Sometimes people can be weird. They say weird things that leave you wondering if they heard themselves say it.
My husband and I became Catholic about 3 years ago. And because I live a pretty public life, I’ve heard some of the strangest and sometimes offensive things from other Catholics. To be helpful, and also a little humorous, I thought I’d list some of them out. And I really don’t mean to offend…just trying to help you guys out. So here they are, 10 things NOT to say to a convert:
1. “I’m just so glad that you are a Christian now.”
Um, I was a Christian before I became Catholic. Believe it or not, people of other denominations can be Christians. Shocking, I know.
2. “Oh, you are just a baby Catholic.”
Okay … this was the most annoying to me. Look, I wasn’t born into this faith. I chose to become Catholic. And I made that choice based on extensive learning and studying about the faith. Yes, I am new to the faith, but it doesn’t mean I’m an idiot about the faith. And seriously, let’s just not call adults “baby” anything.
3. “You have done the right thing for your children.”
Yes, training my children up to be Catholic Christians is the most amazing gift I can give them. But it’s not like I was doing the WRONG thing for my kids when I wasn’t Catholic. Any comment that could potentially be taken as “you really stunk as a parent” should not be said.
4. “I need to talk to you about Vatican 2.”
Listen, I know all of the controversy surrounding Vatican 2. I get it. But someone who has just entered the amazing mystery of the Church doesn’t need a lesson on the controversy in the Church. “I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic church.” That part of the creed I converted with, I believe in it.
5. “Isn’t sex just so much better as a Catholic???” *said with much enthusiasm*
Yes, multiple people (strangers) have really asked me this question. It’s like, are they asking me or telling me? Is the sacrament of marriage beautiful? Absolutely. Do I want to talk about my new found Catholic sex life with you? Probably not.
6. “Life is so much better as a Catholic.”
Okay, let’s try not go all “prosperity gospel” on new Catholics. Life is great as a Catholic. I can receive the real Body and Blood of Christ every day. Nothing could be better than that. But let’s be honest. Life as a Catholic is hard. And that’s one of the things that we embrace about our Catholic faith: suffering. And it’s beautiful. Though, if we act like all of your problems are going to go away now that you are Catholic, then we might as well join up with the Osteens. In the past 3 years, I have been challenged more than I ever was in the 31 years before that.
7. “What was your first confession like?”
There is probably nothing more personal than confession… especially your first one. I can’t ever figure out what people are asking here. Did you cry uncontrollably? Yes. Did you feel like scum going in? Yes. Did you do everything possible to avoid eye contact with the priest? Yes. Did you feel a sense of embarrassment and shame as you confessed your dirtiest and darkest sins? Yep. Did it take FOREVER because you were such a terrible sinner? Surprisingly, not as long as I expected. Did you embarrassingly have to pull out a piece of paper with the Act of Contrition printed on it because you didn’t know it by heart? Yes. Did the priest give you a million prayers to pray for penance? I’ll never tell. Do you think you remembered everything that you needed to confess? Probably not. If you are really desperate to know about someone’s love of confession, maybe you could just say something like, “Man, confession is really beautiful, huh?”
8. “You don’t need to bring your Bible to church! We have the Magnificat in the pews.”
So, we probably shouldn’t be discouraging people from bringing their Bibles to church. In fact, if you haven’t ever brought your Bible to church, maybe you should try it out. Or if you don’t actually have a Bible (the whole Bible, not the edited version) at home, you should definitely go out and buy one. My mom’s old pastor used to say there were three things that we need to do consistently to strengthen our walk with God: pray daily, go to church every Sunday (and more if you can), and read the Bible. It’s an amazing thing. When you stop relying on the little paperback book in the pew and open your Bible, you learn so many things that you probably didn’t know before. Maybe that’s just my Southern Baptist roots coming out, but you should really give it a try!
9. “What ministry do you want to join? Lectors? Eucharistic Ministers? Choir? Respect Life? Linen washers? Sick and homebound? Food pantry? Coats for kids? Decorating? Which one?”
I just got here. I have been confirmed for about 10 minutes. Give me a sec (or a year) to figure out where God is calling me to serve. Should we all be serving in some way for the Church? You better believe it. I heard a priest say one time, “To not serve in your parish, is to fail your parish.” We should all be connected with one or more church ministries. But give the new Catholics a few seconds to breathe. We are still basking in the amazingness of our First Eucharist.
10. “The best Mass is the Latin Mass.”
Actually, the best Mass is the one where Jesus is present. And yeah, that’s all of them.
“You just did it to get rich and to turn the Church Protestant.” is another beloved trope in some circles.
Funny, I converted a decade ago, and somehow I’m still not rich.
Slacker!
Yeah, I know. As a convert with a beard, I’m supposed to write books on apologetics.
We’ll need a manuscript from you by New Year’s Day or you will have to shave. I’m sorry. Guild rules.
Loved this – came into full Communion to the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church – from a strong Protestant Bible Background – with my husband at 70 and 76 and it was wonderful – joyful – the completion of a long journey – and I love these questions but I never ask others the same ones!!! Great post!!! Just great. Thanks!
Welcome home, Terry! May God bless you and your husband. Merry Christmas!
So funny! And I”m so glad you are Catholic, Abby. So glad, in fact, that I’ll end here to avoid saying something stupid!
From one convert to another–something else you will hear is “You’ve only been a Catholic how long? How do you know so much?” Ummm…because I actually studied? I have to suppress the urge to knock heads at that one….
I got that a lot. And it carries a suspicious tone sometimes.
I just respond that I was training with the Soviets to infiltrate the Church and become the first Communist Pope but then St. Raphael came and told me “nyet-nyet” and infused into my brain all the faith, including sixteen tomes of the Summa Theologica, and now voices in my head tell me what to say and do at the Mass.
They usually leave me alone after that.
lol
So…you’re comfortable lying like that? I mean you probably think it’s cute but it is still lying. Oh wait, I forgot: You can just run to Confession, and all is forgive, right?
So dour you didn’t get the humour.
it is a joke, Brainiac …
It’s a LYING joke, Corleonis.
so – what the heck is this article about ?
I’m always curious at what road a convert takes. There are many roads to Rome.
I’ve heard stories of converts who are having second thoughts because of what they discovered in the Church. Anyone who comes to the Church should understand that “there are many roads to Rome”.
“there are many roads to Rome”
Gee! I hear YA! Wouldn’t “IT” be nice if there was only “ONE” road to “Jesus” but then again even Moses was not able to control his people as to who GOD (Good Old Dad) really was… I’ve been able to find about five virgins, “I” mean version of catholicism so far…
I hear YA! And what version are YA Victor!?
OH! I’m just like Manny… I’m a cradle Catholic and truth be known, we’re all His Children and He love us all…
By the way did i mention that i am a Canadian Catholic? LOL 🙂
God Bless all souls especially on this Canadian Remembrance Day
actually the Latin Mass is the best and Vatican II (actually the spirit and misinterpretation of V2 screwed up the Church – its pretty simple and straight forward ! AND the problem with converts is they think they know it all and all the cute novelty things they like to do – its not Novelty its Catholicism !
The Latin mass certainly allows for a freedom to pray for the hour, and that is definitely not a bad thing, in any vernacular.
Yes, it is.
You pray at the public services of the Church (which include more than Mass) by attending to the prayers actually said aloud, rather than by immersing yourself in your own private devotions.
These should be said at home.
And did you know that the Tridentine mass was celebrated in union with Rome in Armenian, Chinese, Church Slavonic, and other languages for CENTURIES before Vatican 2?
Amazing that there are Catholics that would dissuade any prayer to God.
The use of Latin in the mass was once a novelty. How traditional do we want to be? Perspective.
Somedays it seems they wouldn’t be happy unless we went back to Aramaic or Sanskrit…
It’s not just the latin in the Traditional Latin Mass, that gives greater glory to God. Pick up a 1962 Missal sometime and read the prayers of the ancient Mass. They are also in English you know. I then dare you to tell me with a straight face that the prayers of the OF are just as efficacious as the EF prayers of the Mass.
