Which religion is grabbing the most Catholics?

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I live in Orlando, Fl. and Catholic’s are being grabbed left and right, from all denominations, but what I don’t understand is that there are 53 parishes in our diocese in Central Florida, and you want to know something amazing is happening, they are also coming back by the 1000’s. If I don’t get to church at least 15 min. early, I’m standing in the back, and it’s not even Christmas time. I assist in the RCIA class so I see them coming home, and converts too…My parish had 3000 member’s 3 yrs ago, today we have approx.6000 members… {thank you Jesus} but just one Priest, we are so blessed to have him…Father Mark.

Stephen Francis
 
I believe that many Catholics have become disillusioned since the misapplication of Vatican II and the loss of firm dogma, doctrine, and rules to live by. The fundamentalists seem to provide a more disciplined, organized, and consistent teaching and system of religious practice. Those dissillusioned Catholics that have left the fold evidently did not have a firm and informed Faith, but I think many went looking for a religion that gave them direction like the Catholic bishops, priests, and religious used to do.

This is the shame and the scandal of the chaotic teaching of dogmatic errors and the loss of the appearance of the Oneness and Universality of the Church. I believe the hierarchy that contribute and/or allow this chaos to continue may have millions of souls for whom to answer.
 
I live in the Bible Belt South, and it’s definitely a Southern Baptist majority. My vote was for the Evangelicals. Fortunately, the Catholic Church here is thriving. 👍
 
Worldwide I’d say Pentecostals. I know they’re a form of fundamentalism/evangelicalism, but they’re a very distinctive form, and IMHO they have much more appeal in the Third World than more conventional evangelical protestants do.

Here in NC, I’d say, Elaine is right. The SBs are packing 'em in. Of course, so is the AOG.

My ex-Catholic boss is a fervent Southern Baptist. She thrives on entertainment-oriented worship–she thinks the Christian rock bands who perform at her daughter’s youth-group meetings are way cool. She’s also quite keen on all that Left Behind stuff. Makes me want to hurl, but I can’t say anything; she’s my boss.

Blessings,

ZT
 
Having recently graduated from the University of Cincinnati (Cincinnati is a very Catholic city) I’d have to say that “secular humanism” is the religion that has grabbed the most Catholics. But then again, my degree is in Political Science, so that might explain my answer. :hmmm:
 
I would vote that most Christians are being lost to apathy. Outside of that I think that it depends on the area in which you live. People out in California turn to the new age religions and some of the exotic eastern religions. The Catholic Church might be able to attract some Californian’s back if they invented an Atkins Friendly Communion. :rolleyes:

People in the Southern States I would say are being lost to the fundamentalist and evangelical movements. People in South and Central America – well is there really any question.

I am guessing that mainline Protestantism includes (Wesleyan, Ani-Baptist, Calvinist, and Lutheran) but “liberal?” :ehh:

Anyways, I voted for Evangelical.
 
It all depends on which region you live in.

I know the cult church down the street here takes great pride in recruiting Catholics and showing them off as prizes.
 
Around here it’s the churches that teach what the Bible says and what it means for us today. It is very rare for us to get a homily in our parish that takes the readings, explains the Catholic interpretation and how to live it in society. It’s the same with many of the religion classes our kids take: God is love, He loves you and forgives you.

We need to get priests in the pulpit saying “this is what Catholics believe and why…” So how do we go about getting this?
 
I cast my vote as Evangelical in the matter of who’s stealing the most Catholics away from the Church. I may be right, I may be wrong.

But I do know that Jesus led me into the Catholic Church from an evangelical denomination. 🙂
 
I said Fundamentalist Protestantism, but I’d say it’s broader than that, encompassing Evangelicalism and various quasi-Christian cults such as the Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and so on, as well.

But’s that’s in North America. World-wide, I’d say most of the people we lose go to Eastern Orthodoxy or Islam.
 
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Wolseley:
I said Fundamentalist Protestantism, but I’d say it’s broader than that, encompassing Evangelicalism and various quasi-Christian cults such as the Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and so on, as well.

But’s that’s in North America. World-wide, I’d say most of the people we lose go to Eastern Orthodoxy or Islam.
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Islam, maybe, but Eastern Orthodoxy worldwide is actually losing members.

But good point about Islam. You’re quite correct, I think. In Africa, I’m told, Islam and Catholicism are neck and neck in the race for hearts and souls. :bigyikes:

Blessings,

ZT
 
Here in Oklahoma – all the major denominations, whether it be Catholic, Baptist, Methodist or whatever – are losing members by the hundreds to these brand new, giant “mega churches”. They’re all Evangelical and put on quite a “show”.

Going to “church” is essentially the same thing as going to a rock concert for an hour. Giant bands, tv screens, and preachers who run all over the stage are quite the norm. Life Church, Journey , and New Life are the top 3 here in Norman.

It’s becoming quite a problem here our college town. Members of their churches are constantly on campus talking to students and getting them to leave the Church to join their mega church. They’re always having concerts, parties, or other get-togethers that really appeal to students our age. Here at OU there are approx 5,000 Catholic students according to our Archbishop’s calculations. Guess how many students are “regulars” at the on-campus University parish? About 30-40. Quite sad. Especially when you see kids who you know were Catholic – and are out passing out flyers for the upcoming concert at the new “mega church”.
 
