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FightingFat
Guest
Some good points. I think it comes down to two things:
No one is teaching them the faith.
We need to sort out the liturgy.
No one is teaching them the faith.
We need to sort out the liturgy.
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tgm21234
Guest
what do you think of article on hugh hewitt?
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HyeDetroit
Guest
This pretty much sums it up. Young Catholics are undereducated in the faith. Couple that with non-Catholic culture and this is the result.
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Lancer
Guest
This article seems “anecdotal”…my impression. Also, this article reminds me of
what…Dr. Thomas Howard* said (I will have to paraphrase his comment) on the EWTN’s (Marcus Grodi) The Journey Home program:…When Protestants leave their church/faith group and become Catholic…they know greatly exactly** all **that they are leaving…but…When Catholics leave the Catholic Church/Faith…they know little of all that they are leaving…because they have never taken the time to learn/understand their Catholic faith or the Catholic Church herself.…!
All you have to do is look at Hewitt’s and Loconte’s statements to see that (for personal reasons) they gave up the Real Presence of God…Our Lord Jesus Christ…in the Eucharist and being part of the One Holy Sacrifice (by the our one and only High Priest, Our Lord Jesus Christ himself) of the Mass (where Calvary and Heaven mysteriously are made present in the local Church)…for what…to get something “better”? I don’t get it…but, I do get…that they fit perfectly into Thomas Howard’s observation…to a “T”. God bless them and I hope that they return soon…to their true home…the Catholic Church…we need them to be a complete family!
For your consideration.
Pax Christi
P.S. I grew up in the segregated Catholic Chruch and segregated Catholic schools in the deep south…but, one holy, righteous…and, burly…apostolic bishop…who often reminded everyone that…“I am the Shepherd of the souls in this diocese…not anyone else”…impressed me so much…that I stayed in the Church…and I pray in thanksgiving for him…and for the eternal rest and peace and joy of his soul…every day!
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LotusCarsLtd
Guest
Christifidelis Laici by JPII really addressed the need for Catholic educators and I agree. BUT we must remember that the primary educators of children are the parents themselves and so while we need better educators we also need parents to start teaching the Faith or doing it better (or even better, being a living breathing walking example of Christ).
I don’t seek to speculate on how well or poorly Catholic parents are educating their children in the Faith or being examples of it but if they’re not doing it or doing it right they need change. The family is where we learn (or don’t) the Faith so perhaps that’s where we should start.
Maybe the Church needs to do more in terms of marriage prep. I’m not at that stage yet so I don’t have an idea of how good or poor marriage prep is but if people aren’t properly taught the importance of raising the kids Catholic then you’ll certainly run into problems.
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Catherine_S
Guest
Add one more!
Effeminate Gospel, Effeminate Christians
A Magazine of American Culture
http://www.chroniclesmagazine.org/index.php/2005/07/10/effeminate-gospel-effeminate-christians/
by Aaron D. Wolf
Every definition of masculinity into which our Lord Jesus Christ does not fit belongs in the rubbish heap. Indeed, there could be no greater example of a man than He. Contrary to modern portrayals, Jesus was neither a sensitive metrosexual nor a macho-macho man. The tenderness that He displayed toward those whom He loved (including His enemies) was paternal and sacrificial, focused not on self-gratification or expression but on the real needs of those He came to save. The Son of Man did not strut about flexing His muscles or cursing at His enemies, because He possessed the quiet confidence of One absolutely certain of His mission and did not need the approval of others in order to maintain that certainty. Nor did He need to “be His own boss” in order to be a man (Isaiah called Him “God’s slave”), insisting, instead, that He came not to do His own will but the “will of Him Who sent Me”—His Father. He resisted the temptation of Satan to perform a spectacular feat of strength by casting Himself down from the pinnacle of the Temple, choosing, rather, the way of the Cross. This Man wept—for Jerusalem, for the family of Lazarus—not out of hypersensitivity or fear but because of His great love for a people languishing under the weight of their own sin. Even in the hour of His torment in Gethsemane, He prayed for those entrusted to His care while battling the Old Serpent, whose head He crushed in the greatest battle ever fought by a man. And He emerged from the grave a King,* still** bearing the wounds of battle. There will be no democracy on Judgment Day when “the Man comes around,” because only one vote will count: that of the God Who humbled Himself in order to save the ones He loves.*
*Shouldn’t we be willing to do whatever it takes to woo people to come to church? *
If these questions are even asked, emasculation has already occurred. Men who are lured to church through such methods will only return if they feel that their needs are being met.
