Should Cafeteria Catholics go Apostate?

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Most Catholics I know use ABC, support homosexual marriage and sex before marriage. Should these Catholics remain in communion with the faith? All of them accept the Eucharist during mass.

Should cafeteria Catholics go apostate?
 
Serap said:
Most Catholics I know use ABC, support homosexual marriage and sex before marriage. Should these Catholics remain in communion with the faith? All of them accept the Eucharist during mass.

Should cafeteria Catholics go apostate?
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Well, ideally, they should repent of their errors and sins and pride, make a good and full confession, and commit themselves to a period of penance, and reenter full communion with the Church.

In a lot of cases, that’s not going to happen. Pride blinds. I’m of the opinion that people who are resolute in their conviction that they don’t owe the Church anything, that it has no authority over them, that it’s wrong on this and this and this issue (and of course they’re all issues that have to do with sex, and hey, it’s just totally a coincidence that those issues also happen to line up perfectly with the zeitgeist), that they can do whatever they want because God’s their best buddy and He’ll forgive them for anything without even asking, etc. etc. etc., should stop lying to themselves about what they are and what they believe. They aren’t doing themselves any favors by insincerely mouthing the words of the Nicene Creed (“I believe in one holy Catholic and apostolic Church”) or unworthily receiving the precious body and blood of Christ. If you want to live like a Protestant, well, they have churches for that.
 
They should definitely not go completely apostate. Better they come to Mass than be left out in the world with no spiritual benefits at all.

There’s a line from Ninotchka that fits. When asked how the purges were going in Russia she said, “There will be fewer but better Russians.” Of course, it was meant as a dig against the draconian methods of the Communist regime. And it would be easy for us to write off our Catholic brethren who are lax in their faith, are set against following Church teaching, who are confused, etc. But we don’t really want there to be fewer Catholics–we want them to be better Catholics, yes?

So, it’s up to those who love the Church to help our fellow Catholics who are caught up in the spirit of the age to understand why they need to reform their hearts and minds. We can only do it through love and gentle persuasion. Berating people, pushing them out, and/or shunning them won’t do that. We need to pray, be examples to them and befriend them if we want to see them come around to accepting the truths they profess in the Creed.

Doing this requires patience and perseverance. God judges men’s hearts. Let’s not do his job, but let us by all means do ours. 😉
 
sw85 said:
Well, ideally, they should repent of their errors and sins and pride, make a good and full confession, and commit themselves to a period of penance, and reenter full communion with the Church.

In a lot of cases, that’s not going to happen. Pride blinds. I’m of the opinion that people who are resolute in their conviction that they don’t owe the Church anything, that it has no authority over them, that it’s wrong on this and this and this issue (and of course they’re all issues that have to do with sex, and hey, it’s just totally a coincidence that those issues also happen to line up perfectly with the zeitgeist), that they can do whatever they want because God’s their best buddy and He’ll forgive them for anything without even asking, etc. etc. etc., should stop lying to themselves about what they are and what they believe. They aren’t doing themselves any favors by insincerely mouthing the words of the Nicene Creed (“I believe in one holy Catholic and apostolic Church”) or unworthily receiving the precious body and blood of Christ. If you want to live like a Protestant, well, they have churches for that.
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Very well put! It’s tough being a Catholic, true; or even any religious person in general. I understand that. But there’s more to life than just “going along to get along”. The Church is here for OUR benefit. To disregard it is a devastating error, I believe… and sad.

Let’s all pray for each other.
 
After the Great Chastisement…most will shape up. That’s my personal prophecy. However, the two gentlement that responded before me have much stronger responses.

God Bless,
James
 
I’m not sure what I think about this…

On the one hand they give other Catholics a bad reputation. These Catholics who practice birth control, are pro-abortion and who spew all kinds of disgust towards the church just justify in the minds of others how pointless faithfulness to the Church is.

Really it would be better for us as a whole if they left. At the very least they could spew all their nonsense outside the Church and it wouldn’t be quite as harmful to us as a whole if that were the case. At least we inside the Church would be presenting a unified front instead of a divided line.

On the other hand how can we turn our back on our brothers and sisters who are so clearly losing their way? Is that a correct or loving thing to do? Shouldn’t we, instead, try to draw them CLOSER to the bosom of our Lady and our Lord. Shouldn’t we do everything in our power to get them closer to the presence of Christ in the hopes that they will see the error of their ways?

