Why I Will Never Again Be A Catholic

[lizaanne]

Believe me, I know exactly what I was taught and I know exactly why I will never return.

So then. Why did you take the time to register on a Catholic message forum, and tell us (a bunch of strangers) about it?

Are you sure you just don’t want to make absolutely sure before you give up on the Faith of your youth? Are you sure that you don’t need just one more opportunity to come back Home?

Well - don’t feel like you have to do it here and now, the door is always open. You will one day feel an emptiness in going into a place of worship that is so filled with people, yet so empty because the Body of Christ is nowhere to be found. Holding hands and singing praise songs, and getting all fuzzy wuzzy inside only lasts you so long. Sooner or later your heart will yearn for Christ within you. I only pray that you do not wait too long to answer that calling.

You are Catholic, Starfish. All you need to do is come home.

Please take a quick listen to THIS it’s only about 40 minutes long.

You are in my prayers.

~Liza

 

[deb1]

redrosetea,

I’m sorry, but that is what I was taught, along with countless other millions of children in the Detroit area during the 50s and 60s. Don’t call me ignorant.

Perhaps the Detroit area was especially bad at training Catholics. The older Catholics that I know do not seem to be as confused about their faith as you are, but I don’t think that they are from Detroit.

 

[redrosetea]

I sais you are ignorant of Catholicim not ignorant in general…You are misinterpreting what I just told you…It makes me wonder how well you digested what you were taught?

I fail to understand your need to announce you won’t ever be Catholic on a Catholic forum…What do you hope to achieve.?.If you are trying to convert others you are going about it in a very strange manner

Nothing you have posted about the church is correct and I live in Mi was in the Detroit Diocese for years and years and converted to Catholicism using the Baltimore Catechism in 1963,I know better than to believe any of the information you are giving as factual

 

[john_ennis]

On the whole, you’ve despised what people taught and did, but not what the Catholic Church actually teaches and believes.

I doubt, if you took time to ask and reflect on each doctrine you think you have a problem with, that you’d find any of them unBiblical or inconsistent.

Peace.

John

 

[redrosetea]

I converted prior to Vatican II…I recall asking the priest that instructed me if a Jew could go to heaven. He said of course they can, if they live a good life

 

[Starfish]

My word.

I did not make up any of this stuff, so Rogerteder, don’t tell me otherwise. As I mentioned, I still have the Fr. McGuire Baltimore Catechisms from back then and remember all too well the teachings of the church when I attended catholic schools.

To all who are telling me that I haven’t given the church a chance, I have. I have over and over. Each time I’d try a different parish, I got the same silliness. The same untruths.

Yes, we sing at our church. We study the Bible, which was written by God. I hear the WORD OF GOD at my church. When I leave there, I am sad, because I want it to go on and on. I’ve met Catholics who complain about how LONG the mass was on this day or that. What do they gain from that? Are they going to mass for any other reason than they HAVE to?

redrosetea, why would you think that I am not speaking truthfully about what I was taught?

Whew…

 

[deb1]

I’ve met Catholics who complain about how LONG the mass was on this day or that. What do they gain from that? Are they going to mass for any other reason than they HAVE to?

…

I’ve met people from many denominations who complain about the length of their service.

 

[jpjd]

I remember so well when my brother (23 years old) was killed. I was devastated. I went to my parish priest and needed comfort and to be consoled, somehow. What did the priest say? “I never knew your brother, what do you want me to say?”

Wow, compassion, eh?

Starfish,

This is why we must pray for our priests, and pray for good and holy priests. An inadequate response from a priest can be very damaging. That response would be a terrible one from ANYONE and it’s even more so coming from a priest. I am sorry for the hurt he caused you. I hope you realize that you should not paint all priests with the same broad brush. There are many, many, many compassionate priests out there. Unfortunately, from what I’ve read on various Catholic forums, Florida seems to be well-populated with priests that are not what they should be on a liturgical and pastoral level.

Regarding what you were taught as a child, it appears as though your catechesis was not entirely orthodox. Before you abandon the Catholic faith, I urge you to do some self-study on Catholicism. Find out for yourself what the Catholic Church really teaches. You call your new church a Bible-believing church, but the Catholic church is a Bible-believing church too…and it has what your church and every other Protestant church can never have: the Real Presence of Christ. I don’t know how you can give that up. That’s what it’s all about.