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Catherine_S
Guest
What a blessing, Lancer!
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Santi2
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RoncalliM
Guest
As a young Catholic, I may have some insights.
- You need to learn at a young age that even though you can’t prove scientifically that Jesus is a supreme being any more than Buddha or Krishna, lack of scientific evidence does not take faith into the equation. Young people need to learn that faith is the belief in things which cannot be empirically assessed. No one is trying to “prove” that God exists. You can’t.
- Young Catholics need to be exposed to different faiths at a young age. One of the most important trips I ever went on was a multi-faith trip which involved visits and discussions with Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus, and Unitarians, among others.
- Stress Catholic Social Teaching. People relate to this better than the line between a venial & mortal sin.
- Allow women to assume the priesthood
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Catherine_S
Guest
:bigyikes:!!As a young Catholic, I may have some insights.
4.** Allow women to assume the priesthood
- You need to learn at a young age that even though you can’t prove scientifically that Jesus is a supreme being any more than Buddha or Krishna, lack of scientific evidence does not take faith into the equation. Young people need to learn that faith is the belief in things which cannot be empirically assessed. No one is trying to “prove” that God exists. You can’t.
- Young Catholics need to be exposed to different faiths at a young age. One of the most important trips I ever went on was a multi-faith trip which involved visits and discussions with Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus, and Unitarians, among others.
- Stress Catholic Social Teaching. People relate to this better than the line between a venial & mortal sin.
No can do
!!
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barb_finnegan
Guest
Roncalli-Number 4 on your post has already been decided, as of 1994 by John Paul II’s apostolic authority…NO WOMEN IN THE PRIESTHOOD! 
How much more clear is that???
I hope you were kidding about that-because I’M NOT!
How much more clear is that???I hope you were kidding about that-because I’M NOT!
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Rich_Olszewski
Guest
Was that promulgated as infallible doctrine?
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estesbob
Guest
Wherefore, in order that all doubt may be removed regarding a matter of great importance, a matter which pertains to the Church’s divine constitution itself, in virtue of my ministry of confirming the brethren (cf. Lk 22:32) I declare that the Church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women and that this judgment is to be definitively held by all the Church’s faithful.
Pope John Paul II
vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_letters/documents/hf_jp-ii_apl_22051994_ordinatio-sacerdotalis_en.html
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anode
Guest
Buddhists do not worship the Buddha. The Buddha is not a god. Many Hindus don’t pray to Krishna, either. They regard the Hindu gods as embodiments or personifications of virtues. All of the largest religions have a spectrum of belief. At their most abstract, Hinduism and Buddhism converge, Buddhism having arisen out of Hinduism. Many Catholics do have a religion that is polytheistic in that Mary and the saints are worshiped as gods, and many Catholics pray to the saints as they would gods, despite all protestation to the contrary by orthodox Catholics.As a young Catholic, I may have some insights.
- You need to learn at a young age that even though you can’t prove scientifically that Jesus is a supreme being any more than Buddha or Krishna, lack of scientific evidence does not take faith into the equation. Young people need to learn that faith is the belief in things which cannot be empirically assessed. No one is trying to “prove” that God exists. You can’t.
- Young Catholics need to be exposed to different faiths at a young age. One of the most important trips I ever went on was a multi-faith trip which involved visits and discussions with Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus, and Unitarians, among others.
