Why Is Catholicism So Unattractive to Evangelicals?

[clem456]

Never ceases to amaze me how both Catholics and Protestants worry incessantly about what other people are doing in church.
When you are in a church, it is YOU and God. That’s it. The only attention you should be giving is toward the Lord. It’s a time for inner reflection, prayer, participation in the service/Mass. What other people are doing is quite frankly, none of my business. Our focus is to be on God, and my duty to Him.

I get your point about reverence and prayer, but this

When you are in a church, it is YOU and God.

is not true.
The Mass is not an individual and God, it is a corporate worship and participation in the Sacrifice.
Corp-orate. A body.

 

[Peter_J]

it is a corporate worship and participation in the Sacrifice.

Exactly, that was my concern as well (

I guess even Evangelicals and Catholic really aren’t completely different.

Still, I think I have to be the wet blanket and point out that that could be misinterpreted as sanctioning an individualist mindset. Just being cautious.

). I don’t think JustAServant’s post was wrong, but the message needs balancing out. We’ve seen what can happen if there’s too much emphasis on Christ as one’s personal Lord.

 

[JustaServant]

I guess even Evangelicals and Catholic really aren’t completely different.

Still, I think I have to be the wet blanket and point out that that could be misinterpreted as sanctioning an individualist mindset. Just being cautious.

Yeah, I figured someone would do that…oh wait…they already did.
I’m simply saying people should keep their minds focused in church and not:
“Oh look at what that person is wearing…”
“Oh look at those old crazy Catholic women bowing to a statue.”
“Look at how miserable Catholics look when they say the Rosary.”
“Hand clapping in church!!! The scandal!!!”

And we could on and on and on…

Yes, Catholics and Protestants suffer from the same ailment. You’re right.

 

[Peter_J]

Yes, Catholics and Protestants suffer from the same ailment.

What? Do we all have human or something??

Oh wait …

 

[clem456]

Yeah, I figured someone would do that…oh wait…they already did.
I’m simply saying people should keep their minds focused in church and not:
“Oh look at what that person is wearing…”
“Oh look at those old crazy Catholic women bowing to a statue.”
“Look at how miserable Catholics look when they say the Rosary.”
“Hand clapping in church!!! The scandal!!!”

And we could on and on and on…

Yes, Catholics and Protestants suffer from the same ailment. You’re right.

Yea I get it.
There’s a difference between worshiping together and worshiping what your neighbor is wearing/doing/singing etc…

 

[PDXSeeker_1975]

Some of this is difference in emphasis. We have a sound theology on “statues”, not much different than the picture of your parents or children hanging on your wall.

The Eucharist is the source and summit of what we do at Mass, not the homily. Everything points to the altar. Other churches are teaching-centered.

The cold reception you received is very sad. I am sorry you did not feel welcome. There is no excuse.

Then again, some people don’t LIKE to be approached, they just want to take it all in for themselves, and reach out when they are ready…

 

[clem456]

Then again, some people don’t LIKE to be approached, they just want to take it all in for themselves, and reach out when they are ready…

That’s true. But this person did not feel welcome.

 

[Della]

Then again, some people don’t LIKE to be approached, they just want to take it all in for themselves, and reach out when they are ready…

That was me. I’d been love-bombed, glad-handed, and petted to death as a Pentecostal. With things so personal, everyone believed he had a right to gauge my spirituality–good or bad. Sheesh! Enough already. If I want to share my spiritual life, if I want to shake hands, I’m perfectly capable of initiating that.

Not everyone wants to be overwhelmed with human contact the moment they put their foot through a church door. I’m there primarily to worship God with everyone else, I don’t need all kinds of personal attention–I’ve got friends and family for that. If I want to be friends, I’ll make the effort.

 

[TC3033]

That was me. I’d been love-bombed, glad-handed, and petted to death as a Pentecostal. With things so personal, everyone believed he had a right to gauge my spirituality–good or bad. Sheesh! Enough already. If I want to share my spiritual life, if I want to shake hands, I’m perfectly capable of initiating that.

Not everyone wants to be overwhelmed with human contact the moment they put their foot through a church door. I’m there primarily to worship God with everyone else, I don’t need all kinds of personal attention–I’ve got friends and family for that. If I want to be friends, I’ll make the effort.

