Honestly? From one of
those evil liberal Catholics?
When you (not you, personally, Liza, but “you” in general and I’ve seen this on these forums) go around talking about how “
those liberal Catholics do the church a disservice,” or “
those liberal Catholics should just leave” (well hey, here looks like an opportunity!) or “
those liberal Catholics are ignorant/dumb/etc.” or ask them “how can they call themselves Catholic?” yet turn around and say, “Once Catholic always Catholic.” That shuts a lot of people out.
You talk about how Catholics have a responsibility to prevent these “snatching of souls.” Part of that responsibility is INCLUDING them rather than trying to shove them out.
I didn’t see any Catholic do that for me, personally. (Maybe that’s a problem.) I know I get turned off by the “real” Catholics here, or those who continue to have a self righteous attitude and how they’re “real” Catholics. I was apalled at one thread on here where some people felt that “
those liberal Catholics” “should just leave.”
One of the things that I really disliked about Catholics (and I admit I can get this attitude on occasion but I’m working on it) is this arrogance that Catholics have, even within our own ranks. And then there’s cut down and put down when people find out how “
those liberal Catholics” (and that’s usually used as PUT DOWN and if it were said would probably be said snearingly) then they’re told they’re not “real” Catholics.
The only thing that brought me back was the Holy Eucharist. That was the only thing. Not the conservative voting block of the Catholic person. Not one of “
those liberal Catholics” either. The Holy Eucharist. Sure, we can help each other, teach, educate, help someone come back to the Church. And it certainly won’t be any of them that kick me out. Even though I am one of “
those liberal Catholics” who “do the Church a disservice.”
At some point, while we, as Catholics, are responsible for our own spiritual growth (and as you well know, Americans - regardless of faith - are sorely lacking in personal responsiblity) there is also the responsibility of the Church to educate as well. Right now, the only thing lacking is in the homilies -
maybe. I haven’t been back long enough to be able to tell.
Even when I wasn’t practicing Catholicism and I was “out there,” I had always believed that the Catholic Church was the One True Church. Which is why I never joined any other Protestant faith. I remember seeing a bumper sticker, I don’t remember the exact wording, it said something like I love you Jesus, it’s your followers I can’t stand. And I think that hit the nail on the head for me.
The “real” Catholics profess to be sinners and trying to humble themselves before God and Christ yet, when you listen to their language, hear what they say, they’re being quite judgemental of other Catholics who don’t think exactly like them. While I can understand that it is a love for Christ and a desire to be obedient to the Church, well… you just can’t, and won’t, make people “go your way” when you keep alienating like that.
I’ll give you an example. Earlier someone posted that this “reminds them” of those Catholics who “only” go at Easter and Christmas and they are “lukewarm” in their faith if they “had any at all.” If they didn’t, uhm, they wouldn’t go, period. I think I remember learning that we only have to go to confession at least once a year. Well, do you really think that someone who only participates those times of year is going to want to listen to someone making judgements about them like that? No. Quite frankly, just because someone goes to Mass every Sunday, confesses every 4 to 6 weeks, does this or that, doesn’t make them any better of a Catholic that the one who attends Mass once or twice a year. It just means they’re are doing more in their faith than the other.
I know this isn’t all Catholics, but the many of the Catholics with an attitude like this do turn off other Catholics. Which most likely keeps them quiet.
Another thing I am afraid of is that many are simply easily led away and are very trusting. Also, people are, quite simply, willful.
You know, as I write this I’m thinking “Why DON’T Catholics do MORE
on their own of what it takes to learn about the faith?” I don’t know. I really don’t know the answer to that. I think that so many Catholics, because we grow up knowing that the Catholic church is THE church and that they’re already Catholic simply take it for granted. It’s unfortunate to be sure. It’s spiritual laziness.
But in all honesty, I think what’s going to happen is people will get turned off by
something, whatever that something is, and then act willfully. Until they Get It about the Holy Eucharist, which I know is the draw for a good number of those who come back and converts as well, they’ll go just about anywhere else where they feel included rather than marginalized. That’s where we can start being responsible in keeping the flock in.
Just my :twocents: that I was able to scrape together due to the stimulus package.
oh well about?
