What do you admire in other faiths that are lacking in your own???

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ME TOO!!! all the above! I especially admire the Islamic call to prayer, if I could just drop everything at 3:00 to pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy!!! I try so hard to get in the habit of that, and I tell myself “If Muslims can do it so can I.” It isn’t easy!!!
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I am inspired by the Pentacostal focus on the Holy Spirit, It has inspired me to focus on the Holy Spirit in my life more, Of course, I love the Mass teh way it is, but I also like the elation of worshiping God with praise music,( no substitution for the Mass, but a great supplement outside of Mass.) I think that is why the Charismatic renewal is so interesting to me.
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JW’s yes we need to drill and prepare more too.
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Muhah! Great minds think alike, Peace! 👍

I also do like Protestant “fellowship”, but I like that the Word is present at every Mass. (heh…for me Catholicism is still “another faith” so I get to comment on it. Nyah nyah)

I enjoy the candles and incense, psalms and responses, prayers, kneeling, standing, sitting and though I have no experience with it personally, confession to a priest sounds both horrifying and great. I think it might force on to think more seriously about their sins so they can make a proper confession instead of just pushing them aside and mumbling a “Oh yeah…God forgive me for every dumb thing I did this week.”

Another comment on Mormons besides family is Mormon discipline…I’m sure there are people that “stray” from this, but I think they’re pretty committed to no caffeine, nicotine, etc.
 
Dear Tantum Ergo,

“…but feel free to applaud wildly for this one, LOL.”
quote, Tantum Ergo

:clapping: :clapping: :clapping: :clapping:
[that’s me, clapping wildly:) ]

What a great idea for a thread, WhiteDove!

reen
 
When I was a JW I could travel anywhere, phone up the Kingdom Hall in the city or town & ask for the name of a JW family that would put me up. Same if my car broke down in a different city or I needed support of any kind. They are very hospitable to their own. When I lived in Florida I’d get calls from my elders saying, “We need to put up seven people, how many can you take?” I never gave it a second thought. They were my brothers & sisters. I also miss the way we called each other Brother Smith or Sister Jones.
 
While in college I spent quite a bit of time with an “inter-faith” fellowship, which was pretty much evangilical/fundamental. :o)

What I definately admired from them and many of their families their willingness for open prayer. They seemed fearless offering someone else, whether they were open or not, to pray right there out in the open. While many Catholics do do that, there definately seemed like a prayer culture that we could grow from. :o)

and on a MUCH MUCH lighter note, and I’m sure I’ll catch big slack for this… my friend’s “non-denom” church as some very cute girls!! 😃
 
I also enjoy how in Protestant churches everyone is very friendly and welcoming. I’ve been to Lutheran and Baptist services, and at both my husband and I were welcomed enthusiastically, with invites to bible study and meetings with the pastor, all that. When I began attending my Catholic church again after a while several months ago, I loved being back at the mass again but I missed the friendliness of the people. No one said anything to us. We did get a few “who’s that” looks but that’s about all. When I officially registered at my parish, I was told by the church secretary that the church “welcoming committee” would call us. No one ever did. I’d love to get involved in some of the things my parish does,(evening prayer groups, charity drives) but at times it seems they don’t want anyone else’s help or participation.

But…I try to remember the fact that I’m not at church to socialize, I’m there to go to church. It just would be nice to feel like a part of a group, I guess.
 
Another thing I admire are strong stewardship programs and generous financial contibutions from members. They frequently avoid silly, time consuming fundraisers and instead simply encourage generosity.
 
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Celia:
When I officially registered at my parish, I was told by the church secretary that the church “welcoming committee” would call us. No one ever did.
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Well, I don’t think I’m a member of your parish, but WELCOME BACK TO THE CATHOLIC CHURCH.

And sister Carol Marie, I enjoyed your post too. You described a wonderful experience of welcoming strangers.
 
I truly admire the LDS church for being so family-centered and for having so many opportunities for church social functions.
 
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Skyron:
and on a MUCH MUCH lighter note, and I’m sure I’ll catch big slack for this… my friend’s “non-denom” church as some very cute girls!! 😃
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Hey, cute girls are important!!!
 
