Should I stay or should I go?

[ElizabethAnne]

I guess I must say that the Catholic church doesn’t own me nor does it possess a lease on God. I go to my own church services and really couldn’t care less about what Rome says is valid or invalid because I don’t believe that it matters.

It’s not that the Catholic Church ownes you at all! But by virtue of your baptism in a Catholic Church, you are Catholic unless you formally renounce the faith.

Also, a Catholic who is attending Protestant services is only one sincere confession away from full communion with the Catholic Church! I find that very comforting as my mother has left the Church, and I pray daily that she will come home. I am so grateful to the Church that there are no roadblocks in her return if she decides to do so.

 

[slyboots]

I would certainly dare to challenge you on any kind of a sex scandal in the Episcopal church that rivals the billion dollar plus in lawsuits that has resulted from the despicable acts of Catholic priests. I will certainly go to support my mom but I couldn’t care less about how the CC feels about Episcopalians and communion. It means and affects nothing with myself and my family.

I was an Episcopalian for twenty years. My husband was cradle.
I personally know of sexual problems within the Episcopal
Church which were not just swept under the rug but condoned.

I worked next to the Diocesan office and ran the largest Episcopal bookstore in the state. I visited with people such as Robert Runice, Desmond Tutu and others. Please know I do not mean to say that those fine men have any scandal attached to them, But others did. Many others just in our small area.

Just because one does not know of it does not mean it is not there. Some of us know.

The Catholic Church scandal seems much larger. But percentage wise I suspect it is not any more sexually sinful than is any other gathering of sinners.

So my family, converts to the Catholic Church all, left the Episcopal Church because of the truth, beauty and salvation found through the Catholic Church. And for us found no where else.

 

[mark_a]

I have an dilema that I am faced with for upcoming June 10th. I am an Episcopalian who has been out of the Catholic church for 3 years now. My mom who is Catholic is having a mass said for my grandmother who passed away 5 years ago. Her brothers will be here from far away then and she would like for me and my wife and 4 yr old son to go to that mass. I am torn on it though. If we go, my wife, son nor myself can receive communion and the priest saying the mass is the same one that heavily influenced my decision to leave the RCC. My sister will be there as well but she cannot receive either because she turned Methodist about 6 years ago. Other than for my mother and grandmother, I do not see the point in going because we are not welcomed to communion as we welcome others in other denominations to communion in our church.

Honor thy mother.

 

[MelanieAnne]

So my family, converts to the Catholic Church all, left the Episcopal Church because of the truth, beauty and salvation found through the Catholic Church. And for us found no where else.

And the beauty of your statement (not just the small part I quoted) truly reflects the truth and beauty you found there. Let us pray for those who have not found the peace and wisdom you have found, that they may find it soon.

 

[ACbishop]

It’s not that the Catholic Church ownes you at all! But by virtue of your baptism in a Catholic Church, you are Catholic unless you formally renounce the faith.

Also, a Catholic who is attending Protestant services is only one sincere confession away from full communion with the Catholic Church! I find that very comforting as my mother has left the Church, and I pray daily that she will come home. I am so grateful to the Church that there are no roadblocks in her return if she decides to do so.

I cannot agree with what you said here. I am not RC by virtue of my own freewill. Why would I want to come back to the RC and confess? And, confess for what, finding in the Episcopal church what I never found in 34 years as a Catholic? I don’t think so and what’s even more, I’m sure God doesn’t think so either. The RC is losing members left and right and I think that the more folks become more involved in what God wants from them and what God means for all of us, they will continue to leave the RC and do what I have done and begin to feel the spirit elsewhere.

 

[Mommyof02green]

I cannot agree with what you said here. I am not RC by virtue of my own freewill. Why would I want to come back to the RC and confess? And, confess for what, finding in the Episcopal church what I never found in 34 years as a Catholic? I don’t think so and what’s even more, I’m sure God doesn’t think so either. The RC is losing members left and right and I think that the more folks become more involved in what God wants from them and what God means for all of us, they will continue to leave the RC and do what I have done and begin to feel the spirit elsewhere.

And there are people joining left and right! Joining because they are more involved in what God wants from them.

 

[Subrosa]

If you were in my family I would consider your absence insulting. You should go to your grandmothers funeral, whether you like it or not. It is not about you, it is about your grandmother and paying respects to her.

As far as receiving communion, I agree with Yada in that you have willingly removed yourself from communion in the Catholic Church. Many churches practice closed communion, not just the Catholic Church. The communion practice of the church that you presently attend has no bearing on any other church’s practice and it is wrong for you to try to apply that standard upon others. The fact is that you are not in communion with the Catholic Church, and this of your own volition. Taking communion in a Catholic Church means that you agree with all doctrines in the Catholic Church, and you do not, so don’t take communion.

You could receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation and reconcile with the Church, but as long as you make your decisions based on other’s actions (in this case a priest) you will not be deciding on true faith, but on distractions.

For instance, I know a man who left the Catholic Church to join a Protestant communion because he didn’t have to do all that annoying kneeling there.

