Which religion is grabbing the most Catholics?

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I agree that probably the most “influential religion” in today’s modern families are materialism and secularism…it’s hard to imagine why some people even bring their children to church at all. When they do come to Mass, they’re in a hurry to get out, to get to the next event on their schedule. When they enroll them in catechetical programs,they want to know how many sessions they can miss so they can go to cheerleading championships, participate in “select” sports programs, go on a school band trip, etc. etc. They are not reinforcing Catholic values at home, don’t pray together, say grace at meals. They’ll attend the Christmas eve vigil Mass so they “don’t have to be bothered with it” on Christmas morning, but won’t come to the Easter Vigil because “it’s too long”. While I don’t agree with those who leave for another Christian tradition, at least I can respect that they are trying to have a relationship with Christ and aren’t just going through the motions. The good news? While it is frustrating at times (ever feel like this :banghead: ?) I don’t find this to be true with all families, not even a majority. So we need to keep on praying and be good examples…be friendly; smile when you offer the sign of peace at Mass; look happy and joyful during the homily, not bored or watching the clock; stay after Mass and speak to people you don’t know; speak the Truth always, but with love…not sarcasm or judgement or condemnation.

Okay, the rant is officially over. I am off my soapbox for now.
You might be able to tell that my profession deals with families and sacraments and catechesis…hope you will keep me honest and humble and prevent me from becoming a bore :sleep: .

Keep it real! Peace…
 
I am sure that it is LDS Church (Mormons). Especially in Central America and South America. Also the Phillipines.
 
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boxerpaws:
why do most ex Catholics end up hating the Church so much?They also seem to pick up a lot of the you worship statues,false gods,use vain reptition stuff. Why would they actually accept all this if they were Catholic at one time?
Doesn’t make sense to me…could someone explain?
:confused:
I always address this question in the talks that I give, when I explain why I fell away and joined the Mormons:

Most people born into a religion stop learning about their faith when they are in their teens. I stopped right after my confirmation at age 12. Unless they make a concerted effort to the contrary, these folks will approach God and His Church as a 12 year-old for the rest of their lives. At some point, the 12 year-old mind has a tantrum because it is not “being fed” like a baby with a bottle. They go to another denomination with different teachings that they must learn - only this time they are learning as ADULTS. The adult looks back with scorn at the child from the former religion, and concludes that his former religion (and not himself) is shallow and worthy of that scorn. Thus is born the bitter former Catholic who (in predictable 12 year-old style) is attracted to believing the most dramatic and horrific things possible about the CC.
Hurrah for those cradle Catholics who decide to grow the hell up and learn their faith from an adult perspective! 👍
Paul
 
AMEN, Paul. That is the frustration. Would you go through any other aspect of life with the knowledge and experience of a 12 or 13 year old? Why then with matters of faith, are we so willing to accept that level of knowledge and make decisions based upon it? I keep praying for strength of the Holy Spirit to help families make good choices in this respect, and keep their youth Catholic and growing in their relationship with Christ. Your testimony seems strong to me, I hope you share it with the young people in your church.

Peace…
 
I said ‘New Age’ - because the influence of occultism is such that even Catholics still in the pews are engaging in New Age beliefs and practices. They may not have visibly left the Church… but their hearts and minds (and souls) are elsewhere…

God bless,

Gryphon
 
Wiccanism is grabbing alot of people. Wiccanism is on the rise and Catholicism is on the downfall, it’s estimated that by 2030 Christianity will be the minority religion. I know you didn’t wanna hear statistics but i just had to throw that one out there.
 
I can’t tell you how many of my friends have been sucked into Wicca, I voted for the “New Age” movement. It is unfortunate because I do not associate with them anymore, we get into too many arguments. I see it as unfair: I do not agree with their beliefs, but I still respect them. But they always have to make comments about Christians in general. I try to explain that not all Christians are the same and that there is a big difference between Evangelicals and Catholics, but it’s like talking to a brick wall.
 
The church of the Casino and Bingo halls in my opinion. Second comes the church of the apathetic
 

I voted for New Age but I think that is in second place. Third place would be Fundamentalist/Evangelical Protestantism and fourth place mainline Protestantism. The biggest threat to the True Faith is: (drum roll):​

ROMAN CATHOLICISM​

Yep, that’s right. Actually, any rite will do, but Roman is commonest in North America. The threat isn’t the true faith but the watered down version that passes for Catholic nowadays. I think we need a major apologetic and evangelistic push to convert our fellow Catholics back to Catholicism.
With other varieties of Christianity, you have to know whether you are Catholic, Protestant or Orthodox, subject to my insensitive rant.
 
