Which religion is grabbing the most Catholics?

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I am the only Catholic left in my family.

My Uncle (who was one of my baptismal sponsors) and his entire family are now Non-Denominational Fellowship Christians. My Uncle tried talking me out of being Catholic, and he is my godfather!!! Isn’t that awful??? Oh, and my aunt’s sister told me that I needed to be re-baptised!!!

When I first became a Christian two to three years ago, I attended my Uncle’s non-denominational church and I read their bible studies on Matthew and Romans. They are NOT non-denominational. They are simply another protestant denomination in disguise. There are also blatant errors in their theology. For example, their Pastor says that once we’re “saved” that our past, present, and future sins are automatically forgiven, so we don’t have to worry about sin anymore. We can do whatever we feel like. When I read that, threw his bible study book down and left his church, returning to Catholicism. Even though I had, at that point, no Catholic education, my heart told me his teaching on sin was wrong.

Christian Fellowships are targeting fallen Catholics by labeling themselves as being non-denominational, when, in actuality, they are very anti-Catholic. My relatives say I’ve been swallowed up by the “Whore of Babylon,” and that the Catholic Church is the lukewarm church of Laodecia. The nerve!!!

Needless to say, I don’t listen to my relatives. And if they blaspheme the Blessed Mother or say ANYTHING bad about Our Little Popster, I give them a nice, long lecture.

In my experience, the WORST enemies of the The Church are fallen Catholics. Such people have betrayed Jesus Christ, just like Judas Iscariot!
 
Hello. This is my first posting. I’m a Protestant who’s been investigating Catholicism for a while now. I go to a large Evangelical in Southern California. We went to a newly-formed Bible study a few weeks ago, and during the introductions, I learned that most of the people at the table were of the “I grew up Catholic, but…” variety. The only two who weren’t were my husband and me. He grew up Episcopalian and I was Southern Baptist. There were a lot of misconceptions about the Catholic church going on that night-I seemed to know more about it than they did.

Our church does have a lot of ‘seeker friendly’ qualities to it. It’s associated with Willow Creek. There’s a live band, drama, lots of different groups, a ‘fun’ youth group, community outreach, power point displays (sometimes it’s like a business meeting) and lots and lots of clapping. Communion is infrequent, and just a ‘memorial’ service. Messages are light on calling things sin and heavy on ‘life application’ time and financial management and realizing that one needs Jesus in your life and can have him by saying a simple prayer, which is usually about realizing that one needs a Savior, who is Jesus-that is as close to a confession of sin as it gets. Their statement of belief goes further, but it’s not mentioned nearly as much as the ‘five points of…’ or ‘three ways to…’ or whatever. Very much against ‘empty ritual’ or ‘imposing beliefs where the Bible as silent’ etc., which was obvious this weekend. There was a sort of patriotic sermon, since it was the 4th, and since we’re in a military community (my husband is a Marine.) It was a little odd at the end, to hear a song with (just one) verse about unborn children being given the chance to live, while a Power-point photo montage included the Governor of CA., Arnold Schwarzenneger (sp?) who is a pro-choice politician. sigh

Well, I guess I’m one who’s thinking about converting to Catholicism who is NOT very positive about her Protestant background. No, I take that back. The church I went to in high school, with my then-boyfriend now-husband, was the best experience with Christianity I’ve had. I guess I should be more grateful, but lately it’s been more and more difficult.

But anyway, I’d say that the evangelical style of worship- fun activities, lots of social interaction, concert-style music, lack of spiritual and theological depth, and a casual, no-rules style atmosphere (there are girls that wear bare-shoulder minidresses and jeans with their, ahem, undies, showing to church) definitely attracts quite a lot of people from all denominations. Ironically, it’s the same things that are pushing quite a few, like me, away.
 
Good Morning Church
I voted for Eastern because I had heard that Islam was the fastest growing religion in the world. I was thinking of the worldwide Catholic Church not just the American Church.
However, if I could change my vote, I would say, definately Evangelical/non-denominational. I spent several years in a large study and problem solving group working with my Diocese in Southern California. We polled out Catholic High School and found that (at that time) 75% of our Catholic students were attending a large evangelical church in the area. Few were any longer attending Mass.
What we found out is that the greatest threat to the Catholic Church was the Catholic Church. Hmmm??? Exactly true.
First of all, almost the only ones who took this problem seriously, were the parents of the kids. Most of the clergy brushed it off as “they are only going there to be entertained, they will be back”. Not true! We were able to follow some of the kids for quite some time, some even after marriage. They did not come back.
We talked to the kids, listened carefully and made notes (tons of them) why they left, and talked to youth groups from our parishes.
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In the area I live in I would have to say Mormons because it is a predominantly Mormon community and has a large hispanic population which are (were) traditionally Catholic.

Even though most Catholic Churches here have Hispanic Masses, the Mormons are known for their “hospitality” and make great effort to convert the hispanics, speak their language, pick them up and take them to Church, have many assistance programs, etc.
If you were a stranger in a strange land and there illegally to boot, you might be drawn to those who gave you shelter.

I think I read somewhere also that Hispanics are leaving the Catholic Church in great numbers in the U.S.
 
