My neighbor's biggest complaint about Catholics

[Markie_Boy]

One must always be honest. I have met a lot of Catholics that go to church for years, and don’t know why they do what they do when you ask them.

It’s not a slam, just a fact. Marcus Grodi on the Journey Home (Dr. Paul Young episode I think) said many Catholics, even clergy, go through the sacraments, but have not reached the “second conversion”. Scott Hahn in his book on the New Evangelization talks about how many Catholics have been “sacramentalized but not evangelized.”

It may happen easier in a church with structure like Catholic, as one can go through the steps without conversion, and keep doing them. That ends up looking like brainwashing.

Is it any different than a modern church with a rock band and lot’s of feel good energy, but no real call to conversion? Just accept Jesus in to your heart and you go to Heaven? The problem is the same everywhere - it just looks different in different places.

 

[DebChris]

One must always be honest. I have met a lot of Catholics that go to church for years, and don’t know why they do what they do when you ask them.

It’s not a slam, just a fact. Marcus Grodi on the Journey Home (Dr. Paul Young episode I think) said many Catholics, even clergy, go through the sacraments, but have not reached the “second conversion”. Scott Hahn in his book on the New Evangelization talks about how many Catholics have been “sacramentalized but not evangelized.”

It may happen easier in a church with structure like Catholic, as one can go through the steps without conversion, and keep doing them. That ends up looking like brainwashing.

Is it any different than a modern church with a rock band and lot’s of feel good energy, but no real call to conversion? Just accept Jesus in to your heart and you go to Heaven? The problem is the same everywhere - it just looks different in different places.

I mentioned this earlier. The Sacraments are an outward sign of inward grace. For many these are just words. Families go through the rituals. The pastor of my parish in WI lamented that young people saw Confirmation as graduation rather than the initiation Sacrament that it is, the final coming into the fullness of union with the Catholic Church.
We receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit when we receive the Sacraments. Unfortunately, many put these gifts on the back of the top shelf in the closet, and they are never opened.
There are many distractions in the modern world. Father Peyton said the family that prays together stays together. Broken Catholic families are as common as in society in general. We fail to stand out as different, as salt and light to the world.
Dorothy Day saw something unique about the Catholic Church. Working with the poor, she saw their loyalty, their devotion. It is what drew her. Everyday ritual does have a place in lives that are easily torn by the chaos that surrounds them.
I have visited other churches with their simplistic sermons. Yes, they promise the Salvation of the cross. Something is missing without the Sacraments. There is no call to growth or continued conversion, growth and formation. While I am asked why Catholics still have Christ on the cross, I find it difficult to pray before an empty cross. To embrace the crucifix serves as a reminder that being a disciple means picking up our own cross to follow after Him. Yes, He is resurrected from the death He defeated, but what did He first endure? We are not called to cheap grace.

Where is the Church diminishing in its influence? In Europe. America is still considered a mission field. Many of the missionaries are coming from Asia. It is growing the fastest is Africa where miracles are more commonplace. The most vibrant parish to which I belonged is the one I left in the Middle East. People are hungry for God. They are hungry for the Holy Spirit and for His gifts, unafraid to ask for prayer regardless of who is around. I’ve had that experience.

 

[Markie_Boy]

Great reply DebChris.

I think you hit it spot on - confirmation is viewed as the end, not the beginning. With that perspective, you have lost before you started.

I have met some very good Catholics, that will step up to serve as needed. We walked in the Pro Life section of our fourth of July parade - I don’t know if there were any protestants in our group, but our priest is not hardly at all supportive of it either, I feel it does not fit with his other political views.

Tough spot.

 

[DebChris]

Great reply DebChris.

I think you hit it spot on - confirmation is viewed as the end, not the beginning. With that perspective, you have lost before you started.

I have met some very good Catholics, that will step up to serve as needed. We walked in the Pro Life section of our fourth of July parade - I don’t know if there were any protestants in our group, but our priest is not hardly at all supportive of it either, I feel it does not fit with his other political views.

Tough spot.

I belong to a diocese where the bishop is very much involved in the Pro-life movement.
He joins the caravan every year to Washington DC., prays before Planned Parenthood, and there is an annual vigil in the various cities of the diocese.

I now live in a different city than before going to the Middle East. The pastor of my previous parish was from Vietnam. There was a man who would drive 50 miles on Sunday for Mass in the small parish. He often talked about his difficulties fleeing Communist Vietnam during the homilies.

Living in the Bible Belt means living among people who are more open about their faith than other places where I have lived. Without a vehicle, I ride the bus which means some lively conversations, often steering a young man away from possible incarceration or a bad relationship. This has nothing to do with denomination. It’s more about Christian living. Young women haven’t been taught the virtue of NObility that older generations were taught. Young men need the mentoring of older men to respect themselves and women. I engage in many conversations without regard to denomination. My time overseas has made those conversations easier as Biblical references and Church teaching come to mind faster. That’s how the gifts work. It’s definitely not my doing.

Years ago, as an Army Reservist I was activated for support. It only takes 15 minutes a day to read 3 chapters of scriptures resulting in completing the Bible in one year. I always remove my shoes, as Moses did before the burning bush. Removing shoes was also required before entering the Blessed Sacrament Chapel, for it is sacred ground, living in the Middle East. There were few Westerners as most of the parishioners were from India or the Philippines.

 

[Markie_Boy]

DebChris - God Bless you for the work you do. Sounds wonderful.

Have a great day!