Why so little zeal?

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MariaChristi

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Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Perhaps your experience is different but it has seemed to me there is a great lessening of zeal for carrying Christ to others, in our Catholic parishes and schools, in the USA as well as worldwide. My husband’s blog addresses this issue and I hope you’ll take time to read it and comment, either directly on the blog or on this thread. Thanks.

Blog can be read HERE
 
It was my impression in the late 70s and a long time after that zeal was discouraged. I know it was in my case. The priest who did the equivalent of RCIA at the time actively discouraged me from becoming Catholic. He said it was just for making spouses on the same page when the non-Catholic spouse decided to make things even, so to speak. Another priest told me that the rosary was “old church” and not to bother with it myself or teach it to my children. And on, and on. The results are predictable.
 
My God, I believe, I adore, I hope, and I love You. I ask pardon for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope, and do not love You. 3x

Peace
 
MariaChristi said:
Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Perhaps your experience is different but it has seemed to me there is a great lessening of zeal for carrying Christ to others, in our Catholic parishes and schools, in the USA as well as worldwide. My husband’s blog addresses this issue and I hope you’ll take time to read it and comment, either directly on the blog or on this thread. Thanks.

Blog can be read HERE
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Define ‘carrying Christ to others’. What I see going on at my own parish I feel discourages zeal. There exists this pseudo-busyness that precludes any attempt of carrying on the Catholic faith. While studying at an eastern Orthodox church, I was steeped in church history, encouraged to study the saints, learn prayers, etc. Now back in a Catholic parish there is nothing comparable. There are ex-protestant led Bible studies using Protestant materials, I want solid Catholic Orthodox teaching! A mere few are interested in spirituality, and we are all connected elsewhere for that. Then there is the cliquish group that seems to control everything and are always at church discouraging anything new (like a true Catholic bible study).

Is Our Lord reverting us lost Catholics to come in and turn the tables in our Father’s house? Retake what is truly ours and set the Catholic church back on track?
 
Casilda said:
Define ‘carrying Christ to others’. What I see going on at my own parish I feel discourages zeal. There exists this pseudo-busyness that precludes any attempt of carrying on the Catholic faith. While studying at an eastern Orthodox church, I was steeped in church history, encouraged to study the saints, learn prayers, etc. Now back in a Catholic parish there is nothing comparable. There are ex-protestant led Bible studies using Protestant materials,** I want solid Catholic Orthodox teaching!** A mere few are interested in spirituality, and we are all connected elsewhere for that. Then there is the cliquish group that seems to control everything and are always at church discouraging anything new (like a true Catholic bible study).
Click to expand...
Yes, yes, yes to your comments above. I believe we are losing our Catholic identity, that is, we don’t understand the reality and uniqueness of being Catholic. The treasury of Tradition and tradition (there is a difference) is being suppressed by the very Protestant trappings of which you speak. Of particular harm I am finding, is that so much of the busy-ness lends itself to favor social justice groups which give the impression that activities not related to working in soup kitchens or promoting activism of some sort are unworthy of effort. It seems a new emphasis on political participation is more necessary than spiritual formation. Of all the talk of love of neighbor and helping the poor, we are leaving the poor behind because of the lack of genuine concern about their spiritual state. Even in religion, we are focusing way too much on material equality and way too little on actually living lives of holiness.
 
katy said:
It was my impression in the late 70s and a long time after that zeal was discouraged. I know it was in my case. The priest who did the equivalent of RCIA at the time actively discouraged me from becoming Catholic. He said it was just for making spouses on the same page when the non-Catholic spouse decided to make things even, so to speak. Another priest told me that the rosary was “old church” and not to bother with it myself or teach it to my children. And on, and on. The results are predictable.
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:confused::eek:

I guess I am lucky where I live. My precatechumenate instructor is a very devout fellow, has a zeal for Jesus Christ and truly does seem to want people to fall in love with Him. He prays the rosary daily, and also does some of the liturgy of the hours. 🙂
 
Check out St. Paul Street Evangelization website. I hope they come to Boston soon.

Yes, we are to bring Christ to the four corners of the earth. We can’t let the consecrated religious do all the work.
 
When the church looks more like a corporation or worldly organization with its PR managers, and things done to look like the rest of the world so that it can be popular and liked and ‘cool’ among all… yeah, then its lost and most likely severed its touch from Christ Jesus.

Galatians 1:10 ►

Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.
 
jaimeleglise said:
Check out St. Paul Street Evangelization website. I hope they come to Boston soon.

Yes, we are to bring Christ to the four corners of the earth. We can’t let the consecrated religious do all the work.
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👍 Their tracts are great.
 
