Why the Exodus?

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***No friends I am not speaking of the Second Book of the Bible, although what I am speaking of seems to me to be pretty much the polar opposite of “comming home.”

A PEW report from 2007 shared some very disturbing news.*

Comparing 1970 5 years after Vatican II ] and 2007

1970 about 75% of professed Catholics were still practicing their faith as it relates to the Sacred Liturgy. In 2007 that number dropped to 25% and in 2009 to 23%

1970 about the same percentage were making use of the Sacrament of Reconcillation with some frequency. In 2007 that number dropped to about 10% and today it is lower than that.

While Catholics are still the largest Christian denomination, the Second largest group is reported to be “Fallen away catholics.”**

So what has cause this reverse Exodus and why?

What do you think can be done about it?

What do you thing WILL be done about it.

Please be chairitable in your reply’s

Love and prayers,
 
There are a great many factors involved, I’m sure, but one thing I’ve come across regularly is that people don’t seem to be making God a priority in their lives anymore. Folks don’t bother trying to get to Mass while on vacation, or if there’s a football game on, or if the kids have soccer that day. It seems like the worldly concerns are bigger and brighter, and therefore much more pressing than an invisible God who requires–GASP–obedience and loyalty.

We’re also bombarded with ideas about self…how everything should revolved around you and your desires. Sin doesn’t really exist. If it feels right it is right.

There are others who have created God in their image…defining “all loving” as “all accepting”. A God who doesn’t require anything from them, and, because He is merciful, will brush off theirs sins because it’s no worse than what everyone else is doing.

I see this attitude over and over again. It makes me sad.

I don’t know what the answer is…I was there myself not so very long ago. I can only hope that those people find their way back to the truth, before it’s too late.
 
I think it has to do with this culture of entitlement. You know, the attitude that even the 9th place finisher in a race gets a trophy because he or she is special. You can’t fire someone for doing a poor job, etc.

That sense of entitlement has crept into religion; people think they’re entitled to Heaven. It’s as if claiming that you love God frees you from all obligation, requirement, and… well… doing anything you don’t want to do. The Church requires you to do many things that aren’t “convenient” (confession, going to Mass every week, donating money), so people stop going.

Then you throw in the self-centered belief of most people (fostered by the “you’re special!” attitude), and you get people who are “bored” in Mass because they’re not being “entertained” (as if it’s the priest’s job to entertain you). That’s why you see such rapid growth in the non-denom churches that have plays, videos, and rock bands during their service.
 
The main thing that I find lacking in many Catholic parishes that you find in every Mormon ward (parish) is the number of things to do besides the main service. In Mormon wards, there is Sunday school for everyone (all ages), as well as various meetings for women, men, and youth. This builds a strong community, and allows you to really feel like you’re a family. I wish that we had more activities outside of the Mass that brought the parish together, especially Scripture study. Many that leave the Catholic Church go to churches that emphasize reading the Bible. As Catholics, we obviously believe in and encourage reading the Bible. We read from it at every Mass! However there should be more encouragement to do so in the home, as well as maybe Bible study groups, where we can read Scripture and emphasize how it is related to Catholic belief and practice. This is what the LDS Church does.
 
Religio71 said:
The main thing that I find lacking in many Catholic parishes that you find in every Mormon ward (parish) is the number of things to do besides the main service. In Mormon wards, there is Sunday school for everyone (all ages), as well as various meetings for women, men, and youth. This builds a strong community, and allows you to really feel like you’re a family. I wish that we had more activities outside of the Mass that brought the parish together, especially Scripture study. Many that leave the Catholic Church go to churches that emphasize reading the Bible. As Catholics, we obviously believe in and encourage reading the Bible. We read from it at every Mass! However there should be more encouragement to do so in the home, as well as maybe Bible study groups, where we can read Scripture and emphasize how it is related to Catholic belief and practice. This is what the LDS Church does.
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That’s an interesting point…interesting because that has not been my experience. I see my own parish, we have LOADS of different ways for people to be involved, and yet you see the same 20 people over and over again. The rest are “pew warmers”. During Advent last year, our pastor offered an in depth scripture study and only about four people showed up. These groups and events don’t work if people they’re being offered for, can’t be bothered to attend.
 
Religio71 said:
The main thing that I find lacking in many Catholic parishes that you find in every Mormon ward (parish) is the number of things to do besides the main service. In Mormon wards, there is Sunday school for everyone (all ages), as well as various meetings for women, men, and youth. This builds a strong community, and allows you to really feel like you’re a family. I wish that we had more activities outside of the Mass that brought the parish together, especially Scripture study. Many that leave the Catholic Church go to churches that emphasize reading the Bible. As Catholics, we obviously believe in and encourage reading the Bible. We read from it at every Mass! However there should be more encouragement to do so in the home, as well as maybe Bible study groups, where we can read Scripture and emphasize how it is related to Catholic belief and practice. This is what the LDS Church does.
Click to expand...
Mormons are not a religion, they are a cult. Yet they are highly organized and very disiplined. They don’t believe in GOD, so stay away from them. That is precisely why they do so much instruction, that nears brain washing.

You shouls have this discussion with your pastor. God willing he may be able to get something going for you.

We have two Bible Studies, and have attempted twicw to start an Adult Instruction class with very poor support.