- Stress Catholic Social Teaching. People relate to this better than the line between a venial & mortal sin.
- Allow women to assume the priesthood
As an aside, polls of Catholics strongly support Catholic priests marrying, and the ordination of women–in the 50-60+ range, percentages that any politician would be happy to have. Not that it will ever happen, of course.
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Rich_Olszewski
Guest
Yes, there is a “through Jesus to Mary” bunch, the sort who wrap rosaries around their arms and pray the rosary during Mass, but they are a very small number and in no way exemplify the average practicing Catholic.
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estesbob
Guest
You forgot to mention we are cannibals and also worship statues-although in more liberal Parishes we have replaced that with worshipping banners…
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Ignatius
Guest
I think the crux is this that young people “truly understand and relate to the concept of free will – something that is usually so hard for believers to understand. For them, that is the most important – not in the sense that they can do or get away with anything, but in the sense that they can respect and understand a God that encourages them to think, question, doubt, research, struggle, and then come willingly to Him.”
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archangel04
Guest
I hope you are joking here because it’s not funny. This idea needs to die out so that young people stop being confused that the Prieshood is right, it is NOT, it’s a callingAs a young Catholic, I may have some insights.
I have to agree here
- You need to learn at a young age that even though you can’t prove scientifically that Jesus is a supreme being any more than Buddha or Krishna, lack of scientific evidence does not take faith into the equation. Young people need to learn that faith is the belief in things which cannot be empirically assessed. No one is trying to “prove” that God exists. You can’t.
- Young Catholics need to be exposed to different faiths at a young age. One of the most important trips I ever went on was a multi-faith trip which involved visits and discussions with Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus, and Unitarians, among others.
If by exposed you mean letting know the basics of other faiths, and teaching them how the Catholic Church is the one true faith establised by Jesus himself, then yeah I agree- Stress Catholic Social Teaching. People relate to this better than the line between a venial & mortal sin. *Yes, we should teach social teaching, but stressing has been done for the past 40 years, and look where it has gotten us. We need to teach the basics, prayer life, scripture, tradition, along with social teaching. *
- Allow women to assume the priesthood
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Marc_Anthony
Guest
I’m going to be brutally honest here as a fifteen year old Catholic.
You really, truly want to know why young Catholics leave the Church?
Because Catholicism is NOT easy. It’s strict. It’s demanding.
And, I think even more importantly, because Mass is boring.
I’m just being honest here. I know its importance and I make it a real point to try and go every day of obligation, but it IS boring. I think so, many of my Catholic friends think so. None of the tips and tricks to make Mass more interesting worked for me. Now, that doesn’t mean I don’t understand the tremendous importance and significance of the Mass.
But it is boring. Sorry.
In fact, the boredom of the Mass actually (very briefly) tempted me toward the prebyterian denomination before I came to my sense, thank God. I wasn’t very well versed in my faith at the time. So I can see how young Catholics who don’t fully understand the faith can be tempted to leave the Church.
BTW-I don’t know a single Catholic who puts Mary and the Saints on the same level as God. Not one. Seriously.
You really, truly want to know why young Catholics leave the Church?
Because Catholicism is NOT easy. It’s strict. It’s demanding.
And, I think even more importantly, because Mass is boring.
I’m just being honest here. I know its importance and I make it a real point to try and go every day of obligation, but it IS boring. I think so, many of my Catholic friends think so. None of the tips and tricks to make Mass more interesting worked for me. Now, that doesn’t mean I don’t understand the tremendous importance and significance of the Mass.
But it is boring. Sorry.
In fact, the boredom of the Mass actually (very briefly) tempted me toward the prebyterian denomination before I came to my sense, thank God. I wasn’t very well versed in my faith at the time. So I can see how young Catholics who don’t fully understand the faith can be tempted to leave the Church.
BTW-I don’t know a single Catholic who puts Mary and the Saints on the same level as God. Not one. Seriously.
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