Why do you belong to your church

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CourtingTex said:
It is confirmation from the Holy Ghost to one person of something they are seeking a answer, whether scripture or something else.

I understand we are sinners, nonetheless the Ideal we should be seeking to model our lives after is Jesus Christ.
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Thank you. I agree.
 
I don’t know about specific kinds of Baptists. Sorry-- I’m new to the Christian faith and I don’t know much about the intricacies of different denominations.
 
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Thank you for your honesty,drac16. And welcome to the Christian faith. May God bless you as you begin and grow in your journey as a Christian.
 
LoyalViews said:
Pope Benedict is truly unbeatable. His sound writing and mind carry an orthodoxy unmatched by modern, perhaps, of the modern living theologians.
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Y E S ! Totally agree. I admit to early misgivings and even shock when he was first elected, but that quickly changed as I got to know him. Soon turned to admiration and love. He is a blessing, as his name suggests.
 
I returned to the Catholic faith because I was born and (mostly) raised in it. I remain so today because of what (little, admittedly) I know of Church history, and because I see the necessity of a Church simply being unable to “get it wrong”.

I have somewhat dug my heels in because I heard Anglicans (I used to be one) say that “the true Church doesn’t exist anymore”. I find that rather hard to believe, and I have to wonder if this belief is common in protestantism, or if this is just an individual’s opinion.

So far, after nearly two years of study, I see no reason for me to be in any other church.
 
I belong to the Catholic Church for a few reasons, #1 the Eucharist.
I belong to my particular Church because it’s close to my house and I’ve developed friendships and acquaintances there. It’s my home and the people there are my Church family. I had two people yesterday who came up to me to tell me they’re praying for me, plus our Monsignor who welcomed me to come in for a Blessing of the Sick the day before my upcoming D&C.
 
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The Catholic Church; reason; The Eucharist, Body, Blood, Soul & Divinity of Our Lord.
 
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CourtingTex said:
Personal revelation I submit one has to be worthy to receive, not be in sin to get such.

I know it was from God by the confirmation I received in my prayers seeking to know whatever I was asking – faith is necessary and important, nonetheless we must ask to confirm what truth one is seeking.
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lilypadrees said:
What do you consider a “personal revelation” to be? Do you consider it to be something you read in Scripture? Is it an experience you have? What exactly is it for you?
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I once received a revelation myself. It came after reading a book — my eyes “were opened” and scripture verses, previously unknown to me, appeared in support of it. I was enthralled by it for about 6 months.

I got one warning only from my brother, and I remained open to what he said about awareness of false prophets.

I now recognize that particular “revelation” was a lie, a temptation, that God permitted. Rejecting it was a turning point (praise 🙏 God) that made me stronger, more discerning, able to appreciate truth upon truth of my Catholic faith.

The true revelation was the gentle warning from my brother, not unlike the “still small voice” of 1 Kings 19:12
 
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I’m a nondenom Protestant because I don’t believe in any authority besides God, and I believe His will is found nowhere except the Bible. If it weren’t for some financial practices of the Catholic Church, I’d still be a Catholic.
 
Convert here from the Church of England. I knew in my 20s that I was drawn to Catholicism when I was looking for “my” faith (the CofE never felt right) and I dropped into a church to see what happened at a Catholic Mass. The priest started reading the Gospel and said “You are Peter, and on this rock …”, and that was the start of it for me.

I thought a lot about being a Catholic, read about it, but I didn’t actually do anything and it kind of went away from my mind - till I was over 50, and I suddenly really wanted to become a Catholic. One day, I just called the priest of my local church, and found that RCIA was starting the very next day!

As for my parish, I moved a few years ago when we went to live in a different part of town. I believe in supporting my local Catholic community, and although I loved my first church I decided to become a regular attender at the church nearest to me. And by some coincidence, it’s that same church I first attended back in my 20s, when I sat at the back and heard the priest read the Gospel about Peter, the Rock on which the Church was built. 🙂
 
Tis_Bearself said:
I’m a Catholic for 3 main reasons:
  1. The Real Jesus is present here
  2. Mary
  3. When those in another country or even the USA persecute and even try to kill off my ancestors for being Catholic, it kinda makes me dig in my heels.
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I am going to tread carefully here in response to you but also with a certain sense of confidence because you have indicated to me that you really listen and try to empathize.
I am not Catholic becase:
  1. I also feel that Jesus is real in our midst and active in the lives of individuals.
  2. We practice our Christianity as a brotherhood not a beaurocracy.
  3. I also sort of dig in my heels when I think about how the Catholic Church in centuries past tortured and killed many of my ancestors for not registering as Catholics. I know that the interwoven times of church and state complicate the understanding of what really took place. I also read here often what was a new concept for me and that is the statement that the Catholic Church never ever killed anyone for conceived heresy. The Church apparently is innocent because all they did was hunt down and present the heretic to the governmental powers who did the burning at the stake etc. This scenario keeps reminding me of the death of Jesus Himself . Who killed him, the Jews or the Roman soldiers?
    Can you understand at all why so many have a hard time seeing the CC in a positive light?
The only solution I see is acknowledgement and forgiveness.
 
