P
ProVobis
Guest
But a mystery to most Canadians, I bet.
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jmcrae
Guest
There are plenty of people with Ukrainian ancestry in Canada.But a mystery to most Canadians, I bet.
P
ProVobis
Guest
This kind of goes with post #12.
Iām a claustrophic myself but human behavior sometimes is funny. Megachurches are popular because, well they have lots of attraction and are popular. The Chicago Cubs draw millions of people every year not because theyāre a winning team but because people are naturally drawn to crowds. The bandwagon effect. The chances of bumping into others you know is higher there as well. Thus the need to consolidate parishes and Masses. Thatās my theory anyway.
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ProVobis
Guest
I wouldnāt object to attending an Ukrainian Liturgy if thatās the issue. The Slavic tongue is easy on the ears.There are plenty of people with Ukrainian ancestry in Canada.
N
nickybr38
Guest
Where I live you canāt throw a stone without hitting a Ukrainian.There are plenty of people with Ukrainian ancestry in Canada.
P
ProVobis
Guest
All ye without sin?Where I live you canāt throw a stone without hitting a Ukrainian.
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Primrose_gill
Guest
I started attending mass again about 10 weeks ago after many years of being lapsed. My background is irish catholic, and while I felt a strong relationship with God as a child, as I grew into a teenager and student, I fell away. I think a lot now about why. I think it was a mix of things; I felt as a young person I disagreed with a lot of teaching and couldnt understand or accept it, or i didnt want to: why cant you have sex before marriage, why is it wrong for me to use contraception, why is homosexuality condemned, why is masturbation a sin, how can so many of our priests (including one from my parish when I was a child) have abused children. I felt like Catholicism was a big list of rules - you cant do this, you cant do thatā¦somehow I got the idea that, given how i felt and thought and my poor understanding, āGod doesnt want meā and eventually I doubted Gods existence at all. I turned my back and I didnt think too hard about it. I had learned again and again about the life of Jesus, but the message didnt really seem to click with me. I knew it but I didnt truly āgetā it. I didnt think about mass as a sacrifice for our salvation.
Meanwhile, I lived my life. I had ups and downs - I enjoyed great success in my studies and career, pouring myself into it. I also intermittently suffered depression and increasingly found life was a weary, circular trek to find something that i couldnt define, but desperately longed for. I felt disillusioned with the life of money and successā¦it felt empty, cold and I realised I was ashamed of how I was living my life - extremely selfishly.
I came back because I felt called. I literally woke up one day and felt the compulsion to know God. I reached out and found Gods love, his message of hope and mercy. I felt called back and I realised I wanted a relationship with God: to understand Him, to understand His message and what He wants of me. I found my place. More of my Catholic faith was there inside me than Iād realised or acknowledged for many years.
Iām not sure how we can help people hear that call back from God. I think that one is only in His hands, but of course we can always pray to know how to do better and to reach out!
What helped me on the way back?
The priest in my church was welcoming and things he did like waiting outside the church and shaking hands with the parishioners after mass, giving excellent meaningful relevant homilies and encouraging work in the community.
I have always been very wary of ābible-bashersā (think loudspeaker, tube station entrance) - but I have rarely ever talked about religion with my friends. If one of them spoke to me about religion, I would be surprised but intrigued. Maybe it has to start there - a conversation between trusted friends? That could have helped me sooner perhaps. Although somehow, when I look back now, the timing was perfect. I was ready to listen when God called me back.
If we are asking this question, or feel compelled to talk about it, I guess God is working again in another way
On the Latin Mass front, I really dont think that would have helped me, or indeed many from my background / demographic. If the first mass I had gone to was a Latin Mass, I would have felt even more discouraged about how little I understood. There is something wonderful about going to mass and hearing words that speak to you: the psalm on the first mass I attended ten weeks ago was Psalm 63, where David speaks of his soul thirsting for the Lord. Now thats timing!
The reverence of mass is so important - that had a huge impact on me. I donāt agree with any āsimplifyingā of the mass - but education about it I agree is important. I am seeking some education now to study scripture and different topics and itās a challenge to find something but Iām lucky enough to live in a big city. I would love if there was a small group in my parish I could study with. An inclusive group like that could possibly have been a draw for me - it definitely would be now as I work on building it.