It isn’t necessarily about glad handing, making friends, human contact, etc… Due to experiences I’ve had in the past I personally don’t feel welcome at the Catholic Church as a non-Catholic at all… It has nothing to do with glad handing, friend making, etc…

 

[Della]

It isn’t necessarily about glad handing, making friends, human contact, etc… The situation at hand is missing some context, but due to experiences I’ve had in the past I personally don’t feel welcome at the Catholic Church as a non-Catholic at all… It has nothing to do with glad handing, friend making, etc…

Well, a Catholic parish is not a Protestant church–the emphasis is not on quite the same things. Most parishes have greeters these days, but they aren’t there to do anything more than greet people and answer directional questions and that sort of thing. After Mass most parishes have a time for gathering together for fellowship. When people come into a Catholic parish they are there to participate in the liturgy not make friends in the foyer. Besides, how is anyone to know you are a non-Catholic? Catholics assume everyone is there for worship. Catholic parishes have several Masses over weekends. Mine has 5 between Saturday evening and Sunday evening. I can’t possibly know everyone who comes and goes, if they are Catholic or not. The initiative to say you’re not Catholic is yours. Simply tell an usher or greeter, so s/he can direct you and give you a welcome. If you’re not an outgoing person it can be hard to do that, but Catholics aren’t unfriendly, they’re simply not looking for new people when they don’t know everyone as it is.

 

[SyroMalankara]

I guess in the spirit of fostering that conversation, there could be an area or a booth or a ___ to suggest to a new-comer this is where to go. In many parishes, even in the Cathedrals, a newbie is left to wander and maybe take the initiative on his own.

 

[TC3033]

Well, a Catholic parish is not a Protestant church–the emphasis is not on quite the same things. Most parishes have greeters these days, but they aren’t there to do anything more than greet people and answer directional questions and that sort of thing. After Mass most parishes have a time for gathering together for fellowship. When people come into a Catholic parish they are there to participate in the liturgy not make friends in the foyer. Besides, how is anyone to know you are a non-Catholic? Catholics assume everyone is there for worship. Catholic parishes have several Masses over weekends. Mine has 5 between Saturday evening and Sunday evening. I can’t possibly know everyone who comes and goes, if they are Catholic or not. The initiative to say you’re not Catholic is yours. Simply tell an usher or greeter, so s/he can direct you and give you a welcome. If you’re not an outgoing person it can be hard to do that, but Catholics aren’t unfriendly, they’re simply not looking for new people when they don’t know everyone as it is.

“Our” Parrish is small, everyone knows I’m not Catholic. If they didn’t, it’d be weird to denote it in communications, in the back of the Church on the rosters, I don’t get invited to anything but the rest of my family does…etc… Some of these practices are reasons as to why I don’t fell welcome/wanted at the Church.

Throw in a couple stares or huffs while I don’t go up for communion, or because I’m not kneeling (I’m up as far as I can go so you have room behind me)…

Those are my experiences, so that’s really what I have to go off of.

 

[Peter_J]

It isn’t necessarily about glad handing, making friends, human contact, etc… Due to experiences I’ve had in the past I personally don’t feel welcome at the Catholic Church as a non-Catholic at all… It has nothing to do with glad handing, friend making, etc…

Well, a Catholic parish is not a Protestant church–the emphasis is not on quite the same things. Most parishes have greeters these days, but they aren’t there to do anything more than greet people and answer directional questions and that sort of thing. After Mass most parishes have a time for gathering together for fellowship. When people come into a Catholic parish they are there to participate in the liturgy not make friends in the foyer. Besides, how is anyone to know you are a non-Catholic? Catholics assume everyone is there for worship. Catholic parishes have several Masses over weekends. Mine has 5 between Saturday evening and Sunday evening. I can’t possibly know everyone who comes and goes, if they are Catholic or not. The initiative to say you’re not Catholic is yours. Simply tell an usher or greeter, so s/he can direct you and give you a welcome. If you’re not an outgoing person it can be hard to do that, but Catholics aren’t unfriendly, they’re simply not looking for new people when they don’t know everyone as it is.

Having read some of TC’s other posts, I would say that it had nothing to do with people not knowing that he isn’t Catholic.