Subrosa

 

[Subrosa]

I cannot agree with what you said here. I am not RC by virtue of my own freewill. Why would I want to come back to the RC and confess? And, confess for what, finding in the Episcopal church what I never found in 34 years as a Catholic? I don’t think so and what’s even more, I’m sure God doesn’t think so either. The RC is losing members left and right and I think that the more folks become more involved in what God wants from them and what God means for all of us, they will continue to leave the RC and do what I have done and begin to feel the spirit elsewhere.

washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/11/AR2007051101929.html?hpid=topnews

rightreason.ektopos.com/archives/2007/05/my_return_to_th.html

 

[slyboots]

I have to differ about the Catholic Church “losing members right and left”.
The Church is my state is growing. Yes, there are a lot of small evangelical churches in the Latino community that are springing up, mostly based on the congregation following a particular preacher. And there are a multitude of Southern Baptists, Methodists, Disciples, and the like.
In 2004 there were 103,988 Catholics in my state. In 2006 160,082. I don’t see that as a decline. We are a Bible belt state where the Baptists ( in their various forms) outnumber everyoone else.
In the Episcopal Church in 2005 there were 2,205,376…in the entire USA. In 2004 there were 2,247,819. This site refers to the decline in the membership of the Episcopal Church US from. It is not promising.
members.aol.com/ene2021/1.0enegif/dioceses.htm

 

[ACbishop]

If you were in my family I would consider your absence insulting. You should go to your grandmothers funeral, whether you like it or not. It is not about you, it is about your grandmother and paying respects to her.

As far as receiving communion, I agree with Yada in that you have willingly removed yourself from communion in the Catholic Church. Many churches practice closed communion, not just the Catholic Church. The communion practice of the church that you presently attend has no bearing on any other church’s practice and it is wrong for you to try to apply that standard upon others. The fact is that you are not in communion with the Catholic Church, and this of your own volition. Taking communion in a Catholic Church means that you agree with all doctrines in the Catholic Church, and you do not, so don’t take communion.

You could receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation and reconcile with the Church, but as long as you make your decisions based on other’s actions (in this case a priest) you will not be deciding on true faith, but on distractions.

For instance, I know a man who left the Catholic Church to join a Protestant communion because he didn’t have to do all that annoying kneeling there.

Subrosa

I think you are mistaken here. This is not her funeral, it is just a mass being said on her behalf. She actually died about 5 years ago.

 

[burnside]

As a young Altar Boy,i fell out with a curate who could be nasty.He was one of these types that “expected” things of you.
There was no “would you please do?” and “thanks for doing it”.Even as a 10 year old,before i became an Altar Boy,he gave me a hard time in confession.I had “accidentally” chewed gum
before Communion and because it was “accidental” decided it was o.k.to receive.However,it did worry me and,unfortunately,he was the priest on duty.
I didn’t leave the Church.He did,and took the housekeeper with him.Sometimes i think back to that and tell myself that,instead of squabbling with him,l should have quietly resigned from the Altar Boys.Then again,if i had done that,i wouldn’t have enjoyed the friendship i had with the Parish priest.I changed my address 18
months after that incident with the curate and the Parish priest was quite new to the parish.I doubt if i would have built up that friendship with the PP in 18 months if i had just been an ordinary
member of the Congregation.It was only because i was serving at Mass so often that i got to know him so well.
The reason for the fallout with the curate was as follows:-
a new boy was serving for the first time and the dummy who should have been serving with him failed to turn up for the 7am.
Mass.I attended that Mass,but arrived 2or3 minutes late.I
considered going on to serve but decided against.
This priest comes off the Altar after saying Mass in a bad mood,calls me into the Sacristy and wants to know why i didn’t
come on to serve.I let him know that i had arrived slightly late and,
if i had taken time to go to the vestry,the Mass would have been halfway through.On the other hand,if i had not bothered with the vestments,he would have been the first to ask what i was doing on the Altar in my outdoor shoes.In those days,we had to wear
plimsolls to save the carpets.I didn’t insult him,i just didn’t let him bully me.He threatened to slap a 13 year old.
My point here is that my decision to remain a catholic was that
there were Protestant clergy who could put me off Protestantism,
atheists whose personalities put me off being one of them.I wasn’t about to let one priest drive me away from the True Faith which i was baptised into.

 

[happygal]

I have an dilema that I am faced with for upcoming June 10th. I am an Episcopalian who has been out of the Catholic church for 3 years now. My mom who is Catholic is having a mass said for my grandmother who passed away 5 years ago. Her brothers will be here from far away then and she would like for me and my wife and 4 yr old son to go to that mass. I am torn on it though. If we go, my wife, son nor myself can receive communion and the priest saying the mass is the same one that heavily influenced my decision to leave the RCC. My sister will be there as well but she cannot receive either because she turned Methodist about 6 years ago. Other than for my mother and grandmother, I do not see the point in going because we are not welcomed to communion as we welcome others in other denominations to communion in our church.