“Don’t just pray at Mass, pray the Mass!”
-Pope Pius X
What the what are you talking about, dude? Seriously,is that REALLY what catholicism teaches, that the”latin”in the Traditional Latin Mass gives greater glory to God?? What ARE you talking about? How is Almighty God glorified just because you’re speaking to Him in a language few people understand? How is that even logical, and I am sure I’ll be sorry I asked this question, where does it say that in Scripture? I try not to be disrespectful on these posts, so I won’t say what I really should say, but…Seriously????
Pingback: 10 things NOT to say to a convert... - Christian Forums
Welcome!
Don’t forget devotionals. Which one are you going to take up or do you have? 😉 I get asked that question every so often & I’m a cradle Catholic.
I’m a cradle RC too but, through three different parishes over a lifetime (including RC elementary school), I’ve never been asked that question.
I guess you live in a region where Catholics don’t invite others to participate in novenas or to consecrate oneself to the Sacred Heart or the Sacred Heart of Mary or to join the 3rd order of Dominicans or 3rd order of Carmelites or to recite the rosary before or after mass.
The most recent rosary recitation I attended was this past All Souls Day at a local cemetery. It was longer than the usual rosary recitation with hymns at each decade. We had a turnout of about 2 to 300 people.
What the what does all that even mean? Never mind, I don’t wanna know; my head is spinning over God commanding catholics to pray in Latin.
OK, I’ve used the baby Catholic line… but, in my defense, it was on one of my best friends and I had just stood behind her as her sponsor on Easter Vigil, and we both laughed at it. It’s not that bad if you know the person you’re talking to and know how they’ll react… but from random strangers, I can see how these would be annoying.
The best masses are the Divine LIturgies of St. John Chrysostom, St. Basil, and St. James.
And yes, they are celebrated in the Catholic church.
LOL, some of them are pretty funny as rudeness can sometimes be funny. I’m a cradle Catholic, so I’ve never had anyone say them to me, and I’ve certainly never said them to anyone. When I come across a convert, I usually say, welcome. Welcome to our wonderful faith Abby.
What is a”cradle catholic”?
One born into the faith. Cradle as what an infant is placed in. It’s a term that’s frequently used. I didn’t invent it.
I converted to the Catholic Church 19 months ago and I couldn’t disagree more.
1. The Catholic Church is not a denomination.
3. Yes joining the Church is always the right thing for your children and yourself. If it is the one true Church then people are wrong to stay out of it. Logic is fun.
6. Life is much grander as a Catholic–if it isn’t–then you are doing it wrong.
8. I grew up on Protestant circles–Protestant ministers don’t know as much about the Bible (or its history) as a well catechized Catholic teenager (its almost like they have Church Fathers in which to reference).
10. (Addressing your commentary) Yes–because we are just there to be fed at a banquet table and not give any reverential worship to God. Lex Orandi…
This is supposed to be a fun site. If you can’t deal with a little sarcasm and maybe laugh a bit, then maybe you should go someplace else.
But, then again every party needs a pooper…
(See what I did there? That was a joke too.)
So what then did you do Chris?
you were living a worldly life as a worldly backslidden, unsaved Christian, you had religion but you didn’t have the life of God in you.
Yet you didn’t seek for that, no, but you looked to find some more dead religion, some more ritualism, say me a hundred recitations, some ‘vain babblings’, some ‘vain repetitions’, you read the bible my friend?
You ought to know what it says about that.
I want to ask you a question Mr. Chris.
How many Catholics do you know that read 13 chapters of the bible a day?
How many Catholics do you know with a fire and burning zeal to preach the gospel and witness to lost sinners that Christ is Lord?
No, the reason you were even susceptible to the seduction of the great whore of Rome was because of your worldly, backslidden, modernistic church, which no doubt had no standards, no power, no burden for the unsaved, and never preached on the devil of hell that is the catholic church.
I’m being hard on you my friend, but what I wouldn’t give to open your eyes to the word of God and bring you out from under paganism and idolatry, empty religion, brother, it won’t amount to nothing when Christ comes, it really won’t.
Brother Eili this made me smile–I do read the Bible, and was raised to read the Bible and take it literally throughout. So when I actually read John Chapter 6 and the Last Supper…it was hard to force a figurative interpretation.
I would lightly point out to you–that if you are counting the number of Bible chapters that you read a day that that sounds somewhat repetitive to me.
Eli, I would invite you to pick up a Bible that has 7 extra books that Luther thought he had the power to remove. I would invite you to realize the motivation of someone like Luther who changed Romans 3:28 (in his German Bible) to ‘faith alone’. Now I hear you when you say that Luther probably doesn’t matter to you. He is tied up with all those ‘vain trappings’ too I bet. But you need to recognize that you wouldn’t be outside the visible bonds of unity with the Catholic Church if it were not for him.
People only recognized the Bible as the Bible, the Gospels as the authentic Gospels because of the authority of the Church of Rome. You can’t escape that, nor can you escape the witness of the early martyrs who were Catholic. I’ll give you an example: if Confession were merely made up? Then was it made up? I can see hints of it in the Bible and can trace evidence for it to the 1st century–mere decades after Christ’s death. These people dancing on their way to be eaten by lions for Christ, would not have easily suffered novelties being introduced. Especially, when they had been taught by the Apostles themselves (or those taught by the Apostles). The Apostles didn’t stop existing at the close of the Bible, they went to the ends of the Earth after being taught all truths at Pentecost, we know where their bodies are. The writings of their pupils clearly espouse the Faith that a Catholic holds today. Are you saying that everyone apostatized after the Apostles? Are you saying that the martyrs were in fact Apostates? That sounds a bit like Mormonism to me…
I respect your intellectual honesty and the passion you have for your beliefs. Do you celebrate Christmas my friend?
Wow, dude…talk about drinking deep of the Catholic Kool-aid…Let ME ask YOU a question:Do you actually in your heart believe that the people Almighty God raised up following the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ had to wait 200-300 odd years to make sure they finally had the right Church-approved Bible? Is it your contention that Jesus, Paul, the disciples, et.al.just kind of stumbled along, hoping that they were teaching and preaching from the right Scriptures? DO YOU REALLY, REALLY, BELIEVE THAT?
Eli: Today, rather than covering 13 chapters try praying on this piece of scripture. Matthew 16:16-18 Peter, of course, was the first but not the last, bishop of Rome. The “great whore of Rome” as you call the Holy Catholic Church has, through the pope, the keys to the Kingdom of God, given by Christ himself.
How do we know this? Catholic bishops at the Church Councils of Hippo (393 AD) and Carthage (397, 419 AD) determined what books constitute the Holy Bible. When you read your scripture you read biblical verses given by God to us through the very Church, (instituted by Christ) that you so revile. The Catholic Church existed before the bible and Catholic bishops defined what is and is not inspired.
Christ is indeed Lord of all. How do we know this? That would be the Catholic bishops in the first Council of the Church at Nicaea in 325 AD who defined the nature of Christ and His relationship with the Father. “Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father by whom all things were made; who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made man;” Recognize that. It’s part of one of the very earliest professions of faith, commonly called the Nicene Creed.
The creed is recited at Holy mass, when we receive the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ at communion. You see, unlike Protestants we Catholics actually believe Jesus when he said, “This is my body.” “This is my blood.” We call it the Real Presence because it’s real, not symbolic. Check it out. It’s in the Bible.
You see, the Catholic Church is not pagan, not idolatrous, not empty. It’s One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic and goes all the way back to Jesus the Christ …. and to Peter the Apostle, first Catholic Bishop of Rome and all 265 of Peter’s successors up to Pope Francis today. Praise be to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit!