Stephen Francis:
I live in Orlando, Fl. and Catholic’s are being grabbed left and right, from all denominations, but what I don’t understand is that there are 53 parishes in our diocese in Central Florida, and you want to know something amazing is happening, they are also coming back by the 1000’s. If I don’t get to church at least 15 min. early, I’m standing in the back, and it’s not even Christmas time. I assist in the RCIA class so I see them coming home, and converts too…My parish had 3000 member’s 3 yrs ago, today we have approx.6000 members… {thank you Jesus} but just one Priest, we are so blessed to have him…Father Mark.

Stephen Francis
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Greetings, Stephen! My family and I visited Orlando for the first time several weeks ago. We attended Mass at Mary Queen of the Universe Shrine…loved it! 👍

I’m so heartened to hear about the boom in Catholic Church membership in y’all’s area. Our diocese (Charlotte, NC) is also seeing an upsurge, although I doubt it’s on the same scale.

In my experience, whether the Church is thriving in a particular locale depends largely on the orthodoxy and fervor of the bishop. Our new bishop, Peter Jugis, is rock-solid, holy, humble, and perfectly wonderful. I expect great things. :clapping:

BTW–there’s a grassroots movement afoot to found a solidly orthodox Catholic seminary for secular priests here in the South–where we desperately need it; the Church is flourishing here, and we need strong, orthodox priestly formation for our young seminarians. This “movement” is still in its very earliest stages; the organizers haven’t yet secured the land for the seminary campus or formally petitioned the bishop for permission to proceed. However, they are under the spiritual direction of excellent diocesan priests, including canon lawyers, who enthusiastically support the enterprise; and they are taking things one step at a time, in complete submission to the Church. Once they are farther along with fund-raising and finding the land, they will formally petition the bishop. For some information on their preliminary plans–supporting current seminarians–go to www.TeDeumFoundation.org.

Gotta get back to work. God bless!

ZT
 
I get a lot of visits from Hispanic Jehovah’s Witnesses and most of them are former Catholics (and their children). I sometimes ask them why they left the Church and they usually give some canned Watchtower answer - but I do have a JW friend, the son of former Catholics, who gave me a more personalized answer - he said his parents just didn’t see the same zeal and personal satisfaction in the Catholic Church which they perceived in the Witnesses. They also said that after studying with Jehovah’s Witnesses, they felt the Church was unbiblical and detached from their personal lives. I then asked him if his parents were regular churchgoers and if they every studied (& truly lived) their Catholic Faith before leaving it. He admitted that they hadn’t and I remember him looking rather embarrassed about it. I often reflect on this experience to remind me that heresy often begins in the interior life firstly – through things like laxity in prayer, study, and devotion. Be always on guard.
 
Yay for the “new Springtime” that we are experiencing in the Church!!
 
I think that it goes both ways, but that there are more coming in than going out (ultimately, there have to be, don’t there 😃 )… If apathy leads a person away from the church, then apathy will eventually lead them away from their new church as well :rolleyes: . If on the other hand, something changes in their life and they begin to develop a real relationship with God, and they were brought up Catholic, they’ll come back, because as that relationship with God develops, they will become increasingly uncomfortable in strange surroundings. It might take years, but they WILL come back. 👍
 
My town has a few mega-churches. A few years ago, prior to our conversion, we considered going to one and I completely see why folks would go to them. It is really like a rock concert with a little biblical teaching and an “altar” call at the end. I was amazed at the presentation. There were better commercials for the ministries of this church than there are for the local car dealerships. To their credit, they get folks in the door and they do lots of great works for the community. Of course, when we looked into it seriously we found out that they “do” marraiges, communion and baptisms on the side, if you want. Those were too central to me to be side items.

Shortly afterwards, and after a long bout of intense research it became clear that it was Catholicism or nothing. Yeah, the local diocese is losing kids left and right to these type churches. They are fun, exciting and hopefully it will get them on the path to looking for depth. Once they seek that, they will find that there is certainly something missing that they did have as a youth. You cannot beat the Eucharist. You won’t get that anywhere else.
 
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weunice:
It is really like a rock concert with a little biblical teaching and an “altar” call at the end.
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Nothing wrong with an “altar call”…It just depends on what you have in mind…
“And I will go to the altar of God: to God who gives joy to my youth.” 😉

Justin
 
You did not put my choice on your list, so I can’t vote.

My answer would be what Einstein called the Church of Atheism.

Or what I call the Church of Nogod.

Best,
Carl
 
Stephen Francis:
I live in Orlando, Fl. and Catholic’s are being grabbed left and right, from all denominations, but what I don’t understand is that there are 53 parishes in our diocese in Central Florida, and you want to know something amazing is happening, they are also coming back by the 1000’s. If I don’t get to church at least 15 min. early, I’m standing in the back, and it’s not even Christmas time. I assist in the RCIA class so I see them coming home, and converts too…My parish had 3000 member’s 3 yrs ago, today we have approx.6000 members… {thank you Jesus} but just one Priest, we are so blessed to have him…Father Mark.

Stephen Francis
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I live in Orlando also! Cool!

I was married at St. John Vianney on SOBT quite some years ago!
 
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