Questions on Ecumenism

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rider said:
It seems that most of you agree that we can contribute to ecumenism on a grassroots level by being the best Catholic that we can be, and lead by example…
We all have opportunities to evangelize, like when a JW comes to the door-turn the tables on them and invite them into our faith! There are always chances to talk to others about our faith and it is up to us how we approach that. Some of us will take the strong, direct aproach (Palmas) and some will be more subtle (Bear 06). What matters is that each of us is trying, as Christ said, to proclaim the gospel. We all have different personalities and what works for one may not work for another. As for myself, I am not willing to compromise my faith for fear of offending a non Catholic.
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I agree with this post. We all have different personalities and approaches. Like rider, I will not compromise my beliefs in the name of ecumenism. I do think that bear has some good tactics, especially about praying the rosary in front of the abortion clinic, no matter who you are praying with, and also about hooking them on the sly. It’s just that some of us are more upfront, and that isn’t our style. And some people actually respond well to a more direct approach, just as there are those who prefer subtlety.

Like Father Corapi says, God will hit you with a two by four! 😃
 
PauloFreire2 said:
Ecumenism is beyond our reach. Man prefers tribes, and naturally segregates himself into them constantly.😦
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It seems to be that way. That’s why the development of different languages and cultures. Geography may have something to do with it but not always.
 
paramedicgirl said:
I agree with this post. We all have different personalities and approaches. Like rider, I will not compromise my beliefs in the name of ecumenism. I do think that bear has some good tactics, especially about praying the rosary in front of the abortion clinic, no matter who you are praying with, and also about hooking them on the sly. It’s just that some of us are more upfront, and that isn’t our style. And some people actually respond well to a more direct approach, just as there are those who prefer subtlety.

Like Father Corapi says, God will hit you with a two by four! 😃
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Yes, yes! This is basically what I meant. There are many ways to go and none of them necessarily deny the Faith. We are all called to tackle things in different ways. We get into trouble when we get into a “my way or the highway” situation. I see this all of the time in Catholic activist circles. Look at the saints. They did not all approach things in the same manner even though they had the same goals. They also sometimes switched tactics to fit the situation. Obviously, they didn’t deny the Faith in their different tactics.
That’s great. I also think that those who pray with the protestants are doing a great job. I’ve seen many conversions that way too.** As my point has always been, there are many things that one can do that do not deny doctrine in the least**
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Rykell said:
I hardly think omitting these prayers is a concession to scare away those of other faiths, Paramedicgirl. You customarily stretch your point beyond a reasonable conclusion and give it a label (watering down our faith) that nobody ever intends. I have been to totally Catholic prayer vigils and services that do not specifically pray for the intention of the Holy Father or the souls in purgatory.

When people of other faiths gather for prayer, the common ground and specific intention is usually the focus of prayer, such as a Thanksgiving prayer service, prayer for world peace, our armed forces, and the tragedy of 911, where many interfaith christians met for that sole purpose. I would expect that those who gather for prayer after this week’s massacre would not veer off toward prayers for the souls in purgatory, either. :rolleyes: Could I ask that these discussions be realistic?
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I believe her point to be sincere and worthy of an answer… The lable watered down is called that for a reason. Not many want to water down the faith but that doesnt mean that they arent. You are right… but Just as no one ever intends to give a cut an infection, nonetheless when it has an infection we call it an infection. Your example of being at Catholic prayer services and not specifically saying those prayers is flawed in two ways. One it backs up the argument that the faith IS watered down even in our own circles. And two, why were the prayers not said, was it because you didn’t want to offend someone or just simply because you didn’t have occasion to say them. With protestants it is not because we don’t have occasion to say them but because we don’t want to instigate a scene. Fair question… When leading prayer in a mixed group do you say “in the name of the Father the SOn and the Holy Spirit” and cross yourself? or do you leave that out? I would be interested to know.
 
palmas85 said:
bear06;2129640:
Subterfuge can indeed be a bad thing.
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Geez, I put a smiley and everything. You’re taking my point incorrectly. I’m not suggesting that we bring people into the Church on false pretexts. This is silly. If you’ll read my post again, I’m fine with people choosing to focus on what we have in common in order to get them to a point where we can educate them on what we don’t have in common.
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The label watered down is called that for a reason. Not many want to water down the faith but that doesnt mean that they arent. You are right… but Just as no one ever intends to give a cut an infection, nonetheless when it has an infection we call it an infection. Your example of being at Catholic prayer services and not specifically saying those prayers is flawed in two ways. One it backs up the argument that the faith IS watered down even in our own circles. And two, why were the prayers not said, was it because you didn’t want to offend someone or just simply because you didn’t have occasion to say them.
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There is not usuallly a specific motive in an ecumenical prayer gathering to “water down” our faith. Instead, label it a sensitivity to meeting another “where they are at” similar to the way Jesus spoke with non-Jews. He spoke with others on their level and then led them higher, such as with the woman at the well, when He lifted her to realms of the Spirit beginning with her familiar image of water.

It is very easy to lose someone if we pour out all truth at once, and expect that our words/prayers will reach them. Catechists know well that we must bring children along gradually, too, since they are not able to grasp everything at once. To imply that one is intentionally avoiding prayers for those in purgatory, when the ecumenical prayer service is geared toward a common purpose is to miss the mark and beat our catholicism down another’s neck before they are ready.