I find it amusing that how much catholic groupthink any given catholic spouts, he(or she ) actually thinks that the strained interpretations and pseudo-theological tweaking and parsing of Scripture ought to be convincing.Let me ask a very simple question, “John the Mad”: Who gave Jesus, Paul, the disciples and apostles et.al.the Scriptures THEY taught and preached from? The claim that the non-existent church of which you speak gave anyone the Bible is simply tiresome and silly frankly. Since the Scriptures are the Word of God, who but Almighty God could have led his people to discern and compile Holy Writ? If we adhere to the Catholic Church’s power-mad fantasies, every one was running around chasing there theological tails for a couple of centuries. What sane person would believe that?
wow this is like the most insulting thing I’ve ever read. We love Jesus and know him more intimately than you will ever know.
I think it is in order to ask the moderator to kick that Laurence Charles Ringo out of here.
Life IS grander as a catholic, If by “grand” you mean “bloody entrenched spiritual battle with the forces of darkness,” then yes! There is little mor noble than Catholic Life!
It’s a subset of the whole of Christianity. It’s a denomination by definition.
Abby, I am a convert, 10 years now. Welcome home and keep pressing on (Phil.3:13-14). Anyway, one comment about the Catholic Church that has helped me both in a funny and a serious way is “look out here comes everybody”. It still makes me laugh and shudder.
Pingback: Morning Catholic must-reads: 11/11/14
Very good. Combines spiritual with unfussy, which is not easy.
Pingback: Morning Catholic must-reads: 11/11/14 | CHRONICA
I have been Catholic for about 15 years now, and looking back I have a better understanding of the “silly” questions… especially as I did study my way into the Church and though I had it all figured out… I must have been nearly insufferable! Thank you Jesus for all the Catholics that but up with me!
What I would say to you is: “welcome.”
“I’m just so glad that you are a Christian now.”
Because all converts to Catholicism were Christians beforehand??
Sorry, are you saying there are Catholics who talk to other Catholics? About Catholicism? At, like, church?
I’m sorry, Capaxdei, but I can’t respond to your comment, in the “torture” report thread, because Mr. Shea has blocked me. I’m trying to find out why.
It would not be appropriate to answer on someone else’s blog. God Bless!
Another one that has to be added: “Don’t you know you’re not really married?” or “Have you had your marriage convalidated yet?” I can’t tell you how many people at my Catholic college informed me that my parents must not really be married since they were married before they converted (in a non-Catholic Christian church, being non-Catholic Christians – imagine that!).
The only thing I would ask a convert is to PLEASE leave your protestant baggage behind you. I know this is difficult to do, but the Church has been around much longer than Martin Luther and company. We don’t need people like Mark Shea telling us how to do things, and constantly attacking faithful Catholics as bed-wetting, butt-hurt reactionaries, greatest Catholics of all time, and the favorite of the Church of Nice: Pharisees! This type of garbage we don’t need, we have enough problems already dealing with the fallout of the Spirit of Vat. II. Thanks, and welcome to the only true Church.
I have no idea why you would need to mention Mark Shea in such a negative manner. No one says he is the last word in anything, but he gives a highly educated witness to the truth of the Catholic faith and he does so as one who was deeply rooted in evangelical Protestantism. Calling a fellow Christian a “Pharisee” is no less than doing what Jesus condemns in Matthew when He says not to call anyone a “Fool.” In all charity I ask you to be a little more careful expressing your ideas. Thank you.
As far as the name calling all that you applied to Steve D. is what Steve D. is asking of Mr. Shea. If you are familiar with Mr. Shea’s articles on his blog you would know that he often applies those condemnations to fellow Catholics.
Mark Shea has his detractors: https://goo.gl/FF8wgK
I would actually like #9. I’m a fairly recent convert (less than 2 years) and changed parishes a couple months ago because of my work/school schedule. I would love to get more involved in the parish, both to contribute and to actually meet people because I’m kind of shy & socially awkward by nature.
Thx for sharing Abby. I had no idea what questions new converts had to endure. But, at least it shows thatvyou interested people enough that they did want to ask you questions about your new faith. Maybe you inspired a few people along the way.May God bless you,your husband and family on your faith journey!:)
I’m not a convert; I just help them through the RCIA process.
I make sure they know the Catholic faith is not a denomination.
I routinely refer to “baby priests”, which is just how the humbler among them refer to themselves, realizing that they know very little.
Just last month I had to advise a recent convert about having her marriage regularized. She volunteered that she’d made a mess of her life. Advising her that she’d done right by her children was the most charitable thing I could say.
Baby Catholics have enough to contend with without me messing with their heads about Vatican II and prying into their sex lives. Or their confessions.
We don’t need Bibles in church. Missals, maybe — but the Mass isn’t Bible study, and we aren’t there to second-guess scriptural interpretations.
I tell converts we have a word for the mania to press this or that “ministry” upon every new Catholic. That word is “clericalism”. We’re against it.
I don’t have to tell converts about the superiority of the Latin Mass. They tell me.
Welcome home, Abby. It takes amazing courage to make this change as an adult — and you have shown tremendous courage in following the promptings of the Holy Spirit. I am frequently humbled by the willingness of my converts to accept life-altering changes in adulthood.
Well said, Romulus. Converts are fortunate to have you as an RCIA sponsor. There is something wrong with parishes that promote too many ministries, they are more interested in the social justice gospel at the expense of developing an interior life. Dom Chautard warns about this in his classic book “The Soul of the Apostolate”. The idea that you are failing your parish because you’re not involved in a ministry is absurd.
“I’m not a convert; I just help them through the RCIA process”
I think I see where a LOT of our problems might come from…
Romulus, without asking sinner vic for any of his so called godly help, I want to ask you why you’re not a convert… I’m starting to wonder if we have too many non convert as yourself these days?… this new church that my wife and i now attend since i was literally thrown out because i had to make it clear that dogs whether a person is blind or not have no place during The Holy Eucharist… especially on Pentecostal Day… anyway so far we’ve gone through three priest and long story short… I’m still seeing some propaganda… for example at the beginning of church… all young people would go and learn about Christ… a kind of Baby Catholic thing… anyway our new priest never told us why but it’s not hard to imagine that some propaganda took place cause the children must now stay with us adults… we Catholics must continue to be NICE.
Forgive me for being a little UPSET but we just got a call from a daughter who lives in our Canadian Capital City that two of our grandchildren got hit by a car… long story short i got on my knees and said another Rosary… I also added in so many words… Lord I know that so many keep telling us Catholics that teens no longer really need You and i have even said that if there souls are in danger… please don’t worry about their flesh but Lord Jesus, You and your Mother Above All knows how much “IT” can hurt when “IT” hits so close to home… YA know where I’m coming from… Don’t YA NOW GOD?
God Bless
It would take greater courage to hold your tradition and culture up to the light of the word of God, and choose to obey God rather than men. (Acts 5:29)
I did that. That’s why I’m a Catholic now, instead of a fundamentalist Baptist.
You did what? Choose men over Almighty God, Raine? Even Jesus Himself wasn’t enough? Wow.
So how come you belong to a Church established by men with man made traditions. The way you go on and on about Christ one would think that you mean what you say. But there you are, wilfully remaining in a Church that He did not establish and following traditions that men in the last 19th century established. Sad.
Speaking only for myself, I don’t question Almighty God’s wisdom in raising up Martin Luther and breaking the world free of the bogus, contrived, man-centered institution known as the roman catholic church; not only that, the Almighty protected Luther–There’s NO doubt in my mind that your church would have cruelly murdered him as they have countless others who opposed this vile system that had its real”birth”when it committed spiritual adultery and illegitimately married itself to the state in the person of Constantine the Great. So spare us the sanctimonious nonsensical drivel about being”the church Jesus founded”…it’s a tiresome, unfunny joke; that emperor has finally revealed that he has no clothes, MarcAlcan.
Was it God who was behind Martin Luther or the devil?
Let’s look at the facts. The Holy Spirit unites. The devil divides.
Case closed.
Since that comment is nonsensical, MarcAlcan, I’ll let it pass without comment.
Meaning you haven’t got one because it happens to be true. If I were in your shoes I’d be stumped for a comment too, after reading that.