I feel this will vary by Parish. My Parish seems to be full of zeal. My RCIA instructor was quite persistent. I contacted the Church to ask what to do to become Catholic, and he emailed me back, then emailed again, then called me (I had gotten cold feet). The third time I agreed to go check out the RCIA class and stayed with it after that. They seem quite Orthodox in their teaching, definitely no hem-hawing on issues like divorce, sexual sin, homosexual marriage, etc. We were exposed to the Rosary in class, and they say the Rosary in our church every Thursday night and they did the Divine Mercy Novena at Easter time. The only area I notice really that our parish isn’t very into is dressing nicely for Mass. Most people dress quite casually,nearly all women wear pants, and it’s rare to see a chapel veil.
 
katy said:
It was my impression in the late 70s and a long time after that zeal was discouraged. I know it was in my case. The priest who did the equivalent of RCIA at the time actively discouraged me from becoming Catholic. He said it was just for making spouses on the same page when the non-Catholic spouse decided to make things even, so to speak. Another priest told me that the rosary was “old church” and not to bother with it myself or teach it to my children. And on, and on. The results are predictable.
Click to expand...
Dear katy,

Thanks for your reply. I’m so sorry the 70’s were such a “hard time” for many of us, but I believe God is True to His Word, and no matter how things may look, He continues to work Good! (cf Romans 8:28). Now we need to work with Him for good in the days He continues to give us.

Honestly, I don’t think today, in 2015, zeal is so much “discouraged” as it is “absent” in the lives of many and this result can be traced back to many possible sins past and present. One of which is spoken about in my husband’s blog. I hope you had a chance to read it.

We can’t go back to the 70s and eliminate all the confusion and errors made, but we can learn from mistakes. Some priests and bishops had confused ideas on what the Vatican Council Documents actually said. Now, however, we have the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the teachings of Pope St. John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI who were both at the Council and subsequently did much to clarify issues, so we need to move forward – even if some clergy and laity persist in confused ideas. The Absolute Truth does not change, and we need to learn and to love the Truth and do the Truth we hear in Scripture, tradition and the Magisterium of the Catholic Church.

The Rosary was neglected, but thanks be to God, is experiencing a “comeback” in many parishes. As a member of the Legion of Mary, I’ve seen our list of Auxiliary Members who commit to a daily Rosary grow from 10 members to 109 members which is a good sign! 🙂
Our hope by God’s Grace, is to begin a group of Junior Legion of Mary members so children will grow up loving Mary and praying the Rosary fervently. May you and your family be ever devoted to Jesus through Mary and pray the Rosary as the Church has continued to pray this beautiful prayer for hundreds of years. 🙂 A holy priest once told me in the 70’s: “Don’t let anyone tell you you can’t live the Gospel.” I’m grateful to God that priest helped me to listen and hear God speaking His Truth in His Word. God really helps me not to give into the temptation to become discouraged. Remember: Rom 8:28. 🙂
 
hazcompat said:
My God, I believe, I adore, I hope, and I love You. I ask pardon for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope, and do not love You. 3x

Peace
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Dear haxcompat,

Thanks for your reply and the beautiful prayer taught to the three little shepherd children at Fatima. Yes, true zeal is the fruit of prayer! Hope you read my husband’s blog. 🙂
 
Casilda said:
Define ‘carrying Christ to others’. What I see going on at my own parish I feel discourages zeal. There exists this pseudo-busyness that precludes any attempt of carrying on the Catholic faith. While studying at an eastern Orthodox church, I was steeped in church history, encouraged to study the saints, learn prayers, etc. Now back in a Catholic parish there is nothing comparable. There are ex-protestant led Bible studies using Protestant materials, I want solid Catholic Orthodox teaching! A mere few are interested in spirituality, and we are all connected elsewhere for that. Then there is the cliquish group that seems to control everything and are always at church discouraging anything new (like a true Catholic bible study).

Is Our Lord reverting us lost Catholics to come in and turn the tables in our Father’s house? Retake what is truly ours and set the Catholic church back on track?
Click to expand...
Dear Casilda,

Mary our Blessed Mother, was seen on this earth, “carrying Christ to others”, physically, while He was a child. The Magi, for instance found the Child with Mary His Mother. She carried Him on the flight into Egypt and finally she held His dead body when He was taken from the cross. The phrase, “carrying Him to others” is my way of expressing my desire to be like Mary. I see her as the Icon of the whole Church, in that all of us are called to say our “Yes” to God and live the Life of Christ which He gives us in Baptism, then being “born from above by water and the Holy Spirit” we grow as His disciples and carry Him “spiritually” to others by our words and deeds. I think of Mary for instance, telling the servants, “Do whatever He tells you”. My (and the Church’s) “carrying Christ” is only physical for about 15 minutes in Holy Communion, but spiritually we can carry Him every moment of our lives in Sanctifying Grace. We carry Him in our words and deeds and in the person of others also (“Whatever you do to the least of my brothers, you do to Me”). Hope I’ve clarified my words a bit more.

I agree the “protestantizing” that goes on in parishes is discouraging. Sometimes it may be subconscious, but other times I wonder if people think Protestants do some things better. I agree the “busyness” we see without solid Catholic spiritual foundations is growing and is doing much harm. You are absolutely right in wanting True Catholic teaching and True Catholic interpretation of Scripture. Inter-denominational Bible Studies cause a lot of confusion. Cliques are not Catholic nor Christian as the Scripture clearly assures us.