 

[Della]

I guess in the spirit of fostering that conversation, there could be an area or a booth or a ___ to suggest to a new-comer this is where to go. In many parishes, even in the Cathedrals, a newbie is left to wander and maybe take the initiative on his own.

I think the reason there isn’t that kind of thing is that Catholic parishes do not see themselves in the role of evangelizing fellow Christians out of their churches. We see non-Catholic Christians as separated brethren, not lost souls. Also, any Catholic may attend any Catholic parish. How are we to know if they are visiting Catholics or non-Catholics? No one wears a sign saying what they are.

Like I wrote, most parishes have greeters, mine does, so do the others around us. We treat adults like adults, not lost children. If anyone want to be directed or have a question answered, all he has to do is ask an usher or greeter for help. Our parish also has a manned desk in the foyer, but it’s not there to welcome non-Catholics, per se, but merely as one more help for those who might need it.

 

[Della]

Having read some of TC’s other posts, I would say that it had nothing to do with people not knowing that he isn’t Catholic.

Even if they know he’s not Catholic what are they supposed to do? Assume he needs Catholicism above his own faith tradition? Attending Mass isn’t about making friends. It’s about gathering for worship. Friends can be made, of course, but that takes a bit of effort on both sides.

 

[TC3033]

Having read some of TC’s other posts, I would say that it had nothing to do with people not knowing that he isn’t Catholic.

Thanks.

I don’t want to re-hash any past posts. I’ve put out there what I’ve run into…

I’m just putting it out there that it isn’t always about the fellowship.

It’s kind of funny, my neighbor and I were talking about this last night and the Father that was in our Parrish, must have been 10-12 years ago. He really didn’t want non-Catholics there. We joke about it now, but then it was really tough to go to Mass.

 

[TC3033]

Even if they know he’s not Catholic what are they supposed to do? Assume he needs Catholicism above his own faith tradition? Attending Mass isn’t about making friends. It’s about gathering for worship. Friends can be made, of course, but that takes a bit of effort on both sides.

I laid out a few things above that I’ve run into in the past. It is what it is. I’m not necessarily focused on Mass itself (although there have been a few instances), but as a congregation or Parrish how “outsiders” can be looked upon.

That can make it tougher on someone who isn’t “one of the cool kids” who just want to be seen as part of the group, so to say.

 

[Della]

Thanks.

I don’t want to re-hash any past posts. I’ve put out there what I’ve run into…

I’m just putting it out there that it isn’t always about the fellowship.

It’s kind of funny, my neighbor and I were talking about this last night and the Father that was in our Parrish, must have been 10-12 years ago. He really didn’t want non-Catholics there. We joke about it now, but then it was really tough to go to Mass.

I can see Father’s point, though. The Catholic Mass is primarily for Catholics not Protestants. He probably would have been happy to hear you were faithful to your own faith tradition. If you had voiced the desire to convert he may have been more open, but even so, many priests, especially a few years ago, felt that that was “sheep stealing” and that people are fine where they are (although that’s not what the Church teaches in the way they meant it). It was a transitional time after Vatican II when many parishes were sorting out a lot of things. I’m sorry you didn’t feel welcome, but I’m pretty sure no one intended to make you feel that way.

 

[Della]

I laid out a few things above that I’ve run into in the past. It is what it is. I’m not necessarily focused on Mass itself (although there have been a few instances), but as a congregation or Parrish how “outsiders” can be looked upon.

That can make it tougher on someone who isn’t “one of the cool kids” who just want to be seen as part of the group, so to say.

I understand but I think you are laboring under some misconceptions. Catholics are not “cooler” than others because they are part of Catholicism. The Catholic liturgies are open to anyone to attend, even non-Christians. But they are intended primarily for Catholics, just as any Protestant service is primarily for them. We restrict certain sacraments for the protection of the sacrament (against abuses), and so those receiving them can be reasonably assumed to be disposed for them. If one doesn’t believe in the Church’s sacraments as the Church teaches, why would one want to participate in it? It’s like wanting to celebrate someone else’s birthday or marry another person’s spouse. Whatever is exclusive is for good reason not be merely to be exclusive or unfriendly.

 

[Peter_J]

Thanks.

You’re welcome, and welcome back. I’m guessing a number of us thought of you the other day … I forget which day it was, but someone posted about going to a Baptist church with his wife, where the minister told the husband that he was not welcome to come in because he was Catholic.