What would be your opinion regarding this type of Christian?

  • Thread starter Thread starter RCIAGraduate
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
R

RCIAGraduate

Guest
I wanted to ask your perspective on a Christian who doesn’t partake in the mass or the sacraments but otherwise practices a vibrant devotional life such as the LOTH, bible reading, the rosary and even acts of service and charity like being active in a ministry like hospice care, the homeless, prison work and etc.

And have you ever met or encountered such people in real life?
 
Last edited:
I have. They need to read the parts of the Bible about Baptism and the Eucharist.
 
I know this is nosy but what are they like? Do they come across as more spiritual than religious? Or would they in appearance look indistinguishable to a “regular Christian” until someone figured out that they weren’t churchgoers?

I know this is loaded and please forgive me if you are offended, but what would be your view between a churchgoer with a weak to
non-existent devotional life to a non-churchgoer with a vibrant devotional life everyday but Sunday (or without a service, basically)?
 
Alot of Church goers don’t live the faith at home ,they support the culture of death, you would never know they are Catholic
The Christians you point out often live their faith in all activities but one. Sunday is like every other day.

Some are very Christ centered. More than Church-goers participating in the Sacraments.

Some are defensive about not being active members. Make excuses for not going to Church. I don’t like that

Some have an inner conviction that that makes them want to go but something else is keeping them from going. No ant-catholic attitude in them. I like them better.

I don’t see much difference over all.
 
Last edited:
If someone does LOTH and Rosary but not Mass, either they must live in some area with no Mass available for 100 miles or else they have a weird hangup. LOTH and Mass are both liturgy. There is no reason to do LOTH but skip Mass and in so doing miss out on receiving Jesus’ body and blood.

In any event, they are sinning by missing Mass, so the fact that they pray a lot doesn’t make up for it.

I’ve also never met a “non-churchgoer with a vibrant devotional life” unless like I said they were not going to church because Mass was inaccessible to them.
 
Last edited:
If they have devotion they take the Sacraments. Otherwise, “non-practicing” Catholics do “good deeds” just like everyone.
 
St Cyprian said that he who doesn’t have the Church as his mother doesn’t have God as his father.
 
For Catholics, no, but Protestants, yes.

If they are Catholics who do such things as you said, they would invariably lead a Sacramental life as well.
 
I would say they are like a person who exercises regularly but only eats junk food.

They might be healthy for a while. They might keep up the exercise for a while. But eventually the lack of vital nutrition will catch up and they will no longer have the energy to exercise, and meanwhile they may have suffered permanent damage and may never be able to reach their full potential.
 
I think it depends on the reasons as to why going to Church does not feel as necessity. If they feel like they don’t need the Church then this person is unfair - all the prayers, devotional items are available to us because of the Church. They passed it to us. There should be some sort of devotion to the Church like charity and prayers for the their intentions for this person to be truly honest hermit type in a modern world. To make sure it’s just a choice not some sort of vengeance on the Church and her members.
 
(Rev 3:15 DRB) I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot. I would thou wert cold or hot.

(Rev 3:16 DRB) But because thou art lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will begin to vomit thee out of my mouth.
 
Not keeping holy the Lord’s Day is a mortal sin. Unfortunately, all their prayers would be without value as their soul would be dead to the life of grace. A dead soul cannot benefit from medicine without first obtaining absolution through Confession and receiving Sanctifying Grace.

Peace.

+JMJ+
 
Last edited:
I can think of one scenario in which this case would be fine: A person who does not have a valid Mass which he or she can attend.

A person who lives perhaps 100 miles from the nearest church and cannot afford the time or the gas/upkeep to travel on the weekend, except for perhaps Christmas and Easter provided the weather cooperates, would be an example. I know there will be a loud chorus of people who claim they would drive all that and more blah blah. But sometimes what is possible for Ursula Upright, vigorous, healthy, financially secure, is not possible for Edna Elderly, who may have health and financial problems, family responsibilities, and other things which make it impossible for her to do what Ursula finds possible.

Or a person who lives in an area where there is a Catholic Church but the priest does not offer a valid Mass; specifically where the words of consecration are not used. (You may think this never happens but I can assure you, it does). If this is a person who perhaps lives in a small town where there is that one church, and there is also a hospital with hospice, or a prison, and that person can use public transportation to all the above but has no other vehicle and again the closest parish is 50 miles away, with no public transportation on the weekend, well again, that person could be justified. If there is no valid Mass, then the person cannot attend Mass, but as a practicing Catholic, would strive to do all that WAS possible for him or her.
 
RCIAGraduate said:
I wanted to ask your perspective on a Christian who doesn’t partake in the mass or the sacraments but otherwise practices a vibrant devotional life such as the LOTH, bible reading, the rosary and even acts of service and charity like being active in a ministry like hospice care, the homeless, prison work and etc.

And have you ever met or encountered such people in real life?
Click to expand...
Assuming they are able to go to Mass and receive the sacraments, I’d say they are good but perhaps misguided people.

I do my best not to have opinions about other Christians. Some of the best people, and best Christians, I know, are not Catholic, don’t believe in the Real Presence, or apostolic succession, or a bunch of other teachings of the Catholic Church.

Are they bad people? I can say, with a great degree of confidence that they are not. They are almost certainly better, and less sinful, than I am.
 
If I met them after RCIA I would say that their instruction was either lacking or that they entered into it without the full desire to be a part of the Church. They are likely nice people, good people even, but to turn one’s back on the True Presence of Christ in the Eucharist and the gift of His grace int he Sacraments? Not good on any level. When one converts, they make a profession of faith. Living the faith is the other part of that. It’s not just lip service.
Say a prayer that this person overcomes whatever is separating him from full participation.
God bless you.
 
It is a little unclear whether you are referring to Catholics or Protestants. A lot of Protestants have such individualistic Sola Fide ideas about church and sacraments being optional. If it was a Catholic with such ideas, we would say that he was poorly catechized.
 
I was like that once, but the only reason I didn’t go to mass was because I had no way to get there and had to care for someone at home. I very much wanted to go to mass, but had to be at home, instead.
 
Last edited:
ConstantLearner said:
I was like that once, but the only reason I didn’t go to mass was because I had no way to get there and had to care for someone at home. I very much wanted to go to mass, but had to be at home, instead.
Click to expand...
That’s obviously not the same situation as the OP’s description of somebody who’s “active in a ministry” like prison work or hospice care. A person who is stuck at home with no transportation and needing to care for a family member at home probably has a valid excuse for missing Mass, whereas a Catholic who can go out and work in a hospice or prison should be able to also get themself to Mass for an hour once a week.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top