What are some of the main reasons that people are attracted to the Protestant faith?

[PRmerger]

Excuse me, but are you not telling us over and over again how right you are?

Oho! Great minds, eh?

 

[House_Harkonnen]

I think it is quite clear, as echoed by HH, as well as so many others here, that what I have been saying, over and over again, is a sad fact.

The Church did not do a good job providing nourishing catechesis. Catholics who leave the Church are not well catechized.

I am repeating it over and over and over again because you keep rejecting this truth. You keep responding to my posts.

And I don’t see how it’s wrong to profess that I believe I am right.

It would seem that you, too, have a habit of professing things that you believe are right, yes?

Or are you simply making posts here that you believe are wrong?



To wit: I presume you believe that you are proposing “how right oneself is” in these posts?

Or are we to presume that in what you posted above you believe you are wrong?

Whether or not I was well catechized about marriage is irrelevant.

My catechesis re. marriage has nothing to do with why I left.

 

[SteveVH]

This bares repeating!

Don’t give up my friend. Maybe a referral to the mods

Really? What a disappointing suggestion, especially by you, EvangelCatholic. If asking someone to support their position is uncharitable then we’re all in trouble. :nope:

 

[Sy_Noe]

Sailor, I think you are quite correct in why many leave the Catholic Church. I am a music minister at my parish and so take the liturgy very seriously. I believe that it was St. Pope John Paul, II that said “Good liturgy builds faith… poor liturgy destroys faith…” (paraphrasing).

I got involved in the music ministry 24 years ago and we do everything from very contemporary music to Gregorian chant. I love both. I am in the process of moving to another state (unfortunately - I love Colorado). After spending a month there I have tried out three different parishes and have been completely disappointed in the music. We even tried the Newman Center at a large university hoping for something more than a little old lady at the piano. The Newman center was the worst of all. It was a little old lady at the piano who couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket (God bless her soul.)

The bottom line, however, is that it never occurred to me to go to a non-Catholic faith community. While poor music and even a poor homily are not a lot of help in building our faith, the fact that we have the Eucharist trumps everything. There simply is no non-Catholic faith community (EO excluded) that can even come close to the Mass and I don’t care how dynamic the preacher or how fantastic the music. There is no worship that compares to the Mass.

And please, do not judge the hearts of those music ministers that you judge as “performing”. I have been accused of this as well. What the congregation does not see is that our music group, before each and every Mass (I do three a weekend) specifically prays that God will empty us of ourselves so that we might truly be His instruments.

God bless.

I understand the Catholic belief about the Eucharist. Although I’m not doing to write a paragraph about it for anyone. I just wanted to say though I think it’s great you do such a range in your music ministry. I’ve been to 4 different RC churches in my area. I could get the Eucharist at any one of them. But at one I prefer a contemporary choir that performs at one of their Masses. But where I prefer the homilies and the “dress code”, the music is one guy at the piano which frankly doesn’t do a whole lot for my overall worship experience. But then neither do the homilies or “dress code” at the other.
Anyway what you do in your ministry reminded me of something a former RC priest who is now an Episcopal priest says about the variety in his church’s music. They have piano and acoustic guitar at 1 service. A couple of traditional services. And a contemporary one with a Christian band… he says for whichever speaks to a person. In any case good luck in your move.

 

[SteveVH]

I understand the Catholic belief about the Eucharist. Although I’m not doing to write a paragraph about it for anyone. I just wanted to say though I think it’s great you do such a range in your music ministry. I’ve been to 4 different RC churches in my area. I could get the Eucharist at any one of them. But at one I prefer a contemporary choir that performs at one of their Masses. But where I prefer the homilies and the “dress code”, the music is one guy at the piano which frankly doesn’t do a whole lot for my overall worship experience. But then neither do the homilies or “dress code” at the other.
Anyway what you do in your ministry reminded me of something a former RC priest who is now an Episcopal priest says about the variety in his church’s music. They have piano and acoustic guitar at 1 service. A couple of traditional services. And a contemporary one with a Christian band… he says for whichever speaks to a person. In any case good luck in your move.

The point is, we don’t leave the Truth for better music or a better homily. In any case, thanks for your good wishes.

 

[Sy_Noe]

Excuse me, but are you not telling us over and over again how right you are? If you would have simply answered PR’s question to begin with you would not be having this discussion. You claimed that you have been properly catechized but when challenged you fail to prove the point. Which is the whole point. People who leave the Catholic Church have not been fully catechized. You have given no evidence to refute that position. In fact, your answers only reinforce that position.

