No Catholic Church nearby

  • Thread starter Thread starter lisauze
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I’m from North Carolina and am familiar with the area you’re talking about. (When my dad retired from the Navy, we actually lived in Hertford, NC, up near Elizabeth City, and he worked at the prison that used to be in Creswell, so I understand about having to drive a ways for anything.) I’m currently scouring the maps trying to see if there’s something you missed. I’m sure there’s not, but it’s worth a look.
 
I think God does understand your situation, and your desire to make it to mass. Not really sure why you think He doesn’t understand, just because some posters say you should not attend a protestant service. Seems you’re more upset that there’s no catholic church nearby.

That said, it seems weekly mass may be too difficult for you right now due to your situation. Your son is at a very impressionable age, though (I teach catechism for kids his age). They ask good questions and learn a lot at 8. While I don’t think it’s a sin to simply be in a protestant church during their service (certainly don’t take communion or convert!!), and might not be problematic most days, you could also easily walk in on that one service that stresses a topic against catholic beliefs (such as gay marriage). You’ll know the difference. Your son might not, and some difficult conversations may flow your way. Think how many people you said have so far told you you are going to hell for being catholic! Mass via TV may not seem the same, but for your son, it’s likely best practice (at least in his case). Some homilies and protestant sermons can speak to very controversial topics. Better safe than sorry.

Contact your parish to see if they can get you in touch with other Catholics. I’ve never been to your state, but the way you describe it, you can’t be the only one out of the city. It would be a less awkward way to find people.

Remember that there are very devout Christians in the protestant churches that do not require or offer weekly services. They haven’t lost their faith, and neither shall you unless you choose. Yes, mass is very important. Yes, you should make efforts to attend when not too burdensome, but it’s not 100% of the faith, and inability to attend physically does not doom anyone to live a life with no prayer.
 
They burnt a Catholic church down in Kentucky a few years ago. I heard it firsthand from a priest in a parish down there that my parish does mission work in. I don’t know why, but its nowhere on the Internet.

The Klan has had to choose one of two paths- Either go after African-Americans, and risk getting utterly schmacked with civil rights lawsuits/crackdowns, or go after Catholics, which are a tiny minority in the American south.
 
Isca said:
I do however see many news sites reporting the same kind of things. Like this:
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No one saw any sheeted men near the parking lot of the football game. It is only “assumed” that it was someone from the KKK. The fact that it was done with stealth shows how little regard North Carolinians hold this group. For all either of us know, or Fox News knows, the actor here could have been a teenager who had a dozen or so flyers printed up at Kinkos and put them on people’s windshields because he knew it would cheese people off.
 
I think she meant Sunday Mass to receive the Holy Eucharist.
Religious Education (Faith Formation as we call it) is ongoing. A child should be in formation until completing High School. Indeed, we all continue to study our faith and learn every day of our lives. but it’s critical in these formative years. Speak tot he Pastor and he will make arrangements to get your a copy of their textbooks and support materials for you to home-school your child in the faith.
Good luck!
 
Okay - it looks like your closest church is in little Washington.

http://www.momchurchnc.com

Us NC girls (especially those of us from areas like ours) have to look out for one another. I am more than willing to call these folks for you and see if they can help. I can understand maybe not wanting to call the question yourself. It’s not that I don’t think you’re capable - not at all! I really just want to help. They’re bound to know that there are many in your situation.

You might even find there’s someone who lives very close to you who would be willing to drive y’all to Mass once a week, or maybe arrange to help you for Easter and other holy days of obligation at a minimum. I certainly wish I could.

Look at this on their site, @lisauze! 🙂

http://www.momchurchnc.com/support-team.html

Also - there’s a Newman Center at East Carolina University in Greenville. I wonder if there’s any sort of outreach there run by the students. You never know.

http://ecunewman.org
 
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Any body interested in chippng in to help her get a car? I could start with 50 bucks.
 
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Driving down roads on the way around town the KKK flags fly on some of the houses. Like I said I didn’t grow up catholic but Baptist. My mother’s family is southern baptist. When I was little my uncle til my mother to instill the hate and prejudice against blacks, Jews, and Catholics. Remember this wasn’t that long ago the late 80s. When I met my husband and we decided to get married and I wanted to convert my mother told me the Bible said all Catholics were going to hell and she hasn’t spoken to me since then. The Deacon at our last church which was also in rural NC said when he was younger his mother used to make him go on the opposite side of the street when they saw nuns. My husband is from New York and had never seen this kind of discrimination against Catholics, Orthodox and Jews (as his family includes all three).
 
Augustinian said:
But do you have proof of this? I haven’t heard of much virulent anti-catholic klan activity in the backwater areas of America including rural North Carolina. In fact, little kkk activity at all for decades.
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Proof of what? That they exist and that their presence has historically had a chilling effect on the communities they have targeted?

Yes, they do exist, yes they are active.

More relevant, their anti-Catholic sentiment has been deeply seeded throughout NC rural areas, that associate Catholicism with big liberal cities, Mexicans and other minority races, and Papism.

In other words, it isn’t, strictly speaking, just KKK members you need to worry about. It’s the acceptance and internalization of their ideals by most of the indigenous populace you need to be aware of.
 
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I didn’t even need to post.

See lisauze’s post for the reality of what I’m talking about.
 
Swanquarter has a population of about 350 people. No joke.

The reason you don’t hear about it is because it’s not sexy and doesn’t get ratings for the media. But it assuredly goes on. Where I lived about two hours north was a bit different - we were outsiders with a weird last name, the head of household was Yankee and Catholic, our last name was definitely German, we had no lineage in the town - but no one bothered us. My mom was a schoolteacher for years in the town. Everyone knew her. No one bothered us, thank God.

But start driving south and things changed dramatically.

I just read that her husband is from New York. The second he says something he’s suspect. Yes, it’s still that backwards in that part of the world in 2018.
 
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QContinuum said:
Does anybody on this board know of a Catholic charity or agency that could help her out with getting her car fixed?
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I know in Canada you can donate your old but still roadworthy car to the St. Vincent de Paul society in exchange for a charitable donation tax receipt, and they use them to help the poor in need of transportation. She may want to check with them, they may have something available for real cheap. Perhaps this could tide her over until their fortunes improve,
QwertyGirl said:
Any body interested in chippng in to help her get a car? I could start with 50 bucks.
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It would help to know what was wrong with it. Some things are not fixable, such as corrosion that affects the structural integrity of the car. Lisauze, do you know what’s wrong with it? Things like engines and transmissions might be fixable with junkyard parts. Hopefully it’s a common brand of car with lots of cheap/used spare parts available (Chevy, Ford, Honda, Toyota and the like).
 
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Here in Spain is imposible not yo find a catholic church. The thing is maybe is more liberal than cenk of the young turks
 
Yes, but Spain is culturally Catholic, as is most of mainland Europe. America is far more Protestant.
 
St Vincent de Paul is listed on the site for the Church in Washington, NC.

OP, would you be willing to PM your name and contact details to someone in this group so that one of us could contact that parish for you?
 
Look up Swanquarter, NC, look at its location, and then its population. Look up Catholic Churches in NC, and then look at where they’re primarily located. It’s NOT in Southeastern NC.

That region is overwhelmingly Baptist and Pentecostal. Trust me - I know what I’m talking about.
 
That’s not how it’s seen in that part of the world. With all due respect, I don’t think you really get the crux of the problem out there.
 
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