My Discussion with a Cafeteria Catholic (Why do they stay in the Church anyways?)

[kamz]

Pray for her each and every day and lead by example, don’t allow her to gossip about others around you, just state that you won’t talk about people behind their backs, that is simply not christian.

I think she is in your life for a reason and be patient with her, she has somewhere in her life been lead astray by these ideas in her mind, she is only guilty of listening to the ways of the world, show her through your own christian faith and values and even though it may not seem like she is listening or watching, deep down, she is and the seed of doubt will be cast in her mind and pray that her mind will be opened to the full truth of the Catholic church.

 

[jc-servant]

There may be more going on to influence this coworker with some of her statements about women and the church. I read an interesting book called “Prodigal Daughters: Catholic Women Come Home to the Church” by Donna Steichen (editor). It is a collection of stories by women who mostly came of age in the 60’s and '70’s and how they went off on tangents, into communes or other religions, etc and then found their way back to full communion with the church. There is some very interesting information about groups of women who refuse to leave the church (some of them are actually in religious orders) but they embrace things like women priests and on the extreme end a sort of godess worship.

The same author has another book called “Ungodly Rage: The Hidden Face of Catholic Feminism” that I just started reading. It is pretty interesting to see what is going on around us in the church. I saw and heard some of the things that the author speaks about personally before I read her books.

I think that the better we each know our own faith and the real teachings of the church by reading things like the Catechism of the Catholic Church and not just articles or possibly unreliable sources then the better off we are when opportunities to evangelize arise. I try to be a living witness to the faith, but I’m also ready to give a reason for my joy when I’m asked. It may not be a perfect answer, but I tell people I will find out the answer to questions if I’m not sure about something.

My coworkers provide fertile fields for sowing the truth quite often. I hope that I planted a seed with one lady because she was all for starving Terri S. but not even 3 weeks later she was all up in arms because her daughter asked her to put the old and very ill cat to sleep. I asked her as gently as possible if she did not see a problem with her value of a cat’s life over a human’s. It definitely sparked discussion for everyone at lunch.

I would be cautious if as the OP said the person was my supervisor or someone in authority at work. However, there are ways to gently give info if they bring it up without appearing to judge them or start an argument. You can say, “hey I read an interesting book on that very topic. Would you like to borrow it?” Then they get the info on authentic church teachings with an explanation and no confrontation if they borrow the book.

 

[tjmiller]

Catholic is Grk. kata+holos, according to the whole. Therefore, “cafeteria catholic” is an oxymoron.