Possible revert-not anymore

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The “many threads” comment was meant so that you can see what other people’s solutions were. Sorry, but your posts sound like you want to blame others and use them as your excuse to not come back to church.

If you read the other threads, you would see people speak about mass being about receiving Our Lord and Savior in the Eucharist, and how that is the most important part of being Catholic to me. Not having someone standing at the door shaking my hand and say hello as I enter, not even having a priest call me up and say hey, welcome back. It’s not about any of that, because the mass is not about me.

No thank you to the link. I answered your post to help you, not to have you try to justify how you feel with a link that bolsters your unhappy feelings.
 
sj2017 said:
It’s about give and take in human relationships. Why expect less in a church? I thought this was common sense.
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You’re supposed to be going to the Catholic Church to find Jesus, who is always happy to see you. Not to find a human welcoming committee.

If you’re looking for people to make a fuss over you, then I would honestly have to question the depth of your commitment to the faith, because it seems like you’re more focused on getting attention for yourself and are picking a church based on whether they give good “customer service” rather than on the truth of the faith.

A lot of us who come back, including me, feel bad about having been away and committing sins. We don’t expect a party just because we returned.
 
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sj2017 said:
If I email a business and it doesn’t reply or gives a rude reply, I’ll move on to another business. If I contact a friend and he never replies, we probably won’t be friends for very long. It’s about give and take in human relationships. Why expect less in a church? I thought this was common sense.
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These are good insights. Some parishes could do better.

Why don’t you finish reverting, start participating, and show your parish how it should be done? They need people like you!
 
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Christ’s Church is neither a business nor a give-and-take human relationship.

“Remember the word of the Lord Jesus, how he said: It is a more blessed thing to give, rather than to receive.”
(Acts 20:35)

“[Let] each one not consider the things that are his own, but those that are other men’s. For let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
But emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men, and in habit found as a man.
He humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross.”
(Phil 2:4-8)

“For unto this are you called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving you an example that you should follow his steps.”
(1 Pt 2:21)
sj2017 said:
It’s about priorities. Using the rationale that the Catholic Church is the one true church and that’s all that matters won’t cut it in 2018.
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Yes, it is about priorities.
Is there something more important to you than the truth?

“For, amen, I say to you, many prophets and just men have desired to see the things that you see, and have not seen them, and to hear the things that you hear and have not heard them.
Hear you therefore the parable of the sower.
When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, there cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart: this is he that received the seed by the way side.
And he that received the seed upon stony ground, is he that heareth the word, and immediately receiveth it with joy. Yet hath he not root in himself, but is only for a time: and when there ariseth tribulation and persecution because of the word, he is presently scandalized.
And he that received the seed among thorns, is he that heareth the word, and the care of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choketh up the word, and he becometh fruitless.
But he that received the seed upon good ground, is he that heareth the word, and understandeth, and beareth fruit, and yieldeth the one an hundredfold, and another sixty, and another thirty.”
(Mt 13:17-23)
 
I’m sorry you are in this situation OP and I agree that many parishes really aren’t great at this. I hope you are able to get back to practicing your faith despite this and will keep you in my prayers.
 
Did you even read my original post? I simply asked for basic courtesy. I contacted priests with sincerity and expected a response. That’s it. Is expecting basic decency too much? Your inappropriate and un-Christian comments are not persuasive. That goes for Irishmom2 as well. Not viewing Bishop Barron’s comments or the research behind it won’t make the problem go away.
 
I’m not really interested in being “persuasive”. I’m telling it like I see it.
Sorry if you don’t like it, but in my experience, if people are going to leave the Church over something like what you said, they have one foot out the door all the time.
They see something they don’t like at a Mass, the priest doesn’t return their call, somebody doesn’t happen to say hello at the coffee and donuts, bam, they’re out the door.

Check your priorities and why you’re reverting in the first place.

I’m not the one who said I wouldn’t read Bishop Barron’s link, and I might at another time read it, but like irishmom said, I’m not interested in you using Bishop Barron to justify whatever hangup you’re having right now.

I’m out. Good luck with your decisions.
 
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We can sympathize with the lack of courtesy you received from the priests you happened to contact, and acknowledge that indeed people in the Church are often not particularly good in this regard (that’s probably true). If you came just to ask for sympathy, we would just encourage you. But if you say that for that reason, you will not enter the Church, then you have far bigger problems than dealing with difficult people. And that’s just the fact of the matter, unfortunately, so I can’t think of how we would be charitable to you if we didn’t point that out. But maybe that’s because of my lack of charity. I’m afraid if you don’t like this kind of advice, you probably don’t like the Church as she really is, but I pray you will reconsider.

I really do hope you bear through it and find your way Home, but I think all we can do is pray.
Ave Maria and God bless!
 
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So… Do you have any intention to follow the advice given to you here? Or is this Thread’s objective simply about griping?
 
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Most likely, the protestant church would have told you that you need to be baptized, attend membership classes, and then meet with their board of elders or such for approval. Membership classes and even baptisms often take place when there are enough people interested. I would suggest you attend Mass and introduce yourself to the Priest. Tell him you will be calling to schedule an appointment with him. At the meeting, explain your current situation and then follow his recommendations. Please, don’t rely on email. It is impersonal and some simply don’t use it or aren’t skilled with email. Do it this week - don’t put it off any longer.
 
You still haven’t stated what you were looking for when you called the parishes. Did you just want someone to say, we are glad you returned. Join us for the sacraments. Here’s a bulletin with the times they are offered? What else would they have said?
 
sj2017 said:
I found 2 parishes nearby that looked very good. I contacted them as well about reverting. I got very luke-warm and unwelcoming responses.
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What would you want these people to say or do that they aren’t doing?

You can either come back to the Church, or not. It isn’t like you’re a “free agent” ballplayer where teams are going to sweeten the pot to get you on board.
 
Exactly. When I came back I specifically repented and recanted of my foray in Anglicanism. I received absolution. Then I started attending Mass again. As simple as that!
😉
 
“Don’t mean to be cruel or offensive here” – Then don’t be.

“then you have far bigger problems than dealing with difficult people…”—Do you think ad hominem attacks will persuade me?

“Or is this Thread’s objective simply about griping?”—I will certainly consider the advice on here that’s well thought out. I also wanted to bring up a serious issue within the Church. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of cognitive dissonance and un-Christian behavior on this forum.
 
I returned after being away for two decades. I started going to daily mass at a parish near my office. I didn’t know a soul there.
 
I would like to start off by saying I’m sorry for your predicament. Somewhere between coming out of tombs 2000 years ago and now, the sense of community that was there kinda went away. I know what you’re talking about.

That being said, you shouldn’t be hostile to those who’ve posted here. They’re just trying to help. Calling others “unchristian” for telling you what needs to happen, just because you don’t agree with what they’re saying, is not okay. If you’re coming to Catholicism looking for anything but God, you’ll need to adjust your attitude. It’s not about feelings, about community or acceptance. It’s about God.

Go to mass on Sunday, and talk to the priest afterwards. Let him know that you’re new, and you need a little direction. He’ll help. I’ll pray for you.
 
sj2017 said:
“then you have far bigger problems than dealing with difficult people…”—Do you think ad hominem attacks will persuade me?
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That wasn’t an ad hominem attack, nor meant in any way to make you feel bad. It’s just the straightforward truth, that there is no bigger problem to have than to not receive God’s grace, which He gives us in His Church: which is the problem I was referring to.
 
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Just show up at one of the parishes (or both) when it’s time for Mass. You don’t need an invitation. Jesus is always there waiting for you.
 
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