What is a mainstream Catholic

[dprewett]

I came across this when a thread was started about starting a new forum for mainstream catholics. What is the difference between Catholics and mainstream Catholics as far as beliefs. I have not heard of this in the past. Is a term for a more liberal Catholic?

 

[Joe_5859]

I came across this when a thread was started about starting a new forum for mainstream catholics. What is the difference between Catholics and mainstream Catholics as far as beliefs. I have not heard of this in the past. Is a term for a more liberal Catholic?

I have never heard this designation before, either. Why can’t we all just be Catholic?

 

[ljubim]

This one, right? forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=447742

It’s a euphemism for Cafeteria Catholic. I thought only people who cared about their faith would have the time to come to CAF, rather than do more important things like volunteering at Planned Parenthood or something.

Notice how they complain that we’re all crazy traditionals! OoOoh!

 

[puzzleannie]

I came across this when a thread was started about starting a new forum for mainstream catholics. What is the difference between Catholics and mainstream Catholics as far as beliefs. I have not heard of this in the past. Is a term for a more liberal Catholic?

I guess it depends on what branch of the river you are swimming in.

 

[shondrea]

I don’t get it either. Catholicism isn’t Protestantism, people! You either believe everything the church stands for or you don’t. A Roman Catholic is defined as one who follows the leadership of Rome, the Catechism, and it’s (name removed by moderator)erpritation of the Bible and morality. You either do this or you don’t. You’re either Catholic or you aren’t. Now, you might be a more conservative Catholic or traditionalist Catholic, but there is no “mainstream” Catholic. Deciding to skip Mass, not go to confession, not observe Lenten fridays, not do this that or the other thing does not make you a “mainstream” Catholic. It makes you Catholic in name only.

 

[Alan55]

Unfortunately, there are a lot of Catholics – including many who post to CA forums – who are very conservative or traditionalist and who call everyone who disagrees with them on any of a variety of issues as not “real Catholics.” A “cafeteria Catholic” is a perjorative term that accuses the person so labelled as picking and choosing from Church teaching, implying that they reject what the Church teaches in one or more areas. Abortion is one such area, but just as common areas of disagreement are liturgical (eucharistic ministers, altar servers, music choices, Latin in the liturgy, etc.), political (anyone who votes for a Democrat or supports Obama’s policies is suspect), and so on.

I understand “mainstream Catholics” to be those who believe and act in accordance with the teaching of the Church, who actively practice their faith, and who avoid the excesses of either the conservative/traditionalists and the most progressive in the Church.

However, I despair of anyone resolving the polarization in the Church, which is being fostered by some of the more conservative bishops. The name calling, accusations, suspicions, and hatred is disgusting and exactly the sort of thing Jesus prayed about when in John’s gospel he asked that “they may be one.”

 

[FishHookOpenEye]

Having read the thread, I think the poster was asking for a forum in which Latin-rite Catholics who normally attend the NO Masses and are trying to practice their faith and want to learn more without being bogged down in whether Vat II is legit or not. To try to answer the OP’s question, I think a Mainstream Catholic is a Catholic without any additional labels (e.g. Traditional Catholic, Eastern Catholic, etc…). Such a forum could be a place for people who believe/want to believe or understand the teachings of the Church to talk and learn more without politicizing the Church. The Church is neither liberal nor conservative, She is simply the Truth.

This is my rant on what a Mainstream Catholic is, and yes, I consider myself one while believing what the Church teaches. Sidenote: labelling these individuals “Mainstream” contradicts my definition, but whatever.

 

[mlund]

I’d say if you reject any of the following you are a CINO (Catholic in name only):

• The Nicene Creed
• The Precepts of the Catholic Church

scborromeo.org/ccc/p3s1c3a3.htm#II

Frankly, all “mainstream” Catholics should at least acknowledge and accept the authority of the Catechism itself on matters of Faith and Morals.

You’ll still find a variety of people and lots of prudential judgments and liturgical preferences and whatnot among the faithful, but that’s the common core.

Now one can also define “Mainstream” as meaning “in compliance with the popular media culture.” Reporters and “journalists” like to play that foolish game, trying to create a popular identity for the Church based on unfaithful and/or poorly catechized Catholics.

You’re either Catholic, lapsed, dissenting, heretical, or non-Catholic.

• Marty Lund

 

[sandyeggo]

I’ve never heard the term before. It doesn’t have a particularly positive connotation, I don’t think.

 

[dprewett]

Having read the thread, I think the poster was asking for a forum in which Latin-rite Catholics who normally attend the NO Masses and are trying to practice their faith and want to learn more without being bogged down in whether Vat II is legit or not. To try to answer the OP’s question, I think a Mainstream Catholic is a Catholic without any additional labels (e.g. Traditional Catholic, Eastern Catholic, etc…). Such a forum could be a place for people who believe/want to believe or understand the teachings of the Church to talk and learn more without politicizing the Church. The Church is neither liberal nor conservative, She is simply the Truth.

This is my rant on what a Mainstream Catholic is, and yes, I consider myself one while believing what the Church teaches. Sidenote: labelling these individuals “Mainstream” contradicts my definition, but whatever.

Sorry s long to rely m e-mail has been broken. It is my belief that even if you started a so called mainsteam forum thnpeople would still dissagree and some people unfortualy would still think themseles more Catholic. But using the term manstream makes t sund like most Catholics do not have the same core beliefs like not goin to confesion s ok or the host isonly symbolic. it seems that some want a forum to disscuse there own beliefs an only want to converse oters like themselves. neve mind what the Chrch teaches.

 

[dprewett]

I guess y point iswe are all mainstream bu have differing oppinons we are one church to not be minstream one wold have to be protestant. It maks mesad to thik that peolewho are new to the faith feel wambashed when rying to learn I hope I have not done this and appolgize if I have. We need only one Church and one forum to be Catholic.

 

[dprewett]

This one, right? forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=447742

It’s a euphemism for Cafeteria Catholic. I thought only people who cared about their faith would have the time to come to CAF, rather than do more important things like volunteering at Planned Parenthood or something.

Notice how they complain that we’re all crazy traditionals! OoOoh!

Yes that was the post. I feel like in todays church I being labled Traditionl lke it is a bad thig for tring to follow the faith and the Church that Jesus left for us. I was talking to a group of Catholics the other day and he thought me etreme forgoing to Daily Mass twic weekand Confession once a month. To me it seems very little compared to what God himsel sufferd for us

 

[Dempsey1919]

I hate these these sort of terms because they are divisive. I wish we could all forget these terms and just refer to ourselves as Catholic.

As far as I am concerned, there are only two types of Catholic: those who believe in everything the Church teaches and strive to practice the faith, and others who call themselves Catholic but openly dissent from the doctrines of the faith; there are faithful Catholics and unfaithful Catholics, nothing more and nothing less.

 

[dprewett]

I dislike the term Traditional Catholic. My protestant friends use this to try and prove that the Catholic Church is really split into smaller groups. It is hard enough to get them to understand the difference between Rites and Denomonations. Maby the through better Caticisim more of the unfaithful will try to be faithfull.