Make your desires known.

Love and prayers,
 
Abraham Lincoln said, “The Philosophy of the classroom today will be the Philosophy of the culture tomorrow”.

What is the most influential factor in shaping the culture? The college campus.

The college campus:
  • is where our future leaders will come from
  • Politicians, business managers, stay at home mothers, etc…
  • is where most people determine their values, decide on a vocation, find their spouse, etc…
  • is where the self is taught above the community, where entitlement and many other false ideologies are taught
Is it any surprise that Adolf Hitler attacked college professors first? Does anyone question the fruits of the sexual revolution?

The college campus is the devil’s din and he’s succeeding. 85% of college students who leave for college practicing their faith leave their faith by the end of the senior year.
**
That’s the why!**
**
What can be done** is to evangelize our youth and ourselves. We don’t need good Catholics. We need great Catholics. We need great Catholics in positions of leadership, helping to form the culture from the college campus to business to the home.
**
This is being done with FOCUS, the Fellowship of Catholic University Students. **
Check it out at www.focusonline.org or on my site www.catholicvisionforlife.com.
  • Thousands of students involved in Catholic Bible Study, One on One mentoring, and leadership training
  • 226 religious vocations in just 11 years!
  • Those involved with FOCUS go on to set up crisis pregnancy centers, work at them, pray at abortion clinics, go on mission trips around the world, educate people in the faith, start bible studies in their own parishes, run adult formation as well as young adult and teen formation programs.
  • Converts galore from atheism and Protestantism
We’re going to MIT, UCONN, Univ. of Florida, Univeirsty of Indian - Purdue this fall. What do YOU think will happen once these students are engaged more into the faith and fall in love with Jesus Christ?

Want to help make this a reality in more student’s lives - send me an e-mail and I’ll share with you more about our mission.
 
In this parish we have a list of clubs, ministries, bible studies, faith formation, apostolates, activities, meetings, service opportunities for every imaginable interest, the list covers two pages, single spaced. Out of 1000 families who attend Mass regularly (based on collections and the number of bulletins printed and taken), which is out of 3500 families registered, perhaps 200 adults participate in anything outside Mass. the biggest draws are the holiday dinners, where we serve about 300 parishioners, half of whom look to be strangers.

lack opportunities to be active in the parish is NOT in my experience of over 20 years in parish ministry the reason for low Mass attendance.

The reason is either they never were taught the full meaning of the Eucharist or they were well taught but reject the belief and need for Jesus because they are clinging to personal sin. in fact, lets just make that pronoun “we”.

some priest ask a direct question to a couple who came in to arrange for the wedding, having been living together for 5 years, offense was taken, and they won’t be back.

somebody got offended when the priest gave them the facts about divorce and remarriage, and they won’t be back.

somebody challenged a couple who came in to baptize a baby because they have no plans to get married, their chosen godparents are not even Catholic, and they want to place all kinds of demands on how, when and where the ceremony will take place. Priest gave them the facts, they stalked out, and they won’t be back.

somebody finally came back to Mass after a long absence on the one Sunday of the year when father gave the $ talk, and they left in a huff and won’t be back.

a non-parishioner called the office after hours looking for a priest to give their granny last rites on her death bed, having made no effort whatever to bring a priest in at any time during the course of her long illness, when it could have brought her real comfort. No priest is available so . . . anger, resentment, absence.
 
You see, many have converted to the Church of the 1960’s.

“do what you want”
“selfishness is good”
“I don’t need God telling me what to do”
“there is no such thing as sexual ethics”

Satan’s siren song captivated many and they simply left.

Let’s see, 1884, Pope Leo’s vision:
Code: 
The guttural voice, the voice of Satan in his pride, boasted to Our Lord: "I can destroy your Church."
The gentle voice of Our Lord: "You can? Then go ahead and do so."
Satan: "To do so, I need more time and more power."
Our Lord: "How much time? How much power?"
Satan: "75 to 100 years, and a greater power over those who will give themselves over to my service."
Our Lord: "You have the time, you will have the power. Do with them what you will."
Click to expand...
1884+75=1959 - just in time for the 1960’s “revolution” in the secular world to come. This was not a coincidence!
1884+100=1984. 1981, Pope JP2 was assassinated - Satan’s last gasp, he knew it was over.

Satan did his worst, the Church is still here. But the 1960’s types are the ones who are being overcome.
 
BobCatholic said:
You see, many have converted to the Church of the 1960’s.

“do what you want”
“selfishness is good”
“I don’t need God telling me what to do”
“there is no such thing as sexual ethics”

Satan’s siren song captivated many and they simply left.

Let’s see, 1884, Pope Leo’s vision:

1884+75=1959 - just in time for the 1960’s “revolution” in the secular world to come. This was not a coincidence!

Interesting post, thanks!
1884+100=1984. 1981, Pope JP2 was assassinated - Satan’s last gasp, he knew it was over.

Satan did his worst, the Church is still here. But the 1960’s types are the ones who are being overcome.
Click to expand...
 
In a nutshell:

Satan has great control over modern medias. This makes it harder for the Catholic to stay Catholic since you must “swim against the tide” humanistically speaking.

There is a common denominator of the fallen away Catholics that my father has noticed: those who left the Church never really believed in the True Presence under the forms of bread and wine.
 
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