Protestants: How Can You Not Be Catholic, After Viewing a Catholic Mass?

[gcnuss]

I just wondered after Protestants see the Holiness at a Catholic Mass, since Jesus was Holy, why not be Catholic? I have heard many conversions after attending church services, and even one convert who was Jewish (Edith Stein), who walked into a church, felt the Holiness of the people praying and knew where her calling would lie.

OTCA,

I think that one might make the same case for any religious service in which the holiness of Jesus is apparent. There are certainly non-Catholic Christians who became Christian because of their experiences in the churches they attended. Jesus said “for where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.” I would expect that if Jesus is present his holiness is there also.

 

[Publisher]

I just wondered after Protestants see the Holiness at a Catholic Mass, since Jesus was Holy, why not be Catholic? I have heard many conversions after attending church services, and even one convert who was Jewish (Edith Stein), who walked into a church, felt the Holiness of the people praying and knew where her calling would lie.

My first experience with attending a mass was about 15 years ago…I went with a Catholic friend to the Xmas Eve Mass in Sacramento. I loved the Xmas music…but the ritual did not inspire a sense of “holiness” in me…it wasn’t something I could ever seeing myself become a part of…to me the ritual and gestures were…“cold”.

For those of you who find Connection to the Light in the mass, I say great…but for me I didn’t see the or feel the “holiness”…I did see many people show signs of reverence…but it was foreign to me.

The first time I entered into a Friends Meeting for Worship…that is when I felt the holiness of the Presence around me and through the worship of the Eternal One.

 

[LittleOrphan]

I am currently a member of a Presbyterian Church, but my family has been a member of a Methodist church, as well as an international non-denomination Christian church while living overseas. I have also attended a couple of catholic sermons, including one in a beautiful church that had been standing since before the second world war. The beauty of some catholic churches is appealing, but I am sure that is not what makes Mass Holy for Catholics. Stained glass and old wood is in no way more Holy than pane windows and plastic chairs.

Most Protestants view a church as a way to grow in ones faith and bring oneself closer to god. Most Protestants believe that anyone can reach God without a middle man. A minister is like a mutual acquaintance of God and his or her congregation, introducing the latter to the former. They then can all hang out together so that the member of the congregation feels more comfortable around God, but after that God’s like, “Hey call me any time. I’ve always liked (well, loved) you.” And so you can call on God anywhere and tell him your troubles and confess when you’ve been a bad friend, or you can thank him for his bountiful gifts and blessings because God always knows exactly what you needed before you even could ask him. It is a pretty sweet set up, if you ask me.
In this way, a church can be anywhere, prayer can be anywhere, you can worship god in any time of the day. A church service is another way to further your relationship with Jesus. It is beautiful because it is filled with people who come together to get excited about a God who lives and loves. Some of my favorite services when I was a methodist weren’t even in a building. We used to have spring and summer services on our pastors front lawn. It was a beautiful way to worship.

On a side note, your question is a logical fallacy. For a protestant to believe in/notice the holiness of a catholic mass, they would have to have the mindset that a Catholic mass is holy, and therefore would already be Catholic. They are Protestant most likely because they believe in Protestant principals and attend Protestant service that they believe to be holy. You get what I am saying? You’re argument is routed in the fact that a Catholic Mass is Holy/the Holiest of all Christian services, and if you believe that, then you are already Catholic. You might call it begging the question, assuming the point, or “petitio principii”, if you speak latin.

And Jesus was Jewish. He didn’t invent the structure of the Catholic church, so we don’t know which way is right. But when it all boils down to it, we all love Jesus, and that is more important than the way we do it.

 

[Justy90]

I just wondered after Protestants see the Holiness at a Catholic Mass, since Jesus was Holy, why not be Catholic? I have heard many conversions after attending church services, and even one convert who was Jewish (Edith Stein), who walked into a church, felt the Holiness of the people praying and knew where her calling would lie.

I just wondered after Catholics see the Holiness at an Anglican Holy Eucharist on Lake Michigan where 5 adults and 2 infants were baptized and the presence of the Holy Spirit was so strong and evident that the folks near the baptizing were trembling and shedding tears, why not be Anglican? We have 6 converts from Catholicism who each tell of coming into the presence of God in their new church where they never felt it or knew it before. They certainly were shown where their calling lies.

 

[Usbek_de_Perse]

I just wondered after Catholics see the Holiness at an Anglican Holy Eucharist on Lake Michigan where 5 adults and 2 infants were baptized and the presence of the Holy Spirit was so strong and evident that the folks near the baptizing were trembling and shedding tears, why not be Anglican? We have 6 converts from Catholicism who each tell of coming into the presence of God in their new church where they never felt it or knew it before. They certainly were shown where their calling lies.

Quite frankly, the last time I went to a Catholic Mass, I was appalled by the casual attitude of the attendees, and even the priest. The sense of reverence was not there. This was the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ they were dealing so casually with. I contrast this to my Episcopal church, where the Eucharist is celebrated with dignified solemnity, and people approach the communion rail in silent reverence.

The reason many Catholics, and even quite a few Catholic priests become Episcopalian is that they see the reverence in the church that is lacking in too many Catholic churches. I heard on Catholic radio that there are over 500 formerly Catholic priests in the Episcopal church. I find that number high, and I only know 2, but I am sure more Catholic priests have swum the Tiber in the opposite direction than have gone over to Rome.

 

[Justy90]

Quite frankly, the last time I went to a Catholic Mass, I was appalled by the casual attitude of the attendees, and even the priest. The sense of reverence was not there. This was the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ they were dealing so casually with. I contrast this to my Episcopal church, where the Eucharist is celebrated with dignified solemnity, and people approach the communion rail in silent reverence.

The reason many Catholics, and even quite a few Catholic priests become Episcopalian is that they see the reverence in the church that is lacking in too many Catholic churches. I heard on Catholic radio that there are over 500 formerly Catholic priests in the Episcopal church. I find that number high, and I only know 2, but I am sure more Catholic priests have swum the Tiber in the opposite direction than have gone over to Rome.

I can appreciate what you said here as I have experienced things that are very similar to what you just mentioned.