I really hesitated a long time before putting this forth, mainly because I don’t know any Church that strikes the right balance. But I can see glimmers here and there in our own Church history of how things in some ways have been done better than they are now.

I’m talking about the role of women in the Church. Before you all start rolling your eyes, I am not talking about a magesterial, liturgical, sacramental or prophetic role for women, but about leadership by women within the practicing Catholic community.

Why is it, in this age when women enjoy legal emancipation, that we have no women leaders of St Brigid’s stature, able to found religious houses for both men and women on her own authroity, direct missionary enterprise and make authoritative recommendations regarding ordinations and the setting up of new bishoprics? Mother Theresa was great, but she still exercised her leadership almost completely within a community of women.

Why are so few dicasteries in Rome headed by women even when most of these offices have no direct sacramental function?

Why do all nuncios have to be ordained men? Can’t women represent the Holy See abroad just as well?

Why are so few theological faculties headed by women?

If, in practice, we reserve virtually all leadership positions to those who are ordained, then we end up denying women the exercise of the charism of leadership in non sacramental functions that we find them performing so well in many Protestant denominations. I might be naïve here, but couldn’t much of the pressure by liberals for the ordination of women be defused by raising the profile and widening the opportunities for women as Catholic community leaders?

How about just starting by appointing more women as diocean public relations officers to deal the media, for example?

Irenicist
 
I love the history of the Catholic Church, the absolutely awesome Cathedrals all over the world. The Sistine Chapel and all the antiquities within. The incredible artwork, paintings, statuary, frescos, architecture that have all stood the test of time. There is no church that has more historical artifacts than the Catholic Church. When the Catholic people are away from the church there is none to match their funloving nature. My husband and my best friend are both Catholic, and I love them both dearly. The Catholic people have the best crab feeds ever, and they know how to really throw a party when they want to. They are very generous and usually send you home with gifts of food. That is my experience with the Catholics, which could be partly because of their large number of Italian, Spanish, Mexican, and all Latin nationalities which just naturally have warm and joyous people.
I also find in those countries the people do dress nicely for Mass(Like dressing in your best for Jesus) It is only in the US that they go in sweats and shorts, or whatever they happen to have on when they decide they are going to Mass.
Also, in other countries there is not as much television and I have found the Catholic families are very close, as Sunday dinner at Grandma’s house. I think it is our modern distractions that have caused the changes here in our country.
I think all Churches are facing the challenge of competing with the modern entertainment. Music, Immodest clothing, Computers, TV, Movies, Sports, Drugs, Pornography etc.etc. and all are doing their best to fight off the oppressor and keep the faith strong in our children. I pray that all of us will be successful in our endeavors to keep our children safe… 🙂 BJ
 
Tantum ergo:
I hope I don’t kill this, but I don’t find anything whatsoever lacking in my FAITH. . .if I perceive anything lacking, it is in my individual self. If there is anything lacking in “Catholic evangelization” it isn’t with “programs” but with individuals making a choice NOT to listen based on petty and non-essential individual reasons, like “Catholic music is too boring”, or “They don’t have Vacation Bible School”. Yes, evangelization is important, but it doesn’t have to be done with bells, whistles, gimmicks and entertainment. In fact, too often such evangelization doesn’t lead to real faith and actually can detract from it. Are people going to church to worship God or are they going because they have fun times together, hear cool music, etc?

After all, the Evangelical faith, while it might be better packaged to a certain demographic in a certain place, is not a profound fullness of truth like the Catholic faith. Is it really better, for example, that a person gets “more” of an incomplete faith or “less” of a complete one? It would be like comparing somebody getting a big bag of generic “milk flavored chocolate” bars vs. somebody getting a small but dense Godiva chocolate truffle. At first glance, the one getting the “big bag” looks like he is getting the better deal, but speaking from all sorts of perspectives, from esthetic to even financial, isn’t the second person getting the better deal?
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Let me respond this way. I wish I had the book at hand, but it was a survey of the state of the Church. In there a comment was made about the Church in Latin America, and was pointed specifically to the fact that for countries which were so Catholic, there was something interesting afoot. The Church was opting for the poor, and the poor were opting for the Evangelicals.