Looking forward to hearing more ideas!
Meanwhile, I lived my life. I had ups and downs - I enjoyed great success in my studies and career, pouring myself into it. I also intermittently suffered depression and increasingly found life was a weary, circular trek to find something that i couldnt define, but desperately longed for. I felt disillusioned with the life of money and successā¦it felt empty, cold and I realised I was ashamed of how I was living my life - extremely selfishly.
I came back because I felt called. I literally woke up one day and felt the compulsion to know God. I reached out and found Gods love, his message of hope and mercy. I felt called back and I realised I wanted a relationship with God: to understand Him, to understand His message and what He wants of me. I found my place. More of my Catholic faith was there inside me than Iād realised or acknowledged for many years.
Iām not sure how we can help people hear that call back from God. I think that one is only in His hands, but of course we can always pray to know how to do better and to reach out!
What helped me on the way back?
The priest in my church was welcoming and things he did like waiting outside the church and shaking hands with the parishioners after mass, giving excellent meaningful relevant homilies and encouraging work in the community.
I have always been very wary of ābible-bashersā (think loudspeaker, tube station entrance) - but I have rarely ever talked about religion with my friends. If one of them spoke to me about religion, I would be surprised but intrigued. Maybe it has to start there - a conversation between trusted friends? That could have helped me sooner perhaps. Although somehow, when I look back now, the timing was perfect. I was ready to listen when God called me back.
If we are asking this question, or feel compelled to talk about it, I guess God is working again in another way
On the Latin Mass front, I really dont think that would have helped me, or indeed many from my background / demographic. If the first mass I had gone to was a Latin Mass, I would have felt even more discouraged about how little I understood. There is something wonderful about going to mass and hearing words that speak to you: the psalm on the first mass I attended ten weeks ago was Psalm 63, where David speaks of his soul thirsting for the Lord. Now thats timing!
The reverence of mass is so important - that had a huge impact on me. I donāt agree with any āsimplifyingā of the mass - but education about it I agree is important. I am seeking some education now to study scripture and different topics and itās a challenge to find something but Iām lucky enough to live in a big city. I would love if there was a small group in my parish I could study with. An inclusive group like that could possibly have been a draw for me - it definitely would be now as I work on building it.
Looking forward to hearing more ideas!
H
havana1
Guest
Maybe Iām naive, but if the issue is lowered attendance, why would already-busy and already-stressed people make a weekly effort to go church ***when the priest and altar boys have their backs turned to them? *** I know I would take that as disrespectful, and I think most other singles would take umbrage as well - and not return. *āThe priest canāt even look at us?ā * For the people youād like to return to church, TLM is probably not the best idea.
T
TrueLight
Guest
Thank you for your testimony.
I started attending mass again about 10 weeks ago after many years of being lapsed. My background is irish catholic, and while I felt a strong relationship with God as a child, as I grew into a teenager and student, I fell away. I think a lot now about why. I think it was a mix of things; I felt as a young person I disagreed with a lot of teaching and couldnt understand or accept it, or i didnt want to: why cant you have sex before marriage, why is it wrong for me to use contraception, why is homosexuality condemned, why is masturbation a sin, how can so many of our priests (including one from my parish when I was a child) have abused children. I felt like Catholicism was a big list of rules - you cant do this, you cant do thatā¦somehow I got the idea that, given how i felt and thought and my poor understanding, āGod doesnt want meā and eventually I doubted Gods existence at all. I turned my back and I didnt think too hard about it. I had learned again and again about the life of Jesus, but the message didnt really seem to click with me. I knew it but I didnt truly āgetā it. I didnt think about mass as a sacrifice for our salvation.
Meanwhile, I lived my life. I had ups and downs - I enjoyed great success in my studies and career, pouring myself into it. I also intermittently suffered depression and increasingly found life was a weary, circular trek to find something that i couldnt define, but desperately longed for. I felt disillusioned with the life of money and successā¦it felt empty, cold and I realised I was ashamed of how I was living my life - extremely selfishly.
