Non-Catholics celebrating the "fun" Catholic holidays

  • Thread starter Thread starter KendraDZ1902
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
K

KendraDZ1902

Guest
I do understand that some protestant denominations do observe more than just the fun Catholic holidays. I grew up in a Church of Christ/Baptist house hold and Lent wasn’t a big deal. So why do non-Catholics who don’t observe Lent have big Mardi Gras bashes? Why is it that some non-Catholic denominations don’t recognize saints, but will go out and party for St. Patrick’s day? I don’t get it. 🤷
 
KendraDZ1902 said:
I do understand that some protestant denominations do observe more than just the fun Catholic holidays. I grew up in a Church of Christ/Baptist house hold and Lent wasn’t a big deal. So why do non-Catholics who don’t observe Lent have big Mardi Gras bashes? Why is it that some non-Catholic denominations don’t recognize saints, but will go out and party for St. Patrick’s day? I don’t get it. 🤷
Click to expand...
I wouldn’t exactly call mardi-gras or St Patrick’s day very Catholic days for non-Catholics. Usually it’s just an excuse for the non-religious (and of course the Religious take part too) to get drunk, dress in green, wear beads and be crazy, etc.

Not exactly very Catholic to me.
 
dronald said:
I wouldn’t exactly call mardi-gras or St Patrick’s day very Catholic days for non-Catholics. Usually it’s just an excuse for the non-religious (and of course the Religious take part too) to get drunk, dress in green, wear beads and be crazy, etc.

Not exactly very Catholic to me.
Click to expand...
I think that is the non-Catholic view of these holidays.
 
It’s not just a problem for Non-Catholics; even many Catholics are unaware of who the saints are. We are supposed to be familiar with them and draw inspiration from their lives, to see ourselves in their failings and rejoice with them in their witness to God. But how many Catholics even know that Feb 14 was changed on the liturgical calendar about 50 years ago from St. Valentine to Ss. Methodius and Cyril; much less tell you anything about them.

I understand what you’re saying, it is frustrating to see St. Patrick’s legacy lived out in the form of green beer 🤷 but the truth is Catholics and Non-Catholics alike are toasting each other at the same bar, and too often neither could tell you 3 things about him. The saints did not fail in their witness. Can we say the same?
 
As regrettable as it is that these Catholic holidays are twisted into something far different from their original intent, I think we can use these types of things as jumping off points with regards to evangelization. We can ask people about what significance these days have and perhaps use that to begin a conversation about the faith.

Don’t let a good opportunity go to waste. 🙂
 
KendraDZ1902 said:
I do understand that some protestant denominations do observe more than just the fun Catholic holidays. I grew up in a Church of Christ/Baptist house hold and Lent wasn’t a big deal. So why do non-Catholics who don’t observe Lent have big Mardi Gras bashes? Why is it that some non-Catholic denominations don’t recognize saints, but will go out and party for St. Patrick’s day? I don’t get it. 🤷
Click to expand...
Same reason atheists celebrate Christmas 🤷
 
KendraDZ1902 said:
I do understand that some protestant denominations do observe more than just the fun Catholic holidays. I grew up in a Church of Christ/Baptist house hold and Lent wasn’t a big deal. So why do non-Catholics who don’t observe Lent have big Mardi Gras bashes? Why is it that some non-Catholic denominations don’t recognize saints, but will go out and party for St. Patrick’s day? I don’t get it. 🤷
Click to expand...
Some holidays or celebrations have become part of the general culture leaving the initial religious basis or meaning behind. We can see this in Christmas and Easter but also in days like St. Valentines day, St. Patrick etc. My understanding is that St. Patrick’s day is still more of a religious holiday in Ireland as compared to the US where it has become a big drinking fest. (one of the biggest drinking days of the year) everyone wear green because we are all Irish sort thing. Mardi Gras is the same way, but that is more localized to parts of the south. Then there is Packi day up in the northern cities instead of Mardi Gras. So everyone eats a Packi till they become sick. People line up outside Polish bakeries in the wee hours of the morning to get their packi. Anything for an excuse for a party.
 
sousley said:
It’s not just a problem for Non-Catholics; even many Catholics are unaware of who the saints are. We are supposed to be familiar with them and draw inspiration from their lives, to see ourselves in their failings and rejoice with them in their witness to God. But how many Catholics even know that Feb 14 was changed on the liturgical calendar about 50 years ago from St. Valentine to Ss. Methodius and Cyril; much less tell you anything about them.

I understand what you’re saying, it is frustrating to see St. Patrick’s legacy lived out in the form of green beer 🤷 but the truth is Catholics and Non-Catholics alike are toasting each other at the same bar, and too often neither could tell you 3 things about him. The saints did not fail in their witness. Can we say the same?
Click to expand...
I don’t know about many Saints. I’ve learned a lot these past 2 years, as I am a convert. I don’t think I will ever be able to know all of them.
 
KendraDZ1902 said:
I do understand that some protestant denominations do observe more than just the fun Catholic holidays. I grew up in a Church of Christ/Baptist house hold and Lent wasn’t a big deal. So why do non-Catholics who don’t observe Lent have big Mardi Gras bashes? Why is it that some non-Catholic denominations don’t recognize saints, but will go out and party for St. Patrick’s day? I don’t get it. 🤷
Click to expand...
Very simple - all people like to have fun! 😃
 
KendraDZ1902 said:
I do understand that some protestant denominations do observe more than just the fun Catholic holidays. I grew up in a Church of Christ/Baptist house hold and Lent wasn’t a big deal. So why do non-Catholics who don’t observe Lent have big Mardi Gras bashes? Why is it that some non-Catholic denominations don’t recognize saints, but will go out and party for St. Patrick’s day? I don’t get it. 🤷
Click to expand...
Well I got a bit irritable right after Christmas on Facebook.