If we are considering where do Catholic go that leave the religion.

I would have to answer given today’s society and culture they have to Hedonism. Some still call themself Catholic, but do not practice or believe in the full faith.
 
Catholic parishes does have weakness in serving the deaf community and their needs. Most deaf Catholics are not well educated about defense of Catholic faith. Also most evangelicals do provide the needs of deaf community by having deaf pastors in their churches. Catholic parishes in America only have about 3 priests who are deaf compared to roughly about 100 to 150 deaf preachers in protestantism alone. Very easy to convince them into evangelical/protestant faith.
 
I attend two “non-denominational” bible studies in one 7 of the 15 who attend are ex-Catholic. They all have the idea that as long as it’s Protestant it’s ok. I get that by some of their statements about how they started going to their current church when they were “church shopping”. “I like the pastor he’s with it or they have a band” ECT. What I don’t hear is that they go to this or that church because it’s true. All of the ex-Catholics I know have very little understanding of what they left.
 
From what I am told from my Jehovah’s Witness friend, it is the Jehovah’s Witnesses. :confused:
Karl Keating:
This is a question about your perception, not about statistics. Someone undertaking a detailed sociological survey might be able to come up with hard numbers.

I’m looking for your gut feeling, which may be based in part on what has happened to people you know or know about.

In your estimation, which religion has been most successful in inducing one-time Catholics to join it?
 
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Greg54:
All of the ex-Catholics I know have very little understanding of what they left.
Unfortunately this is true of most ex-Catholics. If only they recieved better catechesis early. We need to pray that they come to understand the truth and the fullness of it.
 
From what I am told from my Jehovah’s Witness friend, it is the Jehovah’s Witnesses. :confused:
Karl Keating:
This is a question about your perception, not about statistics. Someone undertaking a detailed sociological survey might be able to come up with hard numbers.

I’m looking for your gut feeling, which may be based in part on what has happened to people you know or know about.

In your estimation, which religion has been most successful in inducing one-time Catholics to join it?
 
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Gryphon:
I said ‘New Age’ - because the influence of occultism is such that even Catholics still in the pews are engaging in New Age beliefs and practices. They may not have visibly left the Church… but their hearts and minds (and souls) are elsewhere…

God bless,

Gryphon
The Church in Norway is largely an immigrant church, with great numbers coming from central Europe (Germany, Poland) and from Vietnam and the Philippines. And Catholics are a minority in Norway, so that makes us very faith- and identity-conscious in a largely secularized Lutheran society.

I really only have the experience of people coming the other way, that is converts TO the Church, being one myself of just over one year. All the Catholics I know seem to only want to be Catholic and stay Catholic.

Still, I voted for ‘New Age’, because there is a liberalizing tendency among certain would-be ‘intellectual’ Norwegian Catholics, and I feel some of the things they say are a bit New Age-y at times. but I don’t know if they ever leave the Church.
 
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Ric:
I live in Orlando also! Cool!

I was married at St. John Vianney on SOBT quite some years ago!
I went to school at St. John Vianney in seventh grade back in 1967…until Sr. Euthalia kicked me out because my parents refused to sign the official list of rules students had to obey (one of which was “No running on the playground”–kid you not!). My parents told me to obey the rules anyhow, and I did so, but that wasn’t good enough. I graduated eighth grade from St. James in 1969. Funny the things we remember, eh? :rolleyes:
 
I’m looking for your gut feeling, which may be based in part on what has happened to people you know or know about.
Specific church in my area is called The Church of God.
(Make sure you capatilize ‘The’, they seem to get touchy about it. Some mixup with other “Church of God” denominations.)
They are a break off of the Church of God of Prophecy.

They are small. But it seems that in almost every congregation there are a few Catholics that left the church for one reason or another. Typically there is some beef with a priest.

.02 duly deposited.

Z
 
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SPH1:
Reading through these posts, it seems to me that with regard to the majority of Catholics who leave the Church I must say: “good riddance.” The Church is better off without them.
:confused: Oh my! But THEY are not better off without the Church! Since the Church’s mission is the salavation of souls, that should be our concern. The Church is now and has always been comprised of all manner of sinners, hypocrites, and fools. And the gates of hell have not prevailed to destroy it.
 
Mormonism seem to attract Catholics. One of the reasons is the Catholic is accustom to structure (for example, hierarchy) and the LDS church provides that. Another reason is the emphasis on family values.

It’s sad that many Catholics don’t question or study their faith enough and this results in falling away and being picked up by a non-Catholic religion.
 
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