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One Million Catholics in Guatemala joined Syriac Church of Antioch
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Tobias22
Guest
Guatemala has seen a huge drop in it’s Catholic population in the past 3 decades. I think it is around 30% now.
Most have gone to evangelical and pentecostal churches which are the largest group in the country now. There have even villages that converted to Islam as the competing evangelical groups in the village were splitting the people.
The interesting thing is that the Antiochian Orthodox church in the US has many Catholic converts but also many evangelical converts. Whole evangelical churches and their pastors have converted. I am thinking of the Antiochian church in Cupertino California.
Most have gone to evangelical and pentecostal churches which are the largest group in the country now. There have even villages that converted to Islam as the competing evangelical groups in the village were splitting the people.
The interesting thing is that the Antiochian Orthodox church in the US has many Catholic converts but also many evangelical converts. Whole evangelical churches and their pastors have converted. I am thinking of the Antiochian church in Cupertino California.
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NovusAugustus
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I read through some of the thread. It helped a lot. Thanks. Also thanks to the other Orthodox poster who answered my questions.
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dzheremi
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This is a Chalcedonian Church, unrelated to the Church being discussed in the OP other than both being ultimately rooted in Antioch. You are right, though, that the Chalcedonian Antiochians have proved very popular among ex-Somethings in the USA (the Syriacs in the USA less so, unfortunately).
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Milliardo
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This is in part because of Fr. Peter Gillquist (may his memory be eternal), who was evangelical before becoming Orthodox.
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ReConverted
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Lets see…both the Catholic and Orthodox Church openly proclaim the need for reunion. Both sides excommunicated each other. Then, about 50 years ago,both sides lifted their mutual excommunications. (So of course, this means one side or the other was going to Hell, period, right? Puh-leeze. Acknowledging the Bishop of Rome as able to infallibility proclaim dogma with God’s approval is** error**, and spare me the argument that those two things are the same. They’re NOT. Even John Henry Cardinal Newman opposed the idea of Papal infallibility. He was FAR from alone in this. He accepted it as a matter of obedience, not of fact. He was FAR from alone in this, as well. This is easily demonstrated. I don’t acknowledge Papal infallibility as truth anymore, nor does history. Facts are stubborn things. Obedience to error is no virtue! Error is to be called out and vigorously opposed. Eastern Christians didn’t believe in Papal infallibility from the start, and the last time I checked our faith began in the East, so they juuuuuuust might know a thing or thing or thirty on this topic. I’m just sayin’…
Many lax Roman Catholic Bishops evade criticism by their idolatry of the so called “renewal”. These men need a reality check and need to look up what “renewal” really means. Even Pope Benedict said the Church is in a shambles.
"The Church is in "Springtime, many say. I’ll try to remember that the next time I have to tell a Priest that he hasn’t used the correct wording in the words of absolution.I’ve had to do that several times in my 19 years as a convert to the Catholic faith. I won’t tolerate the “Universal Salvation” nonsense that quite a few Priests agree with. I’ll try to tell myself things are OK, when I call a Parish to set up a time to make confession, and the Priest says to me “I can hear your confession on the phone”. Umm, no, Father. Bless you, but you’re not allowed to do that.) Do your think that for one moment this would happen and be tolerated in the Orthodox? Not on your life!
I believe that our Lord, Jesus Christ established ONE church, and that Rome got too big for it’s britches in some important ways. Both sides have done terrible things in the name of God, it’s true. But Papal infallibility is an error and denial of historical fact that the Orthodox Church never bought into.
Save me the “The Church has gone thru rough times before” argument. Because it’s mostly used as an excuse for so much of the madness in the Roman Church. 2+2 does NOT equal 5, and I’m not in bad standing with God, because as a Christian, husband and father it is my obligation to seek truth and to call out error. Now, I’m not Athanasius, who stood up to GRAVE error even though he could have been killed for holding to the truth. I have to emulate what he did. I’m also not a Berean, but I have to do my best to emulate them. Our Lord is quite clear: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” - Hosea 4:6
I entered the Church 19 years ago, on Easter vigil. I love the Roman Church, but I’ll take awe, reverence, facts, and history over “We are here to tell our story” pablum. (Our story???)
OK: Why this tangential rant? Because God sent Priests and a Bishop to 800,000 people, and some are actually grousing about this. (This is an example of what I’m talking about.) are once again Learning of dear Lord, and receiving his Holy Sacraments.the Church. The Roman Catholic Bishop…where was he? Are you going to tell me that his superiors didn’t know about this? If they didn’t know, then they are just as guilty in withholding our Lord from these people. Where were the Roman Catholic shepherds who were supposed to guard this flock? ? It’s this kind of failure is abominable.
If you reply, please reply to things I clearly said** here, or I’ll ignore your post. Please better yourself by not resorting to dodges, and/or Ad Hominem attacks.
/BI
Rome, I love you dearly, but can no longer tolerate the abuses you ignore or promote.
The Orthodox aren’t perfect, but they’re in FAR better shape.
The salvation of souls is entrusted to Priests and Bishops. The Roman Church neglected and ignored the needs of these 800,000 souls whom our Blessed Lord died for. God sent a faithful Bishop and faithful Priests to these 800,000 souls. Why aren’t you doing cartwheels of joy and thanking God?
Do the Orthodox Churches commit error? Of course! I don’t deny that at all. But they’re not in doctrinal error concerning such teaching as the role of the Bishop of Rome.
Jesus is still Jesus, and his promises are always faithful. Both the Orthodox and Roman Church are dearly loved and in God’s grace. However, the Orthodox who are, like anyone, far from perfect, are just plain more faithful to Our Lord and to history.
And so, to be faithful in the best ways I can…goodbye, Rome. Hello, Constantinople. Jesus is still with me and will always be with me.
May the love and joy of the Lord and our Lady comfort all of you, now and always!!!
:tiphat::extrahappy:- ReConverted**
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BillyT926
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Guatemala, more than any C and S American country is THE most fickle when it comes to religion.
Pentecostals converted a lot throughout the region, but none more than Guatemala.
Bad catechesis and an overly political church hurt
Here Pope Bergoglio might help big time
Pentecostals converted a lot throughout the region, but none more than Guatemala.
Bad catechesis and an overly political church hurt
Here Pope Bergoglio might help big time
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Peter_J
Guest
Well, speaking from the Catholic side, we certainly do consider it a good thing to be in communion with Rome – or, to put it in a more common way, to be Catholic. But whether we consider that necessary really depends on how you mean that. I mean, it’s not like we think that those who aren’t in full communion with Rome are going to Hell.
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