the Eucharist has just been confected and Christ made present in the midst of the congregation. I don’t think, at the Second Coming of Christ, that we’re going to be shaking hands with all of our neighbors on our way through the Pearly Gates: I think we’ll be too enveloped by the worship of our Lord and God. Even Episcopalian services don’t create such a distraction at this point in their worship.

There are ways to make the RCC a more hospitable place. It needs to happen.

 

[Ruthie]

Welcome, 42stars! We need more like you!

Flameburns, I find that, even when I’m sitting next to good friends, even my DH, I tend to tune everything out but the Eucharist. I’m one of those that kneels and prays before and after Mass. I suppose that could make me seem “cold and unwelcoming,” but it’s certainly not how I feel. I want to share the Eucharist with everyone, because I want everyone to love it as I do, and for everyone to be in a state of grace!

But the Lord is present in the tabernacle; we don’t want to make a lot of noise in His presence, but be reverent. You’ll hear a lot of Catholics here complaining about the “social hour” before Mass, and asking people to take it outside. That’s why we’re so quiet before and after Mass.

My parish used to offer coffee after all the morning Masses (my parish has 4 on Sundays); I wonder what happened to that? I’ll ask.

Yeah, what to do about the sign of peace? It gets a little awkward, and even, sometimes, rowdy. Please don’t reach across the aisle, or jump over the pew… please don’t make me twist and turn… but I still want to “offer each other the sign of peace.” And I don’t want anyone to feel I’ve ignored them, either.

Well, I’m starting to babble. Maybe I should go to bed!

God bless us all,

Ruthie

 

[flameburns623]

Welcome, 42stars! We need more like you!

Flameburns, I find that, even when I’m sitting next to good friends, even my DH, I tend to tune everything out but the Eucharist. I’m one of those that kneels and prays before and after Mass. I suppose that could make me seem “cold and unwelcoming,” but it’s certainly not how I feel. I want to share the Eucharist with everyone, because I want everyone to love it as I do, and for everyone to be in a state of grace!

But the Lord is present in the tabernacle; we don’t want to make a lot of noise in His presence, but be reverent. You’ll hear a lot of Catholics here complaining about the “social hour” before Mass, and asking people to take it outside. That’s why we’re so quiet before and after Mass.

My parish used to offer coffee after all the morning Masses (my parish has 4 on Sundays); I wonder what happened to that? I’ll ask.

Yeah, what to do about the sign of peace? It gets a little awkward, and even, sometimes, rowdy. Please don’t reach across the aisle, or jump over the pew… please don’t make me twist and turn… but I still want to “offer each other the sign of peace.” And I don’t want anyone to feel I’ve ignored them, either.

Well, I’m starting to babble. Maybe I should go to bed!

God bless us all,

Ruthie

Ruthie:

Mass is NOT THE TIME to socialize. The sanctuary is NOT THE RIGHT PLACE. So you’re doing the right thing by focusing on the Eucharist. In the Tridentine Mass, the older versions of the English Mass, and in the Episcopalian Mass (which is just an English translation, basically, of the old Salisbury Latin Rite), the “Kiss of Peace” was exchanged between the Celebrant and the parishioners–not among and between the parishioners themselves.

The difference seems to be that even Episcopal churches have conveniently-placed fellowship halls attached to the Sanctuary. Most of the regular attendees go straight there after Mass and mingle for fifteen minutes or so.

Anglicans aren’t much for adult-level Sunday Schools, no more than Catholics. For Lutherans, “High-Church” Presbyterians, Methodists, etcetera–denominations with highly formal if not liturgical worship services–Sunday School is book-ended with at least one “early” worship service prior to SS, followed by a “late” worship service. Folks go either to the “early” or the “late” worship service as they choose, but most regular attenders at Protestant services do go to Sunday School. The intermix between folks at Sunday School and coming or going from worship allows opportunity to meet and greet one another.

Also: most Evangelical churches have large, well-appointed, well-lighted climate-controlled foyers at the front door. There are usually some armchairs and couches in that foyer: it is clearly meant as a gathering-place. Most Catholic churches lack such an arrangement: the foyer is small, not comfortable, and is mostly intended to keep the noise of the street from reaching into the sanctuary. The whole construction is almost geared to an assembly-line approach to worship–“git’em in, git’em prayed, git’em communed, git’em out”!

On the other hand–even before the current priest shortage, a lot of parishes had numerous services and only one regular priest. Some day mebbe a real priest will weigh on on the forum and be willing to talk about what it’s like to serve thousands of parishioners at something like three, mebbe four, mebbe five Masses–Saturday evening, two or three on Sunday, with at least one being partially “sung”, and not infrequently a Sunday evening Mass as well. I’ve been a Mormon. Five minutes of ‘bearing my testimony’ in front of a congregation left me pretty well whupped for the day, pretty strung-out with nerves and what have you. You may ‘get used to’ speaking in public after awhile, but it still has to be rather tiring. The arrangement of Catholic Churches may well reflect the sheer mental exhaustion of the priests who serve her.