Protestant Service instead of Mass

[freudmacher]

I have heard this a few times lately. It baffles me. What do you think about this.

So and So “doesn’t go to Mass anymore, they go to” a protestant service “at least they are going somewhere”.

 

[PBP]

I have heard this a few times lately. It baffles me. What do you think about this.

So and So “doesn’t go to Mass anymore, they go to” a protestant service “at least they are going somewhere”.

What did I do as a Catholic to reach out to them ?

 

[marymonde]

I have heard this a few times lately. It baffles me. What do you think about this.

So and So “doesn’t go to Mass anymore, they go to” a protestant service “at least they are going somewhere”.

I tell them it is a sin against faith and they need to go to confession, but that is usually the reason they seek prot services…they do not want to make use of the Sacrament of Penance.

I really do feel it is our Christian duty, a corporal work of mercy, to instruct those who believe this error, whether they are defending the person leaving the Church or the person themselves committing this sin. I have found the crux of the matter usually DOES always come down to confession.

 

[marymonde]

There are nine ways by which we can be accessories to the sins of others:

1. By counsel.
2. By command.
3. By consent.
4. By provocation.
5. By praise or flattery.
6. By concealment.
7. By partaking.
8. By silence.
   9.** By defense of the ill done.**

 

[BamaRider]

:coffeeread:

 

[markadm]

Though highly uncharitable, the word “apostate” comes to mind.

It is very difficult to work out the right thing to do to help people like this. Because if they feel driven away then telling them they are sinning is hardly going to bring them back. Urgh.

 

[marymonde]

Though highly uncharitable, the word “apostate” comes to mind.

It is very difficult to work out the right thing to do to help people like this. Because if they feel driven away then telling them they are sinning is hardly going to bring them back. Urgh.

It’s not highly uncharitable, it’s the Truth.

Look, you can point out sin in charity. Honestly you can. All you need is a proof, from let’s say a catechism. Those who are of good will, will respond positively. Those who aren’t, won’t. Presenting the Truth is never a road block for YOU.

 

[m134e5]

I have heard this a few times lately. It baffles me. What do you think about this.

So and So “doesn’t go to Mass anymore, they go to” a protestant service “at least they are going somewhere”.

I know many people who were raised Catholic and have left the Church. In many ways it bothers me more when they join another Church than when they just quit going altogether. The Church means everything to me- I hate to think of where I’d be if it weren’t for my faith. I know there are others out there now who are in similar situations as I was in 7 years ago.

People leave the Church for various reasons. Some of them, such as frustration over the annulment process, are difficult to deal with and about the only way they *can *be dealt with is for the person going through them to believe that the Church is who she claims to be- and to keep up their prayer life. The doctrinal issues can be dealt with pretty easily- if people will listen to the Catholic viewpoint- and if priests will stop giving misinformation to try and “be nice” or because they think they know better than the Church, like by simply saying “we’re working on it” when asked about women’s ordination or catholic/protestant intercommunion.

Many of the people who leave have legitimate reasons for being frustrated. Catholics need to find out what those reasons are and try to do whatever they can from their end to fix the problems.

 

[m134e5]

I tell them it is a sin against faith and they need to go to confession, but that is usually the reason they seek prot services…they do not want to make use of the Sacrament of Penance.

I really do feel it is our Christian duty, a corporal work of mercy, to instruct those who believe this error, whether they are defending the person leaving the Church or the person themselves committing this sin. I have found the crux of the matter usually DOES always come down to confession.

I haven’t seen this- perhaps it just isn’t common among the people I talk to the most about this sort of thing. Most people I know who left don’t like the ideea of confession, but it isn’t their main reason. “I wasn’t being fed” is the most common reason I hear. When I dig in deeper, I find this basically means 1.) the preaching and religious education backed off “to meet people where they are” just when it was starting to get good, 2.) the music is lifeless and they use the same songs over and over, and 3.) the parishioners were too caught up in their own lives to reach out to others- **after **Mass.

 

[TMC]

I have heard this a few times lately. It baffles me. What do you think about this.