The Eastern Traditions are very beautiful and I hope there will soon be a re-unification between the Orthodox Eastern Churches with Rome. The Maronite rite to which you belong is the Catholic rite and in union with Rome, right? Reverts who come back to the Catholic Church, I find to be among the most zealous Catholics in my parish.

“Turning the money tables over” in our Father’s House is something that does need to be done, as someone on this thread has suggested in mentioning the fact that in some places the Church is more like a “business with a CEO” than a holy House of Prayer with a Shepherd priest guiding his parish. Let us continue to pray to the Holy Spirit for wisdom to know how best to serve as Jesus served by washing His disciples feet. Thanks much for your reply.
 
grannymh said:
YES
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Dear Granny,

Thanks for your reply to the thread. Please see my reply to Casilda, I think I’m responding to your “Yes” as well. 🙂 Hope you both had a chance to read my husband’s blog.
 
AKDee said:
I feel this will vary by Parish. My Parish seems to be full of zeal. My RCIA instructor was quite persistent. I contacted the Church to ask what to do to become Catholic, and he emailed me back, then emailed again, then called me (I had gotten cold feet). The third time I agreed to go check out the RCIA class and stayed with it after that. They seem quite Orthodox in their teaching, definitely no hem-hawing on issues like divorce, sexual sin, homosexual marriage, etc. We were exposed to the Rosary in class, and they say the Rosary in our church every Thursday night and they did the Divine Mercy Novena at Easter time. The only area I notice really that our parish isn’t very into is dressing nicely for Mass. Most people dress quite casually,nearly all women wear pants, and it’s rare to see a chapel veil.
Click to expand...
Dear AKDee,

I’m happy that you find your parish “full of zeal”. I hope you read my husband’s blog and especially his references to the Book of Revelation for it is not only the Church of Laodicea (which was lukewarm) whom the Lord addresses, but in the Book of Revelation He also speaks to two churches out of the seven who were faithful. If your parish is one full of faithful people with zeal, then I pray they will continue to grow in virtue. The devil as St. Peter tells us in his first letter is “prowling around seeking someone to devour” so temptations will come to all. St. Peter knows because he fell, but he tells us to resist the evil one steadfast in our faith, (1Peter 5 : 8-9).

There is a warning in the Lord’s words to the 7 churches (and to us) in this final Book of the Bible: “He who has ears let him hear.” If you haven’t read the blog, I hope you will and then let me know if you “hear” something more that the Lord is saying to us today in the USA especially. Listen to hear what He says to the church of Laodicea and ponder what is going on in our country and in the world.

The way people dress can have much to say about how they think about themselves and also how they think about God. Do they read His Word and hear what God says about dress? How we dress can tell us – whether we dress to please ourselves, or if we dress to be pleasing in God’s sight. Would God want us to be immodest? careless? trying to show off ? etc., etc. Do we really care what God says or whether God is pleased? Thanks for your response, AKDee. Please let us pray for one another, for the Church and all those in most need of His Mercy. If you did read the blog, maybe you can read it again and let me know if you heard more the second time. 🙂
 
MariaChristi said:
Dear haxcompat,

Thanks for your reply and the beautiful prayer taught to the three little shepherd children at Fatima. Yes, true zeal is the fruit of prayer! Hope you read my husband’s blog. 🙂
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Yes, thank you. I bookmarked the link.

Peace
 
Tigg said:
Yes, yes, yes to your comments above. I believe we are losing our Catholic identity, that is, we don’t understand the reality and uniqueness of being Catholic. The treasury of Tradition and tradition (there is a difference) is being suppressed by the very Protestant trappings of which you speak. Of particular harm I am finding, is that so much of the busy-ness lends itself to favor social justice groups which give the impression that activities not related to working in soup kitchens or promoting activism of some sort are unworthy of effort. It seems a new emphasis on political participation is more necessary than spiritual formation. Of all the talk of love of neighbor and helping the poor, we are leaving the poor behind because of the lack of genuine concern about their spiritual state. Even in religion, we are focusing way too much on material equality and way too little on actually living lives of holiness.
Click to expand...
Dear Tigg,

Thanks for your reply. You may have read my response to Casilda’s post also. We have a long way yet to go in our renewal, our deep and spiritual renewal called for by Vatican II. Many people have never read the documents but only heard some confused interpretations of them which have caused damage. Pope St. John Paul II did much to help clarify the teachings and commissioned the writing of the Catechism of the Catholic Church to further strengthen the Church in the Truth.

We have him now in heaven to intercede for the Church, but we must do our part in prayer, and in study of the Scripture, as well as learning from Sacred Tradition and the Magisterium of the Church. You are quite right that some “traditions” with a small “t” are more like customs which can change with the times, these things are different from Sacred Tradition which does not change.

Yes, we are called to holiness, and on this “Mother’s Day” in the USA, let us especially call on our Mother Mary to intercede for us. I hope you read my husband’s blog, for I think it can help us in the real spiritual battle we face in this culture of darkness.
 
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