Oh absolutely not. You’re mistaken if you take my posts as presuming I am always right. So I do excuse you. I humbly don’t presume I as a human or any human can be so certain their understanding is the greatest. Forgive me if I’ve given you such an impression.

 

[PRmerger]

Oh absolutely not. You’re mistaken if you take my posts as presuming I am always right. So I do excuse you. I humbly don’t presume I as a human or any human can be so certain their understanding is the greatest. Forgive me if I’ve given you such an impression.

It is presumptuous of you to assume the same thing of others, then.

 

[Sy_Noe]

The point is, we don’t leave the Truth for better music or a better homily. In any case, thanks for your good wishes.

I get your point considering what you believe the Truth to be. And no problem. Peace brother.

 

[SteveVH]

Oh absolutely not. You’re mistaken if you take my posts as presuming I am always right. So I do excuse you. I humbly don’t presume I as a human or any human can be so certain their understanding is the greatest. Forgive me if I’ve given you such an impression.

So if you admit that you might be wrong, would you also admit that you might be wrong concerning properly catechized Catholics leaving the faith?

 

[Peter_J]

This will be the last time I will respond to you. You are quick to make assumptions and you don’t listen well. I don’t have the patience for that. I said I attended 2 churches every weekend when I was in college. Here I am as an adult back on the same path. One because I need the Eucharist and the other because I want to worship God in song and have community. Please listen and pray before you continue with your agenda. Really take the time to hear people. If you want to lead them to Jesus you need to listen to them. Not let them know how right you are.

This bares repeating!

Don’t give up my friend. Maybe a referral to the mods

I concur. I believe such an agenda of simply telling Protestants and others over and over and over again how right oneself is, and just over and over posting pictures of people shaking their heads no to anything else, telling others their understanding of God is severely impoverished, can get old and actually result in the opposite of what the goal is. Assuming the goal is to bring them into the RCC. What’s the saying? You can attract more flies with honey than with vinegar? Or something to that effect. Anyways I thank you again Sailor for your serious and kind responses to the thread question.

I see it differently. If I may say, I think it ultimately comes down to supply and demand. If people stop frequenting a certain kind of blog or forum-post, then the “supply” is likely to dry up.

 

[EvangelCatholic]

I believe there is a strong Catholic attraction to the Protestant faith if one accepts Lutherans representing Protestantism. Much of Vatican II affirmed Protestant practice [communion in both kinds, vernacular, singing]. Now there are recommendations that Catholics go on retreats with Lutherans,

 

[SteveVH]

Now there are recommendations that Catholics go on retreats with Lutherans,

I go on a retreat (this will be my 15th year) which includes people from all faiths and from no faith at all, but it is definitely a Catholic retreat and nothing is watered down. I have personally seen many conversion as a result of this retreat (“Gathering of Men” - Estes park, Colorado).
So I am all for Lutherans going to Catholic retreats. Not sure about the other way around.

 

[EvangelCatholic]

I go on a retreat (this will be my 15th year) which includes people from all faiths and from no faith at all, but it is definitely a Catholic retreat and nothing is watered down. I have personally seen many conversion as a result of this retreat (“Gathering of Men” - Estes park, Colorado).
So I am all for Lutherans going to Catholic retreats. Not sure about the other way around.

The Church as Koinonia of Salvation: Its Structures and Ministries

1. We recommend that our churches recognize the real but imperfect communion among our ministers and encourage appropriate forms of pastoral collaboration between our ministries. Specifically, we propose:

that common activities among Lutheran and Roman Catholic bishops be promoted in order to signify the level of communion that exists between them, such as regular joint retreats, co-authored pastoral letters on topics of mutual concern, and joint efforts on matters of public good;

that mutual activities be intensified among ordained ministers, such as regular retreats, homily or sermon preparation study, participation in non-eucharistic prayer services and weddings, and common sponsorship of events or services in the life of the church, including as appropriate other leadership ministries;

that the faithful, in light of their common baptism into the people of God, engage together in catechesis, evangelization, peace and justice ventures, social ministry, and attendance at each other’s diocesan and synodical assemblies; and

that social ministry organizations, educational institutions, chaplaincies, and other church agencies engage together in activities that further the gospel and the common good.
usccb.org/beliefs-and-tea…-salvation.cfm

 

[Isaiah45_9]

EvangelCatholic:
Same document:

We are united as Christians in our common baptism, common affirmation of Scripture and common life in Christ; as Lutherans and Catholics by our common commitment to the goal of full communion, our common affirmation of justification, and our common understanding that more agreement is necessary before full, sacramental communion can be restored. In this text we recognize the importance of our agreement, propose new stages of agreement, and celebrate the gifts we can receive from one another in our practice and understandings of ministries and structures within the Church as community of salvation.