Of course we need Bibles in the pew. Sometimes people have made a visit and want to look for a specific verse, or just page through a Gospel for comfort. I wish we had at least one Bible per pew row.
One Bible in the back of the church for the odd visitor is fine. Bibles in every row would be a distraction from the liturgy — a private devotion every bit as much as saying the rosary during Mass.
Why would Bibles in every row be a distraction, since you’ve already made it clear that your sheep don’t need them – they can just listen to you, obviously-right?
Ringo, every time you open your mouth you just expose the great cavity where your brain should be.
Before you go barking, it serves to know what you are barking at.
The reason Bibles are not necessary in Church (except for private devotion) is because at Mass there are specific readings from the Bible.
Daily Mass has 3 (1 from OT, Psalms, Gospel).
Sunday Mass has 4 (OT, Psalms, Epistles, Gospel).
The whole Liturgy from start to finish is suffused with Scriptural text.
Also, the Mass is the proper setting of the Bible. When it was compiled, one of the criteria was which books were read (proclaimed) during Mass.
If you pay attention, you will most likely get more Bible readings from the Mass than from any evangelical service where the Pastor picks and chooses only what he wants to expound on.
You can do that with the Lectionary. God’s word is always active if we have the ears to listen.
Frankly, I find it absolutely astounding to hear someone say:..”we don’t need Bibles in church”…I’m rarely rendered speechless, but THAT ONE did it.What part of Catholic dogma is THAT in??? I mean, seriously? No wonder most Catholics are Biblically illiterate; when someone first told me that, I thought they were joking. Apparently not.Wow, and wow again!!
What an interesting notion. Can you explain why you believe Bibles belong in Catholic churches? Something better than “well duh, just because”, if you please.
Take your time. I’ll wait.
I believe that the best mass is the Latin Mass. Others don’t. Nevertheless, just because Jesus is present at every mass, doesn’t make what goes on during the rest of the liturgy a matter of indifference.
The worst example: Using a stolen consecrated Host, or even the services of an evil priest, Jesus is present at a Black Mass. Certainly there are situations where God is present and the prayers, activities, are displeasing to Him.
Cain made an offering – but the smoke of his offering fell to the earth. Yes, there is such a thing as unworthy prayer. These examples are all through Scripture, in both the Old and New Testaments. God tells us how he wants to be worshiped – anything else is man-made and self-indulgent.
O.K. Once again, I’ll probably be sorry I asked this question, but once again: where in Scripture does Almighty God COMMAND US to pray to Him in LATIN? Seriously, what ARE you people talking about? God tells us we must worship Him in Latin?
And where in Scripture does Scripture say that everything God requires of us is to be found in Scripture alone?
First, your childish question doesn’t answer mine, MarcAlcan (Jeez are you’re STILL around? Are you stalking me?), and secondly, where else would what Almighty God require of us be found? In made-up”traditions”and bogus dogma spun out of thin air? If Scripture was good enough for Our Saviour…
Hmm. Obviously you are saying saying Scripture. Did God command you to pray in English?
Well, at the time of Jesus Christ the only Scripture was the Old Testament. So if you want to go by what Jesus considered Scripture the only scripture you would accept is the OT. Because really, the NT was written by the Church He founded AFTER He had gone back to the Father.
Still struggling to get real history straight, huh MarcAlcan? Even a tiny bit of ecclesiastical history shows any fairly educated person that the New Testament was being written and compiled LOONG before the so-called roman catholic church came along(just check the dates of the Gospels and John’s, James, Peter, and the great Apostle Paul’s Epistles—AND they were ALL Jews, later labeled CHRISTIANS, NOT ROMAN CATHOLICS.(isn’t that a holdover from the Constantinian Era?).
And they were all Catholics because there was ever only one Church then. They were Christians who were members of the Catholic Church. Peter, Paul, James – they were all Catholics.
Now, your church came around 1800 years later. That, was man made.
Sigh…It’s truly sad when a person’s mind is so given over to catholic groupthink that even Scripture becomes a lie.Now, I realize that the idea that the apostles (not to mention Jesus Himself) were all Jewish is very uncomfortable to Roman Catholics, given your long, sad, sordid, troubled history; after all, for many, many centuries the Catholic Church strove mightily to destroy the Jews, or at the very least, barely tolerated them.But we all remember the Blood Libels, the epitaph ” Christ Killers”, the vicious, hateful papal bulls written against them, the ghettos, the forced baptisms, the kidnapping of their children ( Remember Edgardo Mortara? ), etc.etc.etc.Even when the early disciples were labeled”christianos”by the Romans, it was mainly meant as a form of mockery and derision…How did the great Apostle Paul describe himself in his Epistle to the Philippians, MarcAlcan? (That would be chapter 3, verses 5-6.)–Even when he in effect repudiated his heritage for the gaining of the righteousness of Christ in the same chapter as you read further, he certainly never called himself a Roman Catholic. In his Epistle to the Romans, Paul’s heart for his people, THE JEWS, is laid bare in chapter 9, verses 1-5; even though the great Apostle had realized that his religious heritage left much to be desired, he still owed a debt of gratitude to his cultural heritage, and honored it and deeply loved his fellow Jews/Israelites.I mean, seriously, MarcAlcan!! Whatever it is you’re reading, you need to put it down and, as Jesus told the Pharisees scribes, Saduccees, et.al.—SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES! (Especially the ACTS OF THE APOSTLES!!).Sheesh. What is WRONG with you, dude?
No, Ringo. What is sad is when someone is so ignorant of history that he does not even know that the Lord he claims to love actually established a Church that exists to this day.
Sigh! When will you learn to read?
I never said they were not Jews. They were Jews. All the 12 Apostles were Jews. After all the root of Christianity is Jewish that is why we have the term Judeo – Christian (I trust you have heard that term). The first converts to Christianity were Jews. When Christ founded His Church He chose his fellow Jews. But the Church that He founded was not to remain solely for the Jews so the Church very early on became Catholic through the spread of the Gospel – the action of the member of His Catholic Church.
It is quite sad that I have to explain that to you – one who claims to be well educated in matters Christian.
Wow. The shackles of catholic groupthink has your mind locked down, doesn’t it, MarcAlcan? The original designation of the CHRISTIAN CHURCH was”The Way”, not Roman Catholicism. (Again, read The Acts of the Apostles, and stop being lazy! )—by the way, did you have comment about your church’s atrocious history inre the Jews? ( Oops, almost forgot about The Crusades…there you go!)
Excuse me Laurence Our Popes over the centuries has spoken about the errors of our ways on those issues. I don’t know if you live in the US but we have many things that our government has done for centuries and yet I don’t hear you and others bringing them up as you vote for men who have done terrible things while in office. Yet you pick on the Catholic Church for things that were done by people centuries ago. It is done over with and forgiven by God. He makes the judgments not you. why do you keep perpetuating the sins of others for those who have come to the faith in recent years and make them bear the sins of their fathers. That is Old Testament thinking. The Catholic Church is not like what you are thinking. Go back to the Apostles I have studied it seriously and take my lead from Jesus. When was the last time you studied at Notre Dame, De Paul, or perhaps any other upper level. Reading a bible is wonderful but there are traditions passed on from Jewish Roots and encase you didn’t know Jesus was born a Jew, lived as a Jew and died a Jew. But rose as a Christian. He built a Church on a rock of Petra Peter. I know my history My faith is not built on the errors of the Crusaders. As an American I don’t hate Japanese because we the Us use to coral them in California Prisons because of what they did in WWII. Instead my faith allows me to befriend many and grow past such things. Yet you from whatever religion or anger keep going back to a group of men who made some terrible mistakes and decisions. Yes they were wrong but that is not the whole Church. It also was what was going on during that period in history. I am sure there are many things about other religions that will not be written reflect well over time in history. For example ISIS does not reflect all the people of Islam. I know a few IMAMS who are just as shocked and angry for their behavior and how the world seems to be judging them. While this is not fair it appears that many people are so ignorant that they believe people like yourself who try to have a discussion while bring up the past to prove your point.