Don’t let the poor faith of other parishoners lead you astray. If they come late and leave early, it’s to their own detriment. Don’t let it be yours.

 

[Starfish]

deb1, I am not confused. The greatest thing in my life was when I was born again and really knew what loving God was about. Not about a bunch of craziness that was taught when I was young.

The wearing of all the medals and other stuff is very offensive. Sacramentals, they are called. Borders on idolatry, doesn’t it?

 

[deb1]

. As I mentioned, I still have the Fr. McGuire Baltimore Catechisms from back then and remember all too well the teachings of the church when I attended catholic schools.

.

Perhaps you could start a thread on the more troublesome parts of the Baltimore Catechism on another thread. I am interested.

 

[allhers]

We do not have to have anyone intercede for us. If I want to talk to Jesus, I can dial Him direct, I don’t need an operator.

So you left the Catholic Church so you could call Jesus on the phone?

How do you know that its really HIM that answers?

 

[redrosetea]

I think you are making blanket assumptions about everyone else…You can only speak for you not the entire Detroit Diocese

I never found anyone that feels thew ay you do, and I still live in the town I was born…I am still a practicing Catholic and knowledgeable about my faith, which you are not…nothing you have said is factual about the churches teaching

 

[jpjd]

The wearing of all the medals and other stuff is very offensive. Sacramentals, they are called. Borders on idolatry, doesn’t it?

No, the medals are not being worshipped. They are a reminder and a help in our devotion to God. If wearing a medal not helpful to you, you don’t have to use it.

 

[redrosetea]

deb1, I am not confused. The greatest thing in my life was when I was born again and really knew what loving God was about. Not about a bunch of craziness that was taught when I was young.

The wearing of all the medals and other stuff is very offensive. Sacramentals, they are called. Borders on idolatry, doesn’t it?

No actually it doesn’t…we don’t worship medals and never have

 

[LilyM]

deb1, I am not confused. The greatest thing in my life was when I was born again and really knew what loving God was about. Not about a bunch of craziness that was taught when I was young.

The wearing of all the medals and other stuff is very offensive. Sacramentals, they are called. Borders on idolatry, doesn’t it?

?? Nothing like. First of all have you ever seen someone praying TO a medal?

If the medals are blessed by a priest then they’re no more idolatrous than the objects that were anointed with oil and rendered sacred in Exodus 30 (I think verses 26-29).

If they’re not blessed then they’re no different to a locket someone might wear with a picture of a loved one or friend inside - they’re reminders of our heavenly family and friends - the saints.

 

[Starfish]

jpjd, thanks for your response.

It is curious, when I was a kid in the catholic schools, we were told that we were NOT to read the Bible! We were also told that we were not to have a bible in our house. That we had our prayer books and such like, that the bible was for the priest to read and interpret for us. Amazing.

Yes, the priest that was so nasty did hurt me very much. There are a lot of crazy ones out there. When my older sister gave birth to her son, 3 months early, she went to her parish priest for guidance. Her son was not expected to live, he only weighed 2 pounds and four ounces at birth. These days, that’s not a big problem, but in the 1970s, there wasn’t much hope for preemies. Know what HER priest said to her? “well, if the kid dies, he dies, what do you want from me?”

Compassion, for one.

 

[IrishDude45]

I spent my younger years going to mass every Sunday, Holy Days, etc. I went to Catholic school for six years. I was very much into my faith, I believed everything that I was taught. I still have my old Baltimore Catechisms and they are almost humorous right now, with what is being taught in the Catholic Church.

I was taught that you cannot pray directly to Jesus, that you have to “go through” His mother or one of the saints. Why?

If you die wearing a scapular and you are in Purgatory, the Blessed Mother comes by on Thursdays and if she sees you there with your scapular, she’ll take you out of Purgatory and bring you to Heaven. Was told it was a good deal to die then on Wednesday.

That you pray to saints.

That you may go to confession and say your penance, but that isn’t enough. You will have to go to Purgatory because you still have to pay for your sins. Jesus died for my sins. Jesus has forgiven my sins, or so I thought.