I just don’t know what the BEST thing is… and thankfully it’s not up for me to make that choice.
 
Serap said:
Most Catholics I know use ABC, support homosexual marriage and sex before marriage. Should these Catholics remain in communion with the faith? All of them accept the Eucharist during mass.
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Of course. We need to pray for them to embrace the fullness of truth and be reconciled with the Church.
Serap said:
Should cafeteria Catholics go apostate?
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What does that mean, “go apostate”?

An apostate is a baptized person who rejects Christianity entirely.
 
The people who receive Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist unworthily will be judged accordingly.

1 Corinthians 11:26-28 (NKJV)
26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.
27 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

Hebrews 10:26-27 (DRA)
26For if we sin wilfully after having the knowledge of the truth, there is now left no sacrifice for sins, 27But a certain dreadful expectation of judgment, and the rage of a fire which shall consume the adversaries.

I think it would be better for their souls if cafeteria Catholics would refrain from receiving communion since by receiving it, they are outwardly professing belief in all Catholic doctrine. I think to receive Holy Communion in an unworthy manner is called a sacrilege.
 
I think it would be best for the body of Christ if we concentrated on our own sins and lack of virtue first, before we start wondering about whether other people deserve to be part of the Church.

I spent 25 years as one of those “apostate” Catholics. God was patient with me until I came to my senses.

If God can be patient with our faults and sins, maybe we should be patient with other people as well instead of wondering if they deserve to be members of the Church.

-Tim-
 
It’s like that saying I’ve heard from some Episcopalians “All of the liturgy, none of the guilt.” But some think they can have the same thing while remaining in the Catholic Church. One can only pray that maybe something soaks in and they do make that confession and turn things around. 😦 And keep speaking the truth in love to them.
 
TimothyH said:
I think it would be best for the body of Christ if we concentrated on our own sins and lack of virtue first, before we start wondering about whether other people deserve to be part of the Church.
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👍 This. 👍
 
1ke said:
That is antithetical to the entire Catholic Faith and purpose of the Church.
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I am aware of this. I was sharing the two sided conversation that goes on in my head when it comes to this issue.

On one hand I really feel it would be best for the entire Church if they left.
On the other hand I really feel it’s best for the entire Church if they stay.

That’s what I meant to say but in longer form.
 
They already are apostate, or, at least, heretics. And, the last time I checked, there was no such thing as an “orthodox heretic”. Which seems to make them apostate. Should they be receiving communion? No. Way. No way. (That is the very meaning of “excommunication”, excluded from communion: it doesn’t mean “excluded from services”, that’s anathematization.) Should they be amending their lives and receiving penance? Yes. Should they be receiving proper catechesis and formation in the Faith and soaked in Scripture, so they know why they should amend their lives, as many were probably so poorly taught in the faith, as most Catholics I have met in America are, that they have no idea why any of it is “wrong” except “old fogies in the Vatican say so, so we need new leadership”? Most definitely.
 
Should a parent disown a child who sins? Having the child ‘leave home’ does not stop the sinning.
Maybe the parent needs to be a better teacher on the ‘what’ and ‘why’ of house rules.
nickybr38 said:
I am aware of this. I was sharing the two sided conversation that goes on in my head when it comes to this issue.

On one hand I really feel it would be best for the entire Church if they left.
On the other hand I really feel it’s best for the entire Church if they stay.

That’s what I meant to say but in longer form.
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My father is Anglican and he once said, “If I wanted to feel guilty, I’d join the Catholic Church.”

I personally believe that we should all stick together and try to help one another. I myself, am personally torn on some of the Catholic beliefs, so I understand the concept of Cafeteria Catholic.
 
tarboy said:
Should a parent disown a child who sins? Having the child ‘leave home’ does not stop the sinning.
Maybe the parent needs to be a better teacher on the ‘what’ and ‘why’ of house rules.
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SIGH

I have said twice now that this is just how I FEEL, it’s not what I actually espouse…I have also said I am on BOTH SIDES of this issue. I do not take a firm position either way. Good grief.
 
nickybr38 said:
SIGH

I have said twice now that this is just how I FEEL, it’s not what I actually espouse…I have also said I am on BOTH SIDES of this issue. I do not take a firm position either way. Good grief.
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sigh
And i though my point was obvious.
This is not something for fence sitting.
One should have a firm position.
 
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