I don’t know what religion you belong to. Apparently you are not too proud of it or you would point out that you are not Catholic. The Catholic Faith goes back to those apostles; they began as the way and later by St. Augustine and a few other Church Fathers exchanged the name Catholics in letters hence beginning the name Catholics. This word means Universal. Back then there were no denominations which are derivatives of the One True Church, It wasn’t until 1550’s that Martin Luther a priest broke away from the Catholic church. Earlier there was a Schism between the Greeks and Roman Catholics. But now we are communicating and looking forward to a reunion.
At any rate you chose Acts of the Apostles as a reference point. Acts 1 12-26 point out that after Jesus’s death Peter turned to Psalms to show that there was a need to fulfill a selection of a man to replace Judas. So early on in the beginning of the Church we have always turned back to our Grandfather the Jewish Faith which Jesus Himself said that He did not come to change things. He was merely wanting to correct the attitude of the Pharisees and the Sadducees. These Holy devout elders of the community were wrong and keep the Jews separated from Christianity to this day. There are a lot of things that have gone down in history that are wrong but we are not to linger in the past to take how God speaks to us today with the knowledge of what He told the apostles and move forward. How does the Protestant Church move forward after Tammy Faye’s husband screwed around with his faith and committed Adultry. Once saved always saved. Does he get to heaven because God died for his SIN of adultery? Or is he kicked out of his church and condemned to hell? Everything has been hushed and no one talks about it anymore. Yet you and a million of others keep the sins of the Catholic Church alive every time you open your mouth. You do know slander is against the law but more so it is a sin by God’s standards. I would be careful God hears you and knows the anger in your heart and He also knows your purpose. Like in your church there are people who are new, some holy people and some who practice a faith that is void of meaning. Those who practice without understanding make mistakes and are not judged by God but humans tend to judge even though they are taught not to. In this case I see you as such a person. I will pray for you. You call yourself a Christian because you espouse some knowledge of your faith but are stuck in the evils of tearing others apart to prove your point and that in itself is not Christian. I merely point things of the past to show you that we are aware of the inequities of people like you who belong to a Religion that operates like an empty vase. Jesus tells us that we will be known for our fruits. There are millions of Catholic Churches in the world; how many churches of your denomination? Please answer so that others might see. There are new Believers listening and watching us engage on this website. I pray their eyes are focused on the one true God and not on people who misinterpret what has transpired or said by people who memorize and don’t understand the words they have studied. Peace and Prayers to you Sir. I would not stop trying to understand but compassion should be part of your journey as well.
Boy one talks of fodder; this man is full of it. He reads one book in the bible and assumes he knows all of history. The same faith that condemned the Roman and Jewish leaders who killed Christ back in the day included many of this mans’ earliest Ancestries for his Religion was not born back then. The only documents He operates from are the Jewish Bible – Torah, Pentateuch, and the ancient writing of the early apostles which were gathered together and preserved by the Roman Catholic Church. Since 1964 the Pope’s and the Jewish Rabbi’s and Prelates have been in Dialogue with each other. From the beginning your roots of your Religion were part of this sin. So let those without Sin cast the first Stone. Now because your group has become separate you act like you had nothing to do with it. At least our Church is making attempts to rectify the mistake what does you church do with the Jews??? Quote the Bible you are the Same Christians who mistreat the Jews. I heard think Jesus ever said the word DUDE? I see you use modern words when you can’t quote scripture accurately. When one reads the Bible they should not take a verse out of context to prove a point because it does not give true testament of what has happened. But you knew that didn’t you?? Oh sorry you might be new to this type of scholarly approach. I will pray for you. I happen to think that being part of the apostles group is not such a bad group to belong too. I would be careful who I call a liar; God does not approve of such actions. I guess you fall in the protective category according to your founder ” Once Saved Always Saved:” Do they teach you that you can do anything and any kind of sin and God will not hold you bound because He sacrificed His life for people like you who take their anger out on innocent people. I do not want to stand at the pearly gates on the same day you arrive. I think things might be different once you get there. They don’t let sinners in heaven perhaps you might have a better idea of the “Sacrament of Penance on that Day” and wish you were Catholic. Oh God forbid that you join His church or even say something good about it. I will pray for your soul your mind is temporary out of order. sorry about speaking so boldly but some people only hear when we speak loudly. We are told to correct our fellow Christian and when that doesn’t work then approach the group and let them talk to them. when all else fails let them wallow in their sin alone and then they become atonable for their sins. While this is paraphrased as you have done you get the gist that this is in scripture. Perhaps you need to read it more often and when you find this realize it was talking about you, perhaps.
Open your mouth exchange feet. This just proves you know nothing about the Catholic Faith other than what you have heard either from your street friends , misguided minister or perhaps the old stand by the Media which always gets it wrong. We have been in dialogue with the Jewish Faith for centuries but have actual documentation that I am aware of since Vatican II 1964. Read the Documents and understand that the only one perpetuating anger against the Jews is YOU!!! In the beginning at the time of Christ the Catholic Church was know by the Romans and Jews alike as THE WAY. St. Augustine and other Church Fathers made reference to the Church of Rome as governed by St. Peter. During the Schism 2 branches of Catholics were formed. The Eastern and Western – The Church of Rome and the Church of Byzantine. If you are a Christian this is also part of your history. You act like a child who comes into a world and has no parents or grandparents. Your Church was founded much later but many of your churches teaching were stolen or taken from the early Catholic Church. while your founder did not accept all teaching of the Catholic Church like it or not it had it’s beginnings in it. You could learn a lot from Paul who was a well learned Roman Soldier who went around condemning Jews. You do the same thing with Catholics. Jesus Himself was Jesus but He became the leader of the One Holy Catholic Apostolic Church. You can’t be a follower of Christ if you have a horrible view of the Jewish / Catholic Faiths. On the contrary you need to do some research and rediscover that what you are preaching and espousing is heresy. Encase you don’t what that means – Saying truths that are against God and or His Church. If you are Protestant and profess what you do and tell me to memorize but not practice what you read; then how is it your Religion is shy 7 books that the Jews and Catholic have kept in existence since the beginning of their inception. Who has the fullness. You only have part of the knowledge. Where is Tradition part of your Church. It belongs to the Jewsish Faith and the Catholic Faith but not to yours.
When your family gathers together throughout your year does not your family have certain traditions that make your family unique and makes it Ringo? Being Irish we have many traditions but I am an Irish Catholic and St. Patrick taught my people well. All of this is part of my faith and can be traced back to the Early Ancient Apostles. People spoke religion and Faith well before it was written down. When the Jews entered the promise land they decided it best to write the history of it’s people and hence the Torah was formed (the first 5 books of their Bible). But they also transcribed the oral traditions which were known on every Jewish lips and these were kept Sacred. This along with the Oral Tradition of the early Church were kept and preserved by the Scribes of the Catholic Church. Where and how is the tradition of you Church preserved by Whom??? Tradition plus Scripture tell a fuller story of God’s work among His people. Perhaps you need to open not only your eyes but your heart as well. There is more to Church then memorizing and attending services. We have an earth to prepare for the Kingdome of God. There are people who have not even heard the words of Jesus, Moses, Abraham, Isaiah etc. God wants His people to know all of these Holy Men. He gave us His Son to repair the evils the devil caused when He tempted Adam and Eve. Ever since then we have been struggling with Sin. God did not create this – We did when they rejected Him and thought they could do things like God. Men continue to believe the devil to this day and don’t even realize it. We are both Christians – followers of Christ. Instead of helping those who sit and read the argument or discussion we are having we banter between us in idle words. I pray that those who are new or perhaps are first time readers understand that it not necessary to win an argument on who is right or wrong but rather to care about all whom God has created. That while the past is important so that we don’t make the same mistake twice; it is wrong not to forgive and move on and that is where the sin is for many of us. We have much work to do in this world remaining in the past does nothing for the future accept serving as a judger who sits and waits for someone to mess up so they can say I told you so. Those types of people are not truly Christian. I for one try not to dwell there. Peace and Prayers Brother someday we may have to meet but I pray that it is on good soil.