**Hi ACbishop

Although you can’t partake the holy communion, but you can always go there to listen to God’s word. No harm at all. **

 

[AdvanceAlways]

ACbishop, you are in no place to be talking about losing members. The TEC is one of the fastest sinking denominations in Christianity. Your church has been corrupted by secularism, liberalism, and trust me, the sexual abuse is there in your denomination. To deny that is crazy. You seem to get mad that we disagree with your views however, you have come pretty close to insulting ours. Thank you.

 

[carol_marie]

ACbishop, you are in no place to be talking about losing members. The TEC is one of the fastest sinking denominations in Christianity. Your church has been corrupted by secularism, liberalism, and trust me, the sexual abuse is there in your denomination. To deny that is crazy. You seem to get mad that we disagree with your views however, you have come pretty close to insulting ours. Thank you.

I agree.

To the OP ~ If being an Episcopalian is all that for you and you don’t give two hoots what the RCC says, WHY do you ask the opinions of Catholics regarding your dilema?

 

[ASimpleSinner]

I just wanted to point out that my mom has come to our Holy Eucharist services and received communion with us. Why would there be anything wrong with that?

This may entail an entirely different thread. The problems a Catholic has with recieving communion outside of the Catholic church, is if they are to do it at all - when in a state of necesity - they are to do it from a priest with valid orders in a recognized Church - Orthodox, Polish National Catholic, Oriental Orthodox.

If you would like me to point you to some threads on here or discussions as to why it is that the Catholic Church does not feel Episcopalions quialify - or on what grounds a Catholic may recieve communion outside of a Catholic parish - let me know.

 

[ASimpleSinner]

What sins are you talking about, the fact that I am an Episcopalian? I consider that offensive.

No, although leaving the Catholic church is no small matter.

The fact you have been awake and conscious for three years is a pretty good indication that you have sinned at some point thereby needing confession - which is demanded at least once a year in the Catholic Church. Mother Theresa went daily. Many are advocating weekly and bi-weekly. Its just plain good for the soul.

So pleae don’t jump to conclusions and be offended.

And I am not casting stones - I sin daily - which is why I go weekly!

 

[ASimpleSinner]

I guess I must say that the Catholic church doesn’t own me nor does it possess a lease on God. I go to my own church services and really couldn’t care less about what Rome says is valid or invalid because I don’t believe that it matters.

This begs the question - if you are unwilling to accept the CC’s teachings on these matters, why do you want to commune therein?

Who said it owns you or has a lease on God?

 

[ASimpleSinner]

To be perfectly honest with you, I would never say anything to her because really, why do I care? I believe that she is partaking of the body and blood of Christ in my church. If someone told her that she couldn’t receive in my church she would probably at this point leave the Catholic church and join with the Anglicans as I have. She is pretty fed up with the way the Catholic church has swept the sex scandal under the rug and all anyway and it wouldn’t take much to convert her at this point.

Do you feel the Episcopalians are without scandal?

Do you feel for a faith to be true the clergy must be blameless?

What percentage of Catholic priests do you think have been accused of these grave matters?

 

[MariaG]

I think you are mistaken here. This is not her funeral, it is just a mass being said on her behalf. She actually died about 5 years ago.

I find it odd that you would seek out the answers from what is a Catholic forums, (even though it was posted in Non-Catholic religions, this whole board IS a Catholic forum), when you clearly don’t want to hear the answers.

The majority here believe that you should go and honor your mother, as well as your grandmother. Honor someone does not cease at someone’s death nor has a timetable attatched to it.

However, since the only poster whom you seem to think has anything honest to say, is the one who said you seem to have too much hurt to go, so stay home, you clearly are not getting the answer, by and large that you wish to hear, in the way you wish to hear it.

Clearly, you have no wish to go. You have personal problems with the priest whom you say is responsible for you leaving. You say you had little or no spirituality in the Catholic church and you clearly blame the Church for that failing. You resent the closed communion, and feel your current church is an example to Christian charity.

Fine.

Don’t go. But please do so knowing that this is not the majority opinion of those here, of those whose opinion you sought. Obligation to honor someone does not end at death, as well as the fact is your mother is still very much alive.

But you may wish to examime why you sought out the opinion of practicing Catholics, since even here in the non-Catholic forums, the majority of the members who respond are practicing Catholics.

Why do you feel the need to seek the opinion of Catholics instead of posting this on a board set up by someone of your current denomination? Why were the majority of the posts you chose to answer had little to do with your actual question but ones in which you could lash out in anger?

Why do you have such continuing anger that seems to need to be expressed against the Catholic Church even as you seek opinions of those who still attend it?

 

[runandsew]

If you are truly a Christian, I can’t believe that you would even ask the question if you would or would not attend.
Of course you would attend.
If you have a problem about not receiving the Eucharist, then go up with your arms crossed and receive a blessing.

But this is your mother having the Mass said for your grandmother, you are commanded to honor your father and mother, even if it means that you might feel uncomfortable.
By attending this Mass, you would be honoring your mother, don’t you think?