When common purpose for prayer is decided upon, purgatory et al is not at all appropriate, and lends itself to proselytizing. If we were invited to a communal prayer service with another faith, it would not set well to hear them pray that Catholics accept sola scriptura or sola fides. It would crush the whole spirit of both sides who gather and unite in prayer to Our Father.

I’m really wondering why you would think that even our own prayer services MUST include all forms of prayer? Stations of the Cross are not addressing prayer for the intention of the Holy Father, nor for souls in purgatory, nor petitioning the saints or the Blessed Mother; albeit ALL of these are worthy, but not ALL are expedient. 🙂
 
Potato1 said:
I believe her point to be sincere and worthy of an answer… The lable watered down is called that for a reason. Not many want to water down the faith but that doesnt mean that they arent. You are right… but Just as no one ever intends to give a cut an infection, nonetheless when it has an infection we call it an infection. Your example of being at Catholic prayer services and not specifically saying those prayers is flawed in two ways. One it backs up the argument that the faith IS watered down even in our own circles. And two, why were the prayers not said, was it because you didn’t want to offend someone or just simply because you didn’t have occasion to say them. With protestants it is not because we don’t have occasion to say them but because we don’t want to instigate a scene. Fair question… When leading prayer in a mixed group do you say “in the name of the Father the SOn and the Holy Spirit” and cross yourself? or do you leave that out? I would be interested to know.
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Looking further than prayer circles with protestants, isn’t it true that the symbolism of our faith has been weakened by the lack of holy images and art in our Churches? By the crucifixes who no longer hold a suffering Jesus, but now are adorned with a risen Jesus? By the very design of many of our more recent churches, of which some don’t even look Catholic? Often the only way you can tell you are in a Catholic Church is to find the red light of the Tabernacle. And that is if they haven’t hidden it away in a closet or a side room somewhere. This is also what I mean by watering down our faith. I have been in Anglican churches that look more Catholic than many Catholic Churches do.
 
paramedicgirl said:
Looking further than prayer circles with protestants, isn’t it true that the symbolism of our faith has been weakened by the lack of holy images and art in our Churches? By the crucifixes who no longer hold a suffering Jesus, but now are adorned with a risen Jesus? By the very design of many of our more recent churches, of which some don’t even look Catholic? Often the only way you can tell you are in a Catholic Church is to find the red light of the Tabernacle. And that is if they haven’t hidden it away in a closet or a side room somewhere. This is also what I mean by watering down our faith. I have been in Anglican churches that look more Catholic than many Catholic Churches do.
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Well, well, we agree. 👍 I think this would probably be classified as “false ecumenism”.
 
I think things are improving. The parish my dad grew up at was totally wreck-ovated (I mean, one of the worst wreckovations I have seen). He would take me there when we visited my grandparents. Slowly, as the years passed, things started reappearing. The stain glassed windows which had been plastered over reappeared. The crucifix returned. The statues of Mary and Joseph returned. The painting of Heaven, the angels and the dove of the Holy Spirit reappeared on the ceiling above the altar–and last time I went it have been completely restored!

My own parish I went to growing up went under a similar transformation. It was built in the '70s in already wreck-ovated form. Then, in the last 10 years or so, beautiful stained glass windows were put in. A Crucifix replaced the tapestry of a clean shaven '70s Jesus. A Marian shrine replaced the place where the band was. Traditionally altar server albs (is that what they are called?) replaced these hooded habit-esque things with rope belts. The priest started wearing a cassock. Things are on the upswing 🙂
 
Yeah T! Party at Paramedicgirl’s house! Gotta brush up on the Canadian accent first.😉 Then we girls can show our our super cool handshake we do when we agree.:extrahappy:
 
bear06 said:
Yeah T! Party at Paramedicgirl’s house! Gotta brush up on the Canadian accent first.😉 Then we girls can show our our super cool handshake we do when we agree.:extrahappy:
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How bout a bear hug?
oops. woke up the mama bear. How she comes outa hibernation when someone posts on r is amazing.
 
bear06 said:
Yeah T! Party at Paramedicgirl’s house! Gotta brush up on the Canadian accent first.😉 Then we girls can show our our super cool handshake we do when we agree.:extrahappy:
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No, no. It’s the Americans who have an accent! I told you, I have lots of room! And I’ll take you skydiving and bungee jumping! 😃
 
No, no. It’s the Americans who have an accent!
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Whatcha talking aboot?! I’m from California. We have no accent. Didn’t you ever notice that when you watch a TV show or a movie that they sound like us (unless there supposed to be British)? You must be mistaken me for T. I personally love the Texas accent though.

Hey, if we get together and use each other’s accents, would it be false ecumenism? Wouldn’t want to do that.:dts:

Must go to bed. Getting too punchy.
 
bear06 said:
Whatcha talking aboot?! I’m from California. We have no accent. Didn’t you ever notice that when you watch a TV show or a movie that they sound like us (unless there supposed to be British)? You must be mistaken me for T. I personally love the Texas accent though.

Hey, if we get together and use each other’s accents, would it be false ecumenism? Wouldn’t want to do that.:dts:

Must go to bed. Getting too punchy.
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:rotfl: No worries. I love the way Americans talk. Don’t know about that ecumenism stuff though…
 
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