I became Catholic in 2005 and Anglican in 2008. Fun journey. God is good.
Pingback: Making Marriage Meaningless - BigPulpit.com
Since we’re sharing here, I read the gospel of John in an old country cabin from the 2nd through 10th January 2014 and accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, by grace He saved my soul and made me whole, by grace He transformed a lost sinner, a drug dealer, a reprobate according to all aspects of life, to a child of God.
I’ll tell you what, I was not culturally inclined toward popery from the beginning, and the more I’ve learned about it the more I’ve grown to detest the ungodly lies of the devil… Oh my soul, how lost you all are, the ‘one true and apostolic church’ you say, and yet what kind of an apostolic Christian are you?
Does your hand clave to the sword? Do you go out 3 times a week handing out bible tracts? How far does your faith go? Do you read the word of God tirelessly, 13 chapters a day? Do you have a burden to better know the Lord Jesus Christ? Do you let Jesus Christ mold you, do you say to Him ‘Thou art the potter, I am the clay, MOLD ME in thine image O Lord’, do you want to live a separated, consecrated life, as according to the word of God?
Does your faith affect your whole life or just a few hours on sunday morning? How far will you go for the Lord?
The bible says we are saved for service, that with the indwelling of the Holy Ghost we are not to live in sin anymore, but that this gift of grace God has given us, we ought to publicly and profusely profess Jesus Christ, that this wonderful gift of God might be made manifest in the whole world.
The chief work, the only work, for the church of Jesus Christ is to win souls, and if you are a born-again child of God and do not win souls you are disobedient in a sacred trust, you are backslidden, you’re in sin.
Please Roman Catholics, open up your bibles, even with all the acocryphal books added in, read the word of God, and think on how your Roman church practices these things written, do you think it a coincidence that the Roman authorities go out of their way to breed biblical ignorance?
John 8:31-32
If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Eli,
Where in the Sacred Scriptures does God command us to read 13 chapters a day?
Also, when you read the Gospel According to Saint John did you see how Christ, in Chapter 6, said that His “flesh was food indeed” and His “blood was drink indeed” (cf. vv. 53-58)?
Right next to where Jesus says: Accept me as your personal Lord and Saviour and you are saved.
It’s in Book HaveYetToBeWritten, Chapter 6, Verse 66. 🙂
“You weren’t raised Catholic? Good — you should be able to carry a tune, then.”
I’d add one more: “my church”.
Sorry, it’s really His. And there’s really just one.
You make me laugh – and think. I think I might be guilty of one or two of those. If I’ve been guilty of more, I really don’t want to know. I’ll do better.
You’ve made my day.
Actually, as a cradle Catholic can’t ever recall discussing aspects of the Church with converts and I met a few. Even served as the baptismal sponsor for my uncle when he joined the Church after a lifetime as a Luthern. Also sponsored two other people when I was in the military; which was a big surprise to me when they asked if I would sponsor them. Very happy to do so. The only thing I would tell converts is please, “don’t try and be more Catholic than the pope.” That’s it; we don’t need Johnny come latelies telling us about Catholicism, especially those of us who went through Catholic schools in the 50s-60s. Those nuns pounded the Baltimore Catechism into our mushy heads and it’s still in there to this day! Nice thing about being American Catholic, you can believe whatever you want. The Church is a big tent so if you like the “smells and bells” we got it; like something more modern we got that too. The Spirit of Vatican II lives. There is one thing I would never do and that is proslytize because I don’t believe in foisting my denomination on others, unless they ask. Seems to me that Catholics doing–what our non-Catholic Christian brothers and sisters call witnessing–is a bit much for me. I’m not an evangelist and don’t pretend to be. I would never do anything to discourage someone from joining the Church nor would I encourage them to join.
O.K.,”mad2002mad: ” I would never do anything to discourage someone from joining the Church nor would I encourage them to join”. Wow.Now I’m totally confused. So…”Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature”…means…what to you, exactly? In what way do you witness to the truth of your faith? To let many catholics on these posts tell it, including this one, roman catholicism is the greatest thing since smartphones, and yet you would’nt encourage anyone to embrace it? How does THAT work? Didn’t Jesus say something about being ashamed of Him before men? You presumably have THE ANSWER to humanity’s spiritual malaise, and you refuse to share it? What’s wrong with you???
https://www.google.com.ar/imgres?imgurl=https://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QJ-mOAKJ-TI/TT5LAKUpqKI/AAAAAAAABlw/oCgzpxRNAZI/s1600/ringo.jpg&imgrefurl=https://concert-overload.blogspot.com/2011/01/concert-55-ringo-starr-his-all-starr.html&h=253&w=328&tbnid=vWjN-_jZErab_M:&zoom=1&docid=c133UWxpLM_FqM&ei=SvrxVIXDJLGOsQTMvYKIDw&tbm=isch&ved=0CEIQMygdMB0
@mad2002mad. The Church is a denomination for you? Wow! I understand your embarrassment to invite people into the Church. You sure know your faith that you don’t need convert to teach anything.
My favorite: went looking for a Missal as a gift for my wife–the Christian Bookstore Manager told me that it was a CHRISTIAN bookstore and the Catholics are not Christians–and she should know!!! I still pray for her….
I just want to say that as a convert, it was hearing the Latin and the chant that drew me in. Yes, ultimately it was the glorious gift of the Eucharist that drove my conversion. While the Extraordinary Form is still my preferred form of the Mass, I perfectly understand that Jesus is present at all of them. Currently I attend the Ordinary Form currently with no Latin or chant at all. Sometimes it edifies me and sometimes it doesn’t but that has a great deal more to do with the priest and music than the Mass itself. Now if my fellow parishioners could stop treating me as if I never heard of Vatican II. That’d be great.
Soon after I converted we got a new priest in our parish and I was introduced to him with the explanation that I was a convert. I still puzzle over his response: “I can never understand why anyone would do that”! That’s number 11 on the list!
Abby welcome to the Church. There is much to learn. Your droll observations are interesting, thanks for sharing them. I hope you can forgive us cradle Catholics. I have many convert friends and I admit that its hard to know what might come across as insensitive, puzzling, or even appreciated [when I think ‘oh they aren’t ready for this thought LOL].
I have a dear friend I have known for over 40 years who asked me to sponsor her into the Church 3 years ago [after a lifetime of telling her that she would make a great Catholic]. I do tell my friend ALL the time, that she doesn’t know what she doesn’t know about the Church – there is just SO much to learn. As a very religious non-Catholic, she has brought many misconceptions with her, some call it “Protestant baggage” as the names of beliefs and practices sound the same but in the Church the underlying concepts are very different.
My sweet friend humbly takes correction and tries to understand what I am saying, fortunately does not take offense to my blunt style. And that is another thing I noticed among my convert friends is that many Catholics are more frank and blunt, another cultural difference of Protestantism. [i have a lot of patient and understanding convert friends haha, just imagine how rough and impatient they think I am.]
Abby as you continue to pray and grow in Catholicism, you will eventually roll your eyes thinking back at how new you really were at the Faith. LOL. Haven’t we all been there?
The more I read, pray and learn, the more I recognize my ignorance and pride.
Thank you for all the good works you are doing – I am edified by your courage.
Social maladroitness, if not one of the marks of the Church as such,, is a mark of the Church in the US or the English-speaking world. As witness our novelists.
Awesome.
Sometimes I think Catholics say these “weird” things because we’re just excited that someone new is here! I dunno…that might explain some of the weirdness in a positive way. So…how WAS you first confession ;-)?
“Actually, the best Mass is the one where Jesus is present. And yeah, that’s all of them.”
