M
MichelleTherese
Guest
I know we always discuss theological apologetics in here but I’d like to submit a non-theological post that still has a lot to do with us Catholics. I’ve noticed that even as we have the fullness of the Truth…we are seriously lacking in a fullness of community. I’m just as guilty as any one else since I have no idea what is taking place in the lives of my fellow parishoners. Isn’t that sad? I think so.
For two weeks my mother, dying of cancer, needed round-the-clock care and being an EMT I was one of the main persons involved in that care. Then, she peacefully died. I was struck down by a bad case of strep throat and have spent the past two weeks in bed sick. In all, 4 long weeks of intense suffering have passed. Let’s study my case simply because I’m experiencing it and can’t mess up the details. My parish here and also back in Alaska was aware of my mother’s condition. Both parishes had my contact information and many of the people had met me in person several times and know me. Here’s what transpired:
#1 Not one person in my parish called me or visited me or in any way offered support while I was caring for my mother.
#2 Not one person in my parish expressed any kind of sympathies after my mother passed away.
#3 Not one person in my parish has called or visited me in my time of mourning.
#4 Not one person in my parish has aided me in my own illness.
Now, this is not a big Michelle Pity Party. This is an examination of some facts that I think we Catholics need to become aware of. I can turn this thing right around on it’s head:
#1 Not once have I checked in on, supoorted or aided a fellow Parishoner who is suffering illness, stress, loss of a loved one etc.
#2 Not once have I visited a lonely widow of the Parish, donated extra money to a person in my Parish down on their luck or even so much as offered a ride to Mass to someone in my Parish.
I could go on and on and on.
Why is this? What on earth causes us Catholics (in many many parishes) to stay so disconnected from one another? Why do we sit around and say, “Well, I don’t have to because there’s a Committee that takes care of this stuff” ??
We Catholics spend so much of our time arguing Biblical evidence and historical proofs for our doctrines - yet how much time to we spend attempting to act towards our fellow parishoners with just a dose of “Christian Charity”? No wonder there are so many ex-Catholics in places like Mormon churches and Evangelical churches. Think of what these churches do when they get word of a fellow parishoner suffering: they swarm. I often attended a friend’s Evangelical church in Alaska in the morning - (and then went to Mass at night) - so that I could have some kind of Christian social life. How sad is that? And when things went wrong in my life who do you think came swarming to my aid?? (And vice versa.) The Evangelicals!! And when any of them were in trouble I helped them out as well. My fellow Catholics would be aware of what was going on but not once did any of them knock on my door or pick up the phone - and they aren’t doing so now. Instead, my Evangelical friends in Alaska are the ones reaching out to me.
No wonder people leave. And no wonder they really honestly don’t care about Biblical proofs and historical teachings of the Church. When your mom dies and no one even batts an eye in your Catholic church while swarms of Mormons aid your friend when HER mom dies…it says a lot. If a person is not extremely grounded in the Eucharist like I am then I can see how they can pack up and leave. And trust me, I’m tempted. I find myself saying, “If I was Mormon…If I was Evangelical…I’d not have had to endure four weeks of living hell totally ALONE. Spiritually and physically ALONE.”
Giving folk the usual Cathlolic response of “offer it up” just doesn’t cut it. And good apologetics doesn’t do it all either. We also need that strong sense of community that we are so sorely lacking - for no logical reason on this planet.
For two weeks my mother, dying of cancer, needed round-the-clock care and being an EMT I was one of the main persons involved in that care. Then, she peacefully died. I was struck down by a bad case of strep throat and have spent the past two weeks in bed sick. In all, 4 long weeks of intense suffering have passed. Let’s study my case simply because I’m experiencing it and can’t mess up the details. My parish here and also back in Alaska was aware of my mother’s condition. Both parishes had my contact information and many of the people had met me in person several times and know me. Here’s what transpired:
#1 Not one person in my parish called me or visited me or in any way offered support while I was caring for my mother.
#2 Not one person in my parish expressed any kind of sympathies after my mother passed away.
#3 Not one person in my parish has called or visited me in my time of mourning.
#4 Not one person in my parish has aided me in my own illness.
Now, this is not a big Michelle Pity Party. This is an examination of some facts that I think we Catholics need to become aware of. I can turn this thing right around on it’s head:
#1 Not once have I checked in on, supoorted or aided a fellow Parishoner who is suffering illness, stress, loss of a loved one etc.
#2 Not once have I visited a lonely widow of the Parish, donated extra money to a person in my Parish down on their luck or even so much as offered a ride to Mass to someone in my Parish.
I could go on and on and on.
Why is this? What on earth causes us Catholics (in many many parishes) to stay so disconnected from one another? Why do we sit around and say, “Well, I don’t have to because there’s a Committee that takes care of this stuff” ??
We Catholics spend so much of our time arguing Biblical evidence and historical proofs for our doctrines - yet how much time to we spend attempting to act towards our fellow parishoners with just a dose of “Christian Charity”? No wonder there are so many ex-Catholics in places like Mormon churches and Evangelical churches. Think of what these churches do when they get word of a fellow parishoner suffering: they swarm. I often attended a friend’s Evangelical church in Alaska in the morning - (and then went to Mass at night) - so that I could have some kind of Christian social life. How sad is that? And when things went wrong in my life who do you think came swarming to my aid?? (And vice versa.) The Evangelicals!! And when any of them were in trouble I helped them out as well. My fellow Catholics would be aware of what was going on but not once did any of them knock on my door or pick up the phone - and they aren’t doing so now. Instead, my Evangelical friends in Alaska are the ones reaching out to me.
No wonder people leave. And no wonder they really honestly don’t care about Biblical proofs and historical teachings of the Church. When your mom dies and no one even batts an eye in your Catholic church while swarms of Mormons aid your friend when HER mom dies…it says a lot. If a person is not extremely grounded in the Eucharist like I am then I can see how they can pack up and leave. And trust me, I’m tempted. I find myself saying, “If I was Mormon…If I was Evangelical…I’d not have had to endure four weeks of living hell totally ALONE. Spiritually and physically ALONE.”
Giving folk the usual Cathlolic response of “offer it up” just doesn’t cut it. And good apologetics doesn’t do it all either. We also need that strong sense of community that we are so sorely lacking - for no logical reason on this planet.