First fundamentalists were complaining about Catholic
statues than they were complaining about not being
allowed to have nativity scenes at their local city
hall. So I asked them if we could put a statue
of Mary in their city hall and they said no-that is
if Satanic idol worship. So I said why then do you want
a nativity scene at city hall? And they said it was their
civil right…

Then I was wondering why a couple of Facebook friends
who are professional Wiccans were going hearty
over Christmas on December 25. And they said it
was the celebration of the winter solstice that the
Catholic Church stole from them for conversion
purposes. So I pointed out that in the northern
hemisphere the Solstice ALWAYS occurs between
Dec. 20 and Dec. 22 and the Church does not
celebrate Christmas until the solstice is over.
Dead silence.

So you want it all to make sense do you? Lmao.
I have decided the following:
You can easily chart the degree of chaos per religion
by the degree of insults offered to the Virgin Mary.
Start with Lutherans who honor her and have very
little chaotic teachings and go down the line to
episcopalian, then baptist, then Jack Chick, then the utter chaos
of the Book of Mormon or Wicca priestesses.

The more the insult to Mary the more irrational
the person.
 
Joe_5859 said:
As regrettable as it is that these Catholic holidays are twisted into something far different from their original intent**, I think we can use these types of things as jumping off points with regards to evangelization. We can ask people about what significance these days have and perhaps use that to begin a conversation about the faith.**
Don’t let a good opportunity go to waste. 🙂
Click to expand...
Oh, but that would take all the “fun” out of complaining about other people :eek:
 
marywarfield said:
Well I got a bit irritable right after Christmas on Facebook.

First fundamentalists were complaining about Catholic
statues than they were complaining about not being
allowed to have nativity scenes at their local city
hall. So I asked them if we could put a statue
of Mary in their city hall and they said no-that is
if Satanic idol worship. So I said why then do you want
a nativity scene at city hall? And they said it was their
civil right…

Then I was wondering why a couple of Facebook friends
who are professional Wiccans were going hearty
over Christmas on December 25. And they said it
was the celebration of the winter solstice that the
Catholic Church stole from them for conversion
purposes. So I pointed out that in the northern
hemisphere the Solstice ALWAYS occurs between
Dec. 20 and Dec. 22 and the Church does not
celebrate Christmas until the solstice is over.
Dead silence.

So you want it all to make sense do you? Lmao.
I have decided the following:
You can easily chart the degree of chaos per religion
by the degree of insults offered to the Virgin Mary.
Start with Lutherans who honor her and have very
little chaotic teachings and go down the line to
episcopalian, then baptist, then Jack Chick, then the utter chaos
of the Book of Mormon or Wicca priestesses.

The more the insult to Mary the more irrational
the person.
Click to expand...
Do they not know that Mary is in the nativity scene? LOL. I love the bolded quote. I may use it from time to time, if that’s ok. 😃
 
Even though many Christians may not consider the origin and meaning of some Catholic holidays, I think that it is good that these saints days are still celebrated. I was looking at a calendar of religious holidays observed in Europe and was surprised about how many of these days are national holidays. This was particularly interesting in so-called ‘Lutheran’ countries where the state church still has influence. Not having to go to work on St John’s Day, for example, may be the primary reason for celebrating the Apostle but as least these holy days are still national holidays in countries like Sweden, Norway, etc.
 
marywarfield said:
Well I got a bit irritable right after Christmas on Facebook.

First fundamentalists were complaining about Catholic
statues than they were complaining about not being
allowed to have nativity scenes at their local city
hall. So I asked them if we could put a statue
of Mary in their city hall and they said no-that is
if Satanic idol worship. So I said why then do you want
a nativity scene at city hall? And they said it was their
civil right…

Then I was wondering why a couple of Facebook friends
who are professional Wiccans were going hearty
over Christmas on December 25. And they said it
was the celebration of the winter solstice that the
Catholic Church stole from them for conversion
purposes. So I pointed out that in the northern
hemisphere the Solstice ALWAYS occurs between
Dec. 20 and Dec. 22 and the Church does not
celebrate Christmas until the solstice is over.
Dead silence.

So you want it all to make sense do you? Lmao.
I have decided the following:
You can easily chart the degree of chaos per religion
by the degree of insults offered to the Virgin Mary.
Start with Lutherans who honor her and have very
little chaotic teachings and go down the line to
episcopalian, then baptist, then Jack Chick, then the utter chaos
of the Book of Mormon or Wicca priestesses.

The more the insult to Mary the more irrational
the person.
Click to expand...
Oh my goodness, I am so using this nativity example if my Protestant brothers ever object to statues again. I love watching them as they try to rationalize. Hahaha
 
They are not celebrating religious holy days, they are celebrating secular holidays…big difference!
 
Neofight said:
They are not celebrating religious holy days, they are celebrating secular holidays…big difference!
Click to expand...
St. Patrick’s day is a secular holiday? It is a religious holiday and even a holy day of obligation in Ireland.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top