YEAH!
great list…very funny…
Since my conversion I’ve referred to myself as a “baby Catholic” numerous times; although I too converted after “extensive learning and studying about the faith.” I do this because, without question, I regard my experience as incomparable to that of a full grown “cradle Catholic.”
When my life as a Catholic started I was just as much an infant as my newborn daughter, having only just begun to participate in the sacramental life of the Church, and possessed of all the joy and wonder of a “little child.” Beforehand, I knew the faith. Only afterward, when I’d begun to live it, could I attest to the profundity of that knowledge.
“Unless a man be born again…”
We converts should be called “baby Catholics,” if nothing else it keeps us humble; it reminds us of the role of God’s grace in our conversion, compared to which all “learning and studying” is “so much straw.”
Most converts of my acquaintance agree: The Tridentine Mass is superior to the Mass of Paul VI.
I have been Catholic for nearly 5 years now (also when I was 31!), and regularly attended mass in the 8 years prior to my conversion, and I am glad that I have never once heard any of these! I would love to know how you responded to the sex question. 🙂 Also, loved the jab at Osteen — so perfect.
Pingback: I Do Not Tweet | The Next Right Step
I was asked, “Are you pious?” I still have no idea how I was supposed to answer that!
It is you who say my mind is locked down God knows my heart at least I have a mind and take the time to read what you write in totality. Go back and re read my responses and learn Sir. You are so one sided and misguided that it isn’t funny. The world did not start in 1550 AD with Martin Luther who by the way was a Roman Catholic Priest. He practiced a lot of Roman Catholic Practices up until He died; yet the followers of His Church saw fit to eliminate even many of his teachings. So I would question the legitimacy of that Protestant Faith. But that is your problem as a Protestant. If you are so knowledgeable show me how your Minister connects you to Christ when not even your founder has had any connections to Christ, any of the 12 Apostles or any of the 72 followers who were in the room during the Passover Feast which later became known as Holy Thursday where Jesus Himself established the Sacrament of Eucharist. That was the first time Jesus offered His holy body and blood to His Followers. He said He would not take part in the 4th cup until He returned. The Jews would know what this meant because it was a tradition held for Isaiah who would return. So Jesus was fulfilling all the Gospel Accounts mentioned in the Old Testament. Your faith does this in Remembrance and does not view the Eucharist as the actual body and the wine as His blood. No we are not carnivorous but we are respectful and know that Jesus does not speak a lot in Scripture but He did not say pretend this is me or act like this is me. It said it is ME. Yet your faith does not offer Jesus on a regular basis and does not treat the Bread as Sacred. I watched a Protestant minister take a loaf of bread offer it up and lay it on a cold wooden altar and then watch others pass the paper cups of wine with a circular wafer which was wrapped in cellophane around while each person took their own and passed it on. Our priest invites God to join is in this sacrifice as he offers our wafers along with our cup of wine ( done just like Jesus did) and then He himself passes out the Eucharist to the people. No one is allowed to take Jesus in His hand and walk out of Church; He must take Him and swallow in the presence of the Priest and others at the altar to assure people are not receiving or misusing the body of Christ. If there is not some thing of importance to what we do then why do evil groups try to steal our Eucharist to perform illicit acts. They don’t come to your churches to steal your hosts and if they did your church would not be offended by such a horrible act. There obviously is something missing from your Church that can only be found in the Catholic Church. If you will remember this whole discussion began with you criticizing the Catholic Faith. Perhaps you need to step back and look at who we are. Yes we are a group. We always have been and yes, we all believe what Jesus Himself has taught us. In this sense I am locked won with a deep belief which I have been given by Christ Himself. The Way that I speak of was the Church which was being formed in Rome by St. Peter and the 12 Apostles. It was the area where Jesus and the 12 would gather back in the day and Peter made it the center of the Church for years to come. We are strong and have taken much flack over the centuries and have received the promise of Christ that His Spirit would remain and protect the Church until the end of time. As far as I know I am not in Heaven or Purgatory and this world has not ended as of yet. So the Catholic Church is still on going. Protestant Churches although many lead people in a good direction have not been here since Christ and many of them keep changing adapting to the world rather than staying strong and teaching what God intended for it’s followers. If you are right then why do you have to keep changing. Yes perhaps we loose a few her and there but numbers are still increasing all over the world so your argument holds no water. We don’t change our thinking because people can’t accept what God wants us to do. The devil would want all churches to change and close but that won’t happen with the
Catholic Church East or West. Even the Jewish Faith is still going based on their belief in the One True God. Yet Protestants keep changing opening and closing and struggling with new directions; yet are there any that are more than 8 hundred years old? You can criticize all you want but what you believe holds no water. I would rethink your angle. Oops one is stuck in history while the rest of the world has moved on. I did address that issue if you care to read; others have noticed because I have not kept my words quiet. I believe in what I say and don’t block them to talk as an aside. Oh there are a couple of TV Shows on EWTN perhaps you would enjoy Journey Home with Marcus Grodi Which shoes many protestants converting daily to the Catholic Church, Fr. Mitch Pacwa and his interpretation and history on Scripture, then another show is Dr. Scott Hahn and his knowledge and his faith. He began as a Protestant Scholar and now is known for his great wisdom. Also you could read the Fathers of the Church which many of your protestant ministers read but don’t always share with their congregation because he might not have a congregation if he doesn’t teach and share what Calvin, Luther etc would preach. they had the foundation but your churches don’t. If you are more Scientific then read Anthony Rizzi, Peter Kreft, Ralph Maconary, or perhaps Orthodoxy by Chesterton. If you are more Spiritual then read Thomas Merton, St. Augustine, or other Father of the Church. Are you afraid to learn that knowledge might alter you views? Many of us vote the same way our parents did for centuries without ever looking into politics on our and forming our own opinions. I am merely asking you to do just that. Take a leap of faith. My parents were not Catholic but I myself am my parents God Mother and Confirmation sponsor. That is a reverse role. Things do look different when you allow God to work in your life rather than you think you control this God who man thinks they have created. Society is not always right; perhaps the 60’s in me or is it God. who has formed me and planted Himself in my soul. Am I vain in giving my life to Him? You can ask Him when You see Him.
Wow,Midget01! I guess you’ve never heard of Ockham’s Razor,huh?
Thanks be to God. The Church doesn’t need any more self righteous men like yourself. Ockham was a Franciscan Friar who believed that God could not be proved with argument since faith occurred in discovery. Understanding Theology comes from revelation.
Our Pope is not God doesn’t pretend to be and would not invoke God or try to think that He ever was or will be a God. Boy are you screwed up. While you bring Ockham Razor into the conversation I am surprised you don’t bring Hawking, Dawkins and Shawn Carroll as well since he is on the verge of stating that he can explain the making of the whole world through Science. While he can speak perhaps of the chemical compounds he can not explain away things such as truth , faith, morals, values or feelings. There is much more to this world Sciences can not measure with their theories. Science can not claim to disclaim or disprove God anymore than your theories on the Catholic Church; with all your knowledge and time spent on this earth it appears that you have a lot more studying to achieve before you reach the state in which God intends for your soul. Just because I don’t fit your formula for a Christian does not mean that the Catholic Church is wrong all of those Church Father’s which you quoted are Catholic men who wrote encyclicals to other men ( Priests and Bishops of the Roman Catholic Church). Like it or not we are a viable connection to Jesus the second person of the Holy Trinity, His apostles and caretaker of souls on this earth and preserve His words and those whom He gave to the prophets of this earth. Peace and Prayers. I am not a Man but a follower and one of God’s Children. Oh Roman’s chptr 6 points out that those who follow Christ are born again without sin assuming they don’t turn away from His teachings. One can not be reborn in baptism if your heart is not part of the conversion. Roman soldiers proved that when they mocked Jesus while he was on earth. Paul is talking to believers not talking to sinners who don’t want to change.