Sorry, was afraid I had gone on too long.
The kids were bored, didn’t feel they were being taught a clear message about Jesus, WANTED to learn about sin and have limits set, wanted active youth groups and generally felt the Catholic Church was indiferrent to their needs.
Now, before any of you tell me that we have all these teens who love the Church and even moving toward the Traditional flavor. Yeah, I know. That was true then too. The tragedy is not those kids staying it is all the ones leaving.
Let me move on to today.
In March, I had lung cancer surgery. My pastor came to the hospital to see me, so did one of the Deacons. From then on, even though I had almost a two month recovery at home, I didn’t see or hear from one parishioner. No one offered to bring Communion. The reason was that I didn’t call the Church, or have one of my family call the office. I guess the priest or deacon couldn’t make a note and let the office know.
My poor 74 yr old husband wasn’t stressed enough, trying to care for me or drive 50 miles to the hospital. He ended up getting shingles the week I got home.
About 10 years ago, my husband had 5 way heart bi-pass. I did call the Church and let them know before the surger. No one called or came over from the Church. However, a pastor from the local Vineyard church (the husband of one of our former employees) heard about my husband and came to the hospital and sat with me, prayed and held my hand till it was over.
My daughter in law converted to the Catholic Church from evangelical/nondenominatinal. She loves the Catholic Church but when a personal problem arose, asked her priest to pray with her. He said, “we don’t do that” “that is protestant”. Yeah, he did, in front of witnesses.
This is a few things I think should be talked about.
We have a treasure of Gods gifts in the Catholic Church. We have the whole Truth. We have Jesus in the Eucharist.
We need to learn to be more Christlike in our behavior, I think.
 
I agree there are very sincere protestants out there. However if one is going to spread anti-catholic rhetoric, in order to be TRULY sincere, one should thoroughly investigate the basis for the charges. As a cradle Catholic, I became a protestant and was fed a huge amount of anti-Catholic stuff. Of course I bought it because other than Catholic elementary school, I didn’t know or practice my faith. Then came a Catholic friend who I began to pass on the anti-Catholic stuff to, however I decided to investigate the Catholic Church instead of just passing on what I heard. I studied for a year, and guess what? Yes, I returned to my Beloved Catholic Church. How sweet it is!
I don’t think we can totally blame the Church for a lack of catechesis. I think parents have to take responsibility for teaching their children the faith. Too many parents send their kids to Catholic schools and assume they’re getting what they need and don’t back it up at home. These kids go out and see the fervor their own family lacked in other people and get drawn in. Peace in Christ +
 
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parishminister:
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.
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parishminister and I share very similar viewpoints on this problem. I was lulled by materialism for a few years, and I am thankful that God snapped me out of it’s trance. I look around me and I can’t believe how bad it has gotten. I personally blame TV and Radio for a large portion of it. All of the commercials are about how much you need this good or service, and the programming is getting out of hand (anybody see the commericals during the NBA Finals for ABC’s Fall lineup?).
 
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BobCatholic:
I would say mirror worship. Unfortunately, Church of the Holy Mirror is not one of the choices.

That mirror cracks the whip on someone, and they ego-trip. Then they get grandiose ideas of their personal authority, or think they’re divine, or…
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…they find Jesus?
 
As much as I’d like to speculate which religions are grabbing the most Catholics, what is needed is statistics, not opinions. The real question is, “Why do people leave the Catholic Church?”. In my experience the problem is multifactorial, but a big factor is the means of catechism for cradle Catholics. Basically, you are catechized at a very young age to prepare for First Communion, and then again through to Confirmation which occurs at age 14 or so. Certainly not an ideal age to be making such a monumental decision. Im sure many people, when their faith is challenged, look at the experience and think, “How ludicrous that I made such an important decision at that point in my life. What did I know?” And the confusion that they feel is converted to anger at the Church for putting them in such a position at such a young age. Following Confirmation as far as spirtual and intellectual growth you are left to fight for yourself. And what ends up happening is people go to Mass once a week, go through the motions and that is the extent of their Catholicism. Prayer life is locked up in the Our Father and the Hail Mary and perhaps a rare rosary. I wonder if many Catholics ever go beyond these prayers outside of Mass and attempt a true dialogue with God. They feel alone and search for comfort elsewhere. Many will find solace in the “fellowship” atmosphere of many Protestant denominations. And lacking true adult-sized catechesis, they are vulnerable. I have felt all of these things, but my reaction was not to leave the Church but to make it better. Not to always look to others for change in the Church but to become an agent for change myself within my parish. Unfortunately, I think most will just leave having concluded that something is wrong with the Church per se.

“We must consider how to rouse one another to love and good works” Heb 10:24

Philthy
 
I think most people leave the Catholic Church when they want to do something that is contrary to Catholic teaching - well that is what it used to be anyway. Now days, they just do what is contrary to Catholic teaching and stay in the Church and say it is a matter of conscience and they don’t believe that what they are doing is wrong - 😉
 
To All,
**The first reason why Roman Catholics may be brought into the New Jerusalem, that is, the New Church, before the Reformed is because the faith of justification by the imputation of Christ’s merit, which is an erroneous faith that cannot be together with the faith of the New Church, is with them obliterated, yea, utterly erased; whereas, it is as it were engraven upon the Reformed, inasmuch as it is the principal tenet of their Church.