I came back because I felt called. I literally woke up one day and felt the compulsion to know God. I reached out and found Gods love, his message of hope and mercy. I felt called back and I realised I wanted a relationship with God: to understand Him, to understand His message and what He wants of me. I found my place. More of my Catholic faith was there inside me than Iād realised or acknowledged for many years.
Iām not sure how we can help people hear that call back from God. I think that one is only in His hands, but of course we can always pray to know how to do better and to reach out!
What helped me on the way back?
The priest in my church was welcoming and things he did like waiting outside the church and shaking hands with the parishioners after mass, giving excellent meaningful relevant homilies and encouraging work in the community.
I have always been very wary of ābible-bashersā (think loudspeaker, tube station entrance) - but I have rarely ever talked about religion with my friends. If one of them spoke to me about religion, I would be surprised but intrigued. Maybe it has to start there - a conversation between trusted friends? That could have helped me sooner perhaps. Although somehow, when I look back now, the timing was perfect. I was ready to listen when God called me back.
If we are asking this question, or feel compelled to talk about it, I guess God is working again in another way
On the Latin Mass front, I really dont think that would have helped me, or indeed many from my background / demographic. If the first mass I had gone to was a Latin Mass, I would have felt even more discouraged about how little I understood. There is something wonderful about going to mass and hearing words that speak to you: the psalm on the first mass I attended ten weeks ago was Psalm 63, where David speaks of his soul thirsting for the Lord. Now thats timing!
The reverence of mass is so important - that had a huge impact on me. I donāt agree with any āsimplifyingā of the mass - but education about it I agree is important. I am seeking some education now to study scripture and different topics and itās a challenge to find something but Iām lucky enough to live in a big city. I would love if there was a small group in my parish I could study with. An inclusive group like that could possibly have been a draw for me - it definitely would be now as I work on building it.
Looking forward to hearing more ideas!
P
pollycarp
Guest
cause they receive the Bread of Life there?
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TrueLight
Guest
I guess the Latin rite was disrespectful for hundreds of years.
Let me recommend a book for you. Itās called "The Latin Mass Explained, by George J. Moorman and Michael Schmitz.
J
jmcrae
Guest
Thatās not what I understood him to mean - rather, I think he was asking, in an era when every outing has to be āan experience,ā and where if it doesnāt make you money then it better entertain you, how is the TLM going to improve their attendance? We are not talking about educated Catholics; we are talking about people who think Transformers is great art.
M
MartyrForJesus
Guest
Disrespectful? Are you kidding me?
M
MartyrForJesus
Guest
None.
Please donāt paint a picture of the Latin Mass as a priest blubbering on in gibberish at the altar with the faithful sitting there indifferent due to not understanding a thing that is being said. That is not the case at all. The faithful mostly have missals, and in some Latin Mass parishes, including the one I go to, they have āmini-missalsā that you can borrow at the front door. If you have just a little understanding of what the Mass is, then you have no problem understanding what is going on. I would find it quite surprising if a faithful Catholic didnāt understand what was happening at the Traditional Latin Mass. Pope Benedict has said before that participation means being there in prayer and solemn reverence and reflection. Participation in the Mass does not mean simply running about being an EMHC or a door greeter, etc, even though those things are good to do if required.
God Bless.
T
TrueLight
Guest
I had to take a look back at the post to see if I read wrong, because when I replied I was using my iPhone. But this is what the poster said:
For those who say some have disdain for the OF, is this not disdain for the EF?
J
jmcrae
Guest
I think he was putting himself in their shoes, and writing what he thought they (meaning people who havenāt been to Mass recently, and who orient their lives around entertainment and work) might say, if they just walk in with no understanding of what is going on, or that it is not supposed to be a form of entertainment - I donāt think he really thinks this.
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ProVobis
Guest
The issue is ways to increase the attendence at Mass. That means increase the worship to God, not to themselves. Where are their priorities?
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TrueLight
Guest
Okay. Havana is this true? You have a worthy defender!
M
MartyrForJesus
Guest
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TrueLight
Guest
In my eyes, saying āThe priest canāt even look at usā? is scorn. You may disagree.
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