So and So “doesn’t go to Mass anymore, they go to” a protestant service “at least they are going somewhere”.

I think the sentiment is that it is better that they be actively Christian in some denomination then not have any faith at all. It would be better if they were Catholic, but if they are not Catholic isn’t it better that they are still Christian? Or do you think that having left the Church they may as well be atheists?

 

[marymonde]

I haven’t seen this- perhaps it just isn’t common among the people I talk to the most about this sort of thing. Most people I know who left don’t like the ideea of confession, but it isn’t their main reason. “I wasn’t being fed” is the most common reason I hear. When I dig in deeper, I find this basically means 1.) the preaching and religious education backed off “to meet people where they are” just when it was starting to get good, 2.) the music is lifeless and they use the same songs over and over, and 3.) the parishioners were too caught up in their own lives to reach out to others- **after **Mass.

I go to a Trad Oratory so confession is not a problem there. However when I do talk to friends who have left the Church their ultimate answer is, “I don’t need to confess my sins to a priest, I confess to God and found this out through…insert name of prot minister”. I have heard the same response as you have as well, but if a person is not in a state of grace to begin with, the ground is rocky to sow seeds of Truth and they will go looking elsewhere. I mean to say the same songs were sung over and over again is like a spouse complaining to put the cap on the toothpaste tube or they’re going to get a divorce. The entire mass is repetitive and so is some of the music. It’s just an excuse.

Fwiw, I heard a good, sound, orthodox priest preach on this very topic. His mission was to reach out to Catholics who left the Church and entered into non-Catholic assemblies. After he listened to the various reasons why people left the Church he then would ask, “So what sin was it that you didn’t want to confess that you left the Church over?” The response was amazing. He brought over 600 souls back to Holy Mother Church over that one question. He said it always boiled down to an unconfessed sin, period.

 

[marymonde]

I think the sentiment is that it is better that they be actively Christian in some denomination then not have any faith at all. It would be better if they were Catholic, but if they are not Catholic isn’t it better that they are still Christian? Or do you think that having left the Church they may as well be atheists?

If they deny Jesus isn’t reposing truly present in a nearby tabernacle in a Catholic Church , or His Holy Mother is not a Virgin, or that the sacraments do not give sanctifying grace…what would the difference be if they were protestants or atheists? I don’t see any. If you deny a Truth it doesn’t really matter what your label is.

 

[RomanRevert]

I think the sentiment is that it is better that they be actively Christian in some denomination then not have any faith at all. It would be better if they were Catholic, but if they are not Catholic isn’t it better that they are still Christian? Or do you think that having left the Church they may as well be atheists?

Extra Ecclesiam Nulla Salus

…and I am not talking about the extreme Feeneyite version … look at the Catechism on this topic. If someone leaves the Church then they have created some serious issues for themselves. They are essentially formal heretics of the ilk of Luther et al. We may not like that fact or think that it is “fair” - but who are we to make that judgement?

 

[freudmacher]

I know many people who were raised Catholic and have left the Church. In many ways it bothers me more when they join another Church than when they just quit going altogether. The Church means everything to me- I hate to think of where I’d be if it weren’t for my faith.

Well, I guess this is more of the way I was looking at the quote. If someone leaves the Church then they already have “issues” and to go somewhere else where they will learn heretical things, just adds even more.

Someone stated that a priest would talk to people that left the church and after listening would ask what sin is it they do not want to confess. That is very very interesting to me.

Some might say that I cannot judge…true, but I can state what people have done publicly. One time this whole “at least they are going somewhere” thing was stated was because this girl got “married” to a protestant, he refused to get married, or blessed, in the church. When I have tried to talk to her about it, she has a whole lot of excuses, they are not issues, they are excuses.

this is very hard to write about, because it is my little sister. When she was a child, she kept our family praying…would remind us when we were upset to ask Mother Mary to help. I could go on and on…but it hurts to think about it all. I know to pray, and I know in my heart it WILL change, she will come back, but it’s my little sister.