This dialogue also recognizes that we are not proposing to settle all of the church-dividing issues before us. **We have not attempted to resolve the important ecclesiological issues of the ordination of women or the authority by which such a decision is made, nor the full meaning of apostolic succession in ordained ministry and how we might be reconciled. We have not addressed the level of communion in ministries and structures that would be necessary for even interim Eucharistic communion. **We are, however, convinced that the clarifications and research represented by this text make an important contribution in the stages toward reconciling these and other elements along the path toward full communion.

 

[jericho777]

Well this is my story. It is my opinion only and my experience. I was born and raised catholic, went to parochial school for eight years. Received all the appropriate sacraments and was even married there. After I got married I had a strong desire to know God so I started reading the bible and watching Christian TV. But I was not looking to Christian TV to learn from them but prove to myself how wrong they were in light of my Catholic faith. I had no desire to be anything other than catholic. However I kept finding them more in line with the scriptures and making more sense to me.

When I finally went to a Christian church the people were actually friendly and welcoming. They loved and genuinely cared for you. Praise and worship was personal and corporate all at the same time. People actually enjoyed being in the presence of the Lord for twice the amount of time as a catholic mass. The bible was actually explained to you.

I have never felt personally closer to God than now. My life has been totally changed and transformed. To me I wasn’t becoming anything other than a better Christian.

 

[Sy_Noe]

Well this is my story. It is my opinion only and my experience. I was born and raised catholic, went to parochial school for eight years. Received all the appropriate sacraments and was even married there. After I got married I had a strong desire to know God so I started reading the bible and watching Christian TV. But I was not looking to Christian TV to learn from them but prove to myself how wrong they were in light of my Catholic faith. I had no desire to be anything other than catholic. However I kept finding them more in line with the scriptures and making more sense to me.

When I finally went to a Christian church the people were actually friendly and welcoming. They loved and genuinely cared for you. Praise and worship was personal and corporate all at the same time. People actually enjoyed being in the presence of the Lord for twice the amount of time as a catholic mass. The bible was actually explained to you.

I have never felt personally closer to God than now. My life has been totally changed and transformed. To me I wasn’t becoming anything other than a better Christian.

Thanks for sharing your faith journey, Jericho. I’m shocked though no one has questioned your catechism instruction or understanding or requested you write paragraphs explaining RCC teaching.

 

[Isaiah45_9]

Jericho,

It seems someone brought your name to our attention.

Would you please present a dissertation on the origin, development and implementation of the Catholic Catechism in your Diocese, to include but not limited to the syllabus used in your education with a synopsis, not to extend 2 paragraphs with at least 300 words, of each class given.

While you are at it, please explain how the CCC is in harmony with the Papal Encyclicals of the 20th century and the Church Councils.

Thank you.

I’m just kidding

 

[Sy_Noe]

I see it differently. If I may say, I think it ultimately comes down to supply and demand. If people stop frequenting a certain kind of blog or forum-post, then the “supply” is likely to dry up.

I’m not sure what to make of this. You want everyone with different beliefs than RCs to leave so the forum can be smaller but purer and RCs can just chat with each other?

 

[Sy_Noe]

Jericho,

It seems someone brought your name to our attention.

Would you please present a dissertation on the origin, development and implementation of the Catholic Catechism in your Diocese, to include but not limited to the syllabus used in your education with a synopsis, not to extend 2 paragraphs with at least 300 words, of each class given.

While you are at it, please explain how the CCC is in harmony with the Papal Encyclicals of the 20th century and the Church Councils.

Thank you.

I’m just kidding

 

[sailor28]

Well this is my story. It is my opinion only and my experience. I was born and raised catholic, went to parochial school for eight years. Received all the appropriate sacraments and was even married there. After I got married I had a strong desire to know God so I started reading the bible and watching Christian TV. But I was not looking to Christian TV to learn from them but prove to myself how wrong they were in light of my Catholic faith. I had no desire to be anything other than catholic. However I kept finding them more in line with the scriptures and making more sense to me.

When I finally went to a Christian church the people were actually friendly and welcoming. They loved and genuinely cared for you. Praise and worship was personal and corporate all at the same time. People actually enjoyed being in the presence of the Lord for twice the amount of time as a catholic mass. The bible was actually explained to you.

I have never felt personally closer to God than now. My life has been totally changed and transformed. To me I wasn’t becoming anything other than a better Christian.

I understand your experience. When the rubber hits the road what really matters is how the faith you practice changes you. It matters how you treat people and how you love people.