The author went on to discuss why. It centered around the hierarchy (read, priests and bishops, as well as consecrated religious) and their move to liberation theology. However, the Evangelicals were preaching Christ, and Him crucified. They were preaching morality - sexual, familial, workplace - and people were hungry for the Gospel, unadulterated by political philosophy. And this in countries which have almost no recognizeable middle class; just a rather small upper class, and a hugh lower class.

I would suggest that the Church, which possesses all truth, was failing to preach it, and the churches which possess part of the truth were preaching it, and the people voted with their feet. They voted for Christ, even though not completely, or necessarily well preached. They voted against the Church which has the Eucharist for churches which have a memorial meal, because they found Christ in the Evangelicals, and not in the Catholic Church.

At the heart of it was a failure of catechesis; a failure to do more than baptize and submerge in rituals. The Catholic Church has the richest, most meaningful, deep, symbolic and substantial rituals out there. But people left to find Christ, because the priests and bishops got way laid by political philosophy rather than theology.
 
I admire individuals that speak openly about their love for Christ, no matter what their religion. I like those that go forward unafraid. I find some Catholics do this very well. I am finding more and more as I get more involved in my church.

I think that Evangelicals are very special people because they go full speed ahead with that love. I will always be Catholic and I pray that we could call all the other Christians home. I think it would be awesome.
 
There is nothing lacking in the Catholic Faith - only in our willingness to embrace it and live it. 😉
 
I like the fervor and love of Our Lord Jesus Christ that I find in alot of our separated brethren.

I’ll take a Protestant on fire with love of Our Lord over a luke-warm cafeteria catholic any day.

Aside from family and online folks such as yourselves, there is really just one friend who I can count truly count on for spiritual support - and that is a Penticostal fella who lives a thousand miles away!

We were friends way back when we were both lost in the lies of the world. He found Jesus before I came back home to Our Lord. Whenever he’s in town or the one time I got down to his place, we always get together for coffee in some diner into the wee hours and talk about how Jesus saved us (and continues to save us) from utter ruin. I truly can count on him as a brother in Christ, and he’s said the same for me.

No arguments, just sticking to what we agree on. If he’s ever ready to ask any questions about the specifics of the faith (which he presently isn’t), I’ve made it clear that I’m ready to talk. Until that happens, I’m just happy to have one of the guys from the old days saying “Praise Jesus!”

-Peace-

Dustinsdad
 
I admire Evangelicals for their pure motive to stay completely Christ-centered and not allow the gospel to become diluted with man’s philosophies and moral relativism. The primary reason they fail to see the Catholic Church as the fulness of Christianity is misinformation coupled with this honorable motive. I also admire their closeness within local church families. They lack the universal concept of family, that we have as Catholics, but I think they are much tighter as a local family than Catholics are within their own parish. This goes far beyond merely socializing. They are family to each other and would do anything to help one another. Others have mentioned Evangelicals love of scripture and passion for evangelism. Those are definitely awesome qualities.

On another note, I have always admired the way Native Americans honor all life and feel a brotherly bond with animals. The Catholic Church affirms that all life is precious–even that of animals–and we are to treat them with kindness. But Native Americans’ expression of that honor is very touching.
 
I really like the way some of my Protestant friends can do spirit-filled impromptue prayers from the heart. They can be so eloquent. They can come up with a moving prayer on the spot.
 
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WhiteDove:
I really like the way some of my Protestant friends can do spirit-filled impromptue prayers from the heart. They can be so eloquent. They can come up with a moving prayer on the spot.
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This is true. I like spirit filled prayers from the heart. 👍 WE Catholics need to learn from that, but I think it needs to be in addition to some of our wonderful prayers we use. I love the novenas I do say.
 
What I admire is the way the Fundamentalists know their Scriptures… I wish I could quote chapter and verse the way they do…I’m working on it though.:o
 
One thing that I kind of like about Mormons is how everyone knows everyone in the branch. It can be a bit much sometimes, but at least people aren’t falling through the cracks. If you are Catholic and a bit reserved and have a hard time joining groups, sometimes you aren’t pursued…that may be your own fault, but with Mormons they give everyone a calling of some type or other…I think if more Catholics were directly invited to join in some ministry most would accept the invitation!
 
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