I’m not going to get het up about your opinion and I forgave the people in the offending country years ago. I pay said country several hundred dollars a year to keep up a professional certification, have many wonderful friends who are citizens there and married an “Orangeman”. Also, my paternal grandfather hated Catholics and joined the Klan to oppose them. Karma got him as his only son who survived epidemics and wars joined up with the RCs. Very devout he was too.

Having said all that, I forgive, but I’m not quitting the Faith and I’ll continue to defend individual gun ownership in case anybody ever decides to turn the clock back a hundred or a hundred fifty years.
 
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Well,

We have two awesome priests. They are very orthodox, well educated, fairly friendly, and deliver great homilies. Lots and lots of young people (university parish), too, which makes for a very dynamic experience- not always peaceful, perhaps, but interesting!! Plus I can literally spend time before the Blessed Sacrament any time I want 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. On top of that, it’s a 10 minute bike ride away!!

Oh, Why am I Catholic?

Because it’s the one an only church that Jesus founded and it’s the only church on this planet that contains the fullness of the truth of the gospel.
 
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  1. Eucharist
  2. Authority
    I find it odd that Bible only Christians trust the Church’s authority to decide the canon, then believe She cannot interpret Her Book…but they can.
 
  • Biblical teaching based on the context of Scripture.
  • Expositional Teaching. Our normal teaching method is one book of the Bible at a time. We just spent over a year on Genesis. We are about to enter an advent series then after the beginning of the year we are going to Study Revelations.
  • Dynamic and joyful Worship.
  • Strong emphasis on the church being a community of believers and supporting each other as a family. We have community groups that encourage us to “live life together”. This means everything from helping each other out in times of distress to going to each others kids sporting and school events.
  • Many opportunities to serve in the church ,the surrounding community, and the world. We do everything from local mission projects that help the poor and needy to sending missionaries to third world countries to help spread the Gospel. All members of the church are encouraged to participate as they are able.
  • It is led by a plurality of elders, which means no one person is in charge. If the elders don’t agree then it doesn’t get done. And no one person influences the “personality” or becomes the primary “face” of the church. We don’t put the pastors name on the sign because we don’t have a single pastor plus the church is about Jesus, not the pastor of the church.
  • Financially sound, last year we ran a budget surplus and gave the surplus money to a ministry that provides clean water (by building clean wells) to third world communities. We gave over $100,000.00 last January to this project.
  • Rapid Growth. It has been exciting to see God move in our congregation. Our attendance has went up by 50% or more each of the last 5 years. Which in turn, allows us to do more ministry both locally and globally.
 
God is manifesting HIS Blessings and love of you,

May He continue to do so

Patrick
 
My friend, it is more than “Odd”; God actually prohibits their right understanding, UNTIL they began the journey to actually DISCOVER Hid=s Truths.

We should pray for tje daily

Patrick
 
I pray for them every day and most especially at Mass and in front of the Blessed Sacrament. Virtually all my family and friends are fallen away Catholics…some practicing no faith and some in Protestantism.
 
""I am not Catholic because**
:
  1. I also feel that Jesus is real in our midst and active in the lives of individuals.
I agree: “Where 2 or 3 are gathered their AM in their midst” Mt 18:20; BUT my friend, what we Catholics proclaim as GODS Truth is that it is REALLY GOD in person [Jesus] who IS in our Midst; not the ‘Spirit} of God, But GOD in Person. And there is no more compelling reason to be Informed and fully practicing Catholic
  1. We practice our Christianity as a brotherhood not a beaurocracy
While the RCC does have a bureaucracy on a worldwide scale, and perhaps on the Diocesan levels; on a parish level it is usually no more than what one would find In an active protestant church community, with different men’s and ladies groups, and parish wide catechesis
  1. I also sort of dig in my heels when I think about how the Catholic Church in centuries past tortured and killed many of my ancestors for not registering as Catholics. I know that the interwoven times of church and state complicate the understanding of what really took place. I also read here often what was a new concept for me and that is the statement that the Catholic Church never ever killed anyone for conceived heresy. ?
Can you understand at all why so many have a hard time seeing the CC in a positive light?

The only solution I see is acknowledgement and forgiveness.**

REPLY:
My dear friend in CHRIST, at last I am able to understand your vehemence towards Catholicism. Thank you for sharing.

My friend, the “CHURCH” cannot sin; ONLY the people within Her can [and sadly at times Do] … You claim to be “Christian”; BUT can anyone be a true follower of Christ and not LOVE.

Many years ago when I was still actively teaching one of my young students asked me: MR. M, IF YOU HAD TO DESCRIBE THE ENTIRE BIBLE IS A SINGLE WORD; WHAT WOULD THAT WORD BE: I REPLIED “LOVE.”

Matt.5 43-46: “You have heard that it was said, `You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same”

Matt.22: 37, 39 “And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself”

Jn.13: 34-35 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another"

The Lords’ Prayer: FORGIVE Us [ME] for our [MINE] trespasses as we forgive[ALL] others who have trespassed against us [ME[“… My friend GOD will only forgive us to the exact same degree that we forgive ALL others. Mt 6:12-15

Mt 18: 21 – 22,35 Then Peter came up and said to him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times? Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven” …”So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart."
 
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