So now I am very, very happy to belong to a Bible believing church where things are as they should be:

We pray to Jesus. We do NOT pray to anyone else.

We do not have to have anyone intercede for us. If I want to talk to Jesus, I can dial Him direct, I don’t need an operator.

So what has changed with the Catholic church that I find so amazing and really, folks, amusing?

I live in Michigan but spent a good deal of time in Florida with my elderly parents. I’d take them to mass each week, but will not attend Mass. Why?

Why should I?

I brought the folks there on time. I cannot believe the number of people who showed up 15 - 20 minutes after the mass began. These, of course, are the same people who receive communion and bolt afterward. What ever happened to staying for the entire mass?

I got an answer to that one. I asked the parish priest about coming in late and leaving early. He told me that all you “have” to do, to make it “count”, is to be there for the consecration. After that, you’re free to go.

Wow, what a wonderful way to honor God.

This is another one that got me. Back in the '50s, during Lent and on days of fast, you could consume fish, but there was to be NO broth, gravy, or anything containing beef, chicken, lamb, etc. But now it is OK to have chicken broth, chicken gravy, etc, because it isn’t a piece of the flesh of the animal? Oh, come on!!! Either it is or it isn’t.

Now this is the one that pushed me over the top.

Many folks in Florida are there for the winter. They come down from the northern states and return sometime in the spring. Last year, it was coming up Ascension Thursday. The parish priest where my folks go to church explained this all to the congregation:

“If you are planning on moving back to New York, you might want to wait until AFTER Ascension Thursday. In New York, you HAVE to attend Mass on Thursday. If you stay a few extra days here in Florida, you don’t have to go on Thursday, but Sunday will take care of “it” for you.”

I find it totally amazing that a priest would take the time to explain to folks the best way of getting out of having to go to church.

Why?

Why is it such a difficult thing to go to church? To be part of it? You can set your clock by the time folks start leaving the 5PM mass on Saturday. At 5:38, the first flood of people are rushing out of church, they “got” their communion and are ready for the rest of the week. No time to think about our Lord, but they “got it in”.

Is this really what our Lord wants?

I don’t have time to read all of the posts but I will reply to the OP.

Another one of these,eh? Left the Catholic Church for the purity and light of a Sola Scriptura sect. I’ll have you know that I declined just such a sect for the truth and tradition of Catholicism at no small cost. I’m sorry, friend, but I cannot wrap my mind around why a Catholic would do this! Why would you leave the Faith for a fantasy? Why would you leave the Eucharist? The saints? I would gladly die for the Catholic faith. How can anyone find more fulfillment in a “church” like the one you describe than in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass? I’m sorry, I don’t even know how to respond except with complete disbelief…

pax tecum

 

[john_ennis]

I have to insist again that you can probably name a dozen or more things taught to you that were unacceptable, but not one that was actual Church doctrine and at the same time inconsistent with Scripture, ancient Church beliefs, or other doctrine.

We hear misrepresentation of our beliefs all the time–you and all of us hear it, and are always potential victims to falling into the mistaken belief that these ridiculous beliefs are coming from the Magisterium. They don’t.

Peace.
John

 

[Leopard]

…We study the Bible, which was written by God…

No, it wasn’t. It was written as separate books over many centuries by many different men who were inspired by God. Then, the composition of exactly which books belong in the Bible was determined by the Catholic Church.

 

[deb1]

deb1, I am not confused. The greatest thing in my life was when I was born again and really knew what loving God was about. Not about a bunch of craziness that was taught when I was young.

The wearing of all the medals and other stuff is very offensive. Sacramentals, they are called. Borders on idolatry, doesn’t it?

Sacramentals are very biblical. God uses the material world to reach us. Jesus used mud and spit on a blind man. God did not have to do so, he could have healed the man with a thought.

It states in the Bible that people use to touch Paul with their handkerchiefs and use those same pieces of cloth to heal their relatives.

God used Peter’s shadow to heal people.

When a young man dead, his body was throne into the grave of Elisha the prophet and he was brought back to life.

All of these accounts are found in scripture.

Because we do not worship sacramentals but know that all power comes from God, it is not even close to idolatry.

I am enjoying talking to you. Please remain on the forum.