A second reason is that with the Roman Catholics, more than with the Reformed, there is the idea of Divine Majesty in the Lord’s Human, as is clearly evident from their most holy veneration of the Host.

A third reason is that with Roman Catholics charity, good works, repentance and attention to a new life, are the essentials of salvation.These are also the essentials of the New Church. It is otherwise with the Reformed who are confirmed in faith alone; with them the above-mentioned activities do not enter into faith either as essentials or as formalities, and consequently contribute nothing to salvation.

These are the three reasons why Roman Catholics, if they approach Our Lord Jesus Christ as the Divine Trinity, not mediately but directly, and likewise receive the Holy Eucharist in both kinds, receive a living faith instead of a dead faith before the Reformed, and are brought by the Lord, by means of angels, to the gates of the New Jerusalem or New Church, and are introduced into it with the utmost rejoicing.

So which religion is grabbing the most Catholics?

Harry

**
 
If I knew what you were saying, I might respond intelligently -

Are these your words or Swedenborgs - they don’t sound like 20th or 21st century English to me. Bet you are quoting something
 
The first reason why Roman Catholics may be brought into the New Jerusalem, that is, the New Church, before the Reformed Church is because the faith of justification by the imputation of Christ’s merit, which is an erroneous faith that cannot be together with the faith of the New Church.

The doctrine of faith on justification by the imputation of Christ’s merit, is from the Reformed Church on faith alone without good works.

A second reason is that with the Roman Catholics, more than with the Reformed, there is the idea of Divine Majesty in the Lord’s Human, as is clearly evident from their most holy veneration of the Host.

The Catholics believe Jesus Christ is God,both in soul and body,which means fully Divine. The Protestants believe He is God, but not God as to His Human.

A third reason is that with Roman Catholics charity, good works, repentance and attention to a new life, are the essentials of salvation.These are also the essentials of the New Church. It is otherwise with the Reformed who are confirmed in faith alone; with them the above-mentioned activities do not enter into faith either as essentials or as formalities, and consequently contribute nothing to salvation.

Still don’t understand?

Harry
 
I understand that you are preaching the teachings of a man and not of Christ. Why come to a Catholic forum to preach The New Church Rhetoric?

Your church began in the 1700’s, The Catholic Church has few hundred years advance on that if my math is accurate.
 
I have observed more Catholics leaving on their own steam than being “grabbed” by another religion.😦 A neighboring parish once had some dispute among the priest and pastoral staff; everyone seemed to take a side. Once a final decision was made (i never pried too much on the details of the dispute), there were many families who left, and the results were quite predictable: the liberal Catholics left and became New Agers, while the conservative Catholics left and became Evangelicals or Pentecostals. :banghead: Somewhere in between the liberals and conservatives there must have been the faithful, who knew enough to stay put.

Maybe this is more a trait of American culture, but most of the religious people i know view their religion in terms of personal preference, not membership. One Catholic friend of mine regularly attends a Foursquare church, and still identifies herself as a faithful, fairly conservative Catholic.:whacky:
 
It is useless to generalise as the answer is dependant on
region, standard of education, economy, weight of local media,
etc.

Whilst it is not a religion per se, I feel that Atheism should
also have been a selection.
 
It is not the main one taking all the Catholics, but it is pretty appaling to see how many are actually turning toward wiccanism and new age.
 
Flick - this is not new but began in the 70’s and it is also appaling of how much “new age” has crept into Catholicism in some areas. Enneagrams, labyrinth walking, dream analysis, etc. Makes me shudder.

Satan never rests.
 
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flick427:
It is not the main one taking all the Catholics, but it is pretty appaling to see how many are actually turning toward wiccanism and new age.
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Do you know any Catholics who turn to the New Church (Swedenborg)? Have you ever talked with them and let them explain why they left the Catholic church?

:banghead: <-----The Jews behave the same way towards Peter and John,when they went out and preach the Gospel of repentance and Faith towards Jesus Christ. In London there is a park where people of different religions can preach freely without the courts permission.

Harry
 
Rev.3
**Verse 8. “I know thy works,” “Behold, I have set before thee an open door,” signifies that heaven is open to those who are in truths from good from the Lord. “And no one is able to shut it,” signifies that hell cannot prevail against them. “Because thou hast a little power,” signifies because they know that they can do nothing from themselves. “And hast kept My Word,” signifies because they live according to the Lord’s commandments in His Word. “And hast not denied My Holy Name,” signifies that they are in the worship of the Lord alone.

“Because thou hast a little power.” By these words how can the Catholic Church have the authority and power? Hell cannot prevail against the person who goes to the directly to the Lord and obey His Commandments. The person is the church,which hell cannot prevail against,not the Catholic Church itself.

According to the Gospel of Thomas ," The Kingdom of God is in you and all around you. The Gospel of Thomas was deny by the Catholic Church because it takes away the authority of the mother church.

The Kingdom of God.Kingdom means church.

Harry
**
 
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