My dear Laurence one would think that if you have done all you claim to have done you would be more of a Christian than you reveal. I have about a century on you in being a very devout Catholic and studies. Yes I have studied all of those Fathers of the Church and those writing s are stored in Rome where the originals are kept. You needn’t think you have stumbled on some new information dug up by yourself. You are not talking with a new devout convert. I speak back to the people I talk to with the words in which I believe you can understand. When one acts like a child then you are then treated as a child. If you remember you began this so called discussion by criticizing God’s church – the Roman Catholic Church- formed in the 3rd century by Christ Himself. It is my duty as a Loving and Believing member of my Faith to set you in your place. Apparently I have rattled a lot of the hairs on your head or you wouldn’t feel you have to use all your so called certificates etc. to try to prove you are right. Paper does not prove a person is intelligent or even verify that you have any knowledge. It proves that a person follows the rules and knows how to jump through hoops to get what they want. Even dogs learn their tricks well in order to receive treats. I can counter each of your accomplishments with mine but that does not prove what God believes as truth. Not only am I older than you and have been a practicing educated Catholic longer than you but even my when it has been accepted by millions for 2,000 years before you come on the scene. While you are entitled to your opinion you are wrong and I agree to disagree because I am a Christian and know that the Catholic Church is gaining Church has been in existence longer than you by 1500 years. One can not take knowledge change it, criticize it, re write it and claim that the original is wrong momentum with Pope Francis. The world is listening to him. They will discover he is not changing doctrine but merely showing how Jesus would approach things by accepting the sinner and then he will then preach about the sin being wrong. People tend to think that if people show love they must agree with you and that is not the case for God or anyone else. Wrong is wrong no matter what you color it. You sir can spend you faith in the past obviously you don’t know how to exist or put your faith in practice in this day and age. Some day you may have to view the Catholic Church through God’s eyes and not your own judgmental eyes. Plato says one must speak the truth when truth is risky. Perhaps you don’t know Plato?? I don’t believe in relativism. There are absolutes and many don’t admit it. Plato was a pagan before Christianity; yet he lead the way to Christ. Yet many study him and he forms the minds of many and they leap in a wrong direction today.
If you are, as you claim, a”practicing educated catholic”, why is your writing so jumbled and incoherent? Trying to follow you is like trying to follow your pope!! Tighten it up there, Midget01…Hmmm…If your church was founded by Jesus Christ in the 3rd century…O.K. Look, Midget01, you aren’t intellectually capable of ” rattling”ANY of the hairs on my head, as you so amusingly put it, so stop flattering yourself; you’re beginning to embarrass yourself. (Besides, I’m bald.) I’ve said all I need to say, and I think It’s time to put an end to this”dialogue”.Boniface VIII’S”UNAM SANCTUM ” notwithstanding ( “bull”is a very appropriate term for it, don’t you think? ), One more time:YOUR CHURCH IS NOT MY SAVIOUR, YOUR POPE IS NOT MY”god”, AND CATHOLICICISM IS NOT IN CHARGE OF MY DESTINY, PERIOD. Almighty God has already taken care of that IN CHRIST. I’m sorry you can’t get that, but that’s not my concern, Midget01. I won’t be replying to any more of your posts, so…I wish you well. Oh, there is one more thing:…”All who have been justified by faith in Baptism are incorporated into Christ; they therefore have a right to be called Christians, and with good reason are accepted as brothers in the Lord by the children of the Catholic Church”…The Profession of Faith, pp. 235, section 818 of The Catechism of the Catholic Church. Ain’t that a hoot…brother (Or sister…?)–PEACE IN CHRIST.
Ringo you are ignorant and what you write makes no sense. Take your pills will you?
Wow…You’re JUST NOW getting back to me,and THIS is the best you could do? It would seem your pills aren’t working at all,Corleonis! (LOL!!!)
Yeah, buddy. Thank you. Go back and continue having sex with your mother.
Whoa,dude…Where did THAT come from?? Now I might sharply disagree with someone on these sites,but that type of vicious insult is WAY of line!! What the what,Corleonis? SHAME ON YOU!!!
You don’t “disagree”, you twat. You insult and throw sh¡t around you Internet big mouth. Your mom is horny, go do your duty, ass.
WOW!!!…You know, Corleonis,someone once told me a long time ago that some supposed catholics actually have no problem spewing filthy,vile language,and you just proved that,even though the Word of God CLEARLY commands His people to keep their speech clean,and Jesus Himself warns that every idle word that you speak,you WILL give account of in the Day of Judgment. But apparently that means little to someone like yourself,so…At any rate,Corleonis,I bid you an Internet Adieu.I will keep you in my prayers,and if you actually consider yourself an authentic catholic,you might want to go to confession and confess your vile,hateful words as sin,unless you actually believe that it’s O.K.to use that type of language;in which case you have waay bigger problems than what’s going on on the ‘Net-God Bless,and have a good day!
You are a satanist, a despicable son of the resister who accuses day and night. May you be judged as harshly as you talk you filthy pharisee, whitewashed tomb filled with all kinds of uncleanness. If I ever run into you (if that is your real name) I will give you what you deserve you Internet coward. Now please, go run to satisfy your mother, the dog is done with her you filthy creep.
Don’t waist time on Ringo. He is interested in being a j-rk and comes here to judge everyone. The joke will be on him when one day he will be measured with the same measure he is using on others. Look at his profile: one sourpuss comment upon another all over the place. What a bundle of joy! I am so happy I can dismiss his ideas without even blinking–Luther & Calvin justification malarkey. BBBRRRZZ. WRONG! See Catholic Answers, go to Confession and come back, Joe Vinegar!
Shouldn’t have to explain that, Romulus.Other than in one’s home (Unless one carries one of those pocket-sized Bibles) , where else does a Bible belong? When Jesus read the scroll of the Prophet Isaiah in the synagogue in Nazareth, He didn’t bring it with Him; it was already there–In the synagogue. Hello? I mean seriously, Romulus–should I even take your question seriously??Give me a break.
No, you give me a break. You’ve got nothing.
You should have taken longer.
Lack of humour is a sure sign of a mind captured by the devil. I found that defect both in Satanists, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Muslims. They simply cannot understand humour as a tool to expose self righteousness. It must be a sad life to live being so righteous and preoccupied with the imaginary sins of others. poor chump! You should have stuck to drumming, Ringo!
(Oh! it was much more fun to burn them at the stake! The good old times!)
For those with only one neuron: that was tongue in cheek. See Wikipedia for definition.
Check this out Brainiac; Jesus, Paul, Peter, and all the other Christians used the Old Testament COMPLETE even with the parts the Luther tore off 14 centuries later. Why did Jesus “forgot” to do that while He was on earth, having the divine authority to do just that? Wake up: the Reformation is a rebellion on Divine Paternity. Repent and be subject to the Chair of Peter or burn in Hell, resister!
And those who belonged to the “The Way” was the Church that Christ founded on earth. There was only ever one.
Interesting that it has not dawned on you that you are not part of this Christian Church called the way because yours started around 1800.
And that comment just cemented your abject ignorance. Which makes it even more laughable because you keep going on and on about your learning and yet here you go throwing out the crusades as a gotcha. Totally stupid.
Pay attention, MarcAlcan! I wasn’t talking about the Crusades per se; my post was primarily about your church’s vile, atrocious treatment of the Jews throughout the centuries. You don’t seem to want to realize that the roman catholic church is carrying baggage it will NEVER be able to unload, so…Deal with it! Whatever little feeble comeback you attempt will be wrecked by the sledgehammer of your own vile, sordid, atrocious history, my friend, and the child abuse scandal simply added more bags to the luggage, and you have no one to blame but YOURSELVES, sadly. Get off your high ecclesiastical horse, MarcAlcan, and try a little humility.It goes a long way.
Yeah right. Pull the other one.
Interesting that you are evading the discussion on which one is the truth church and how yours came along 1800 years later – man made.
Try a little humility? Very credible coming from a guy who has been bragging across the boards of how great his erudition is. Have you heard the word hypocrite? Google it.
No. Raine meant that she obeyed God that is why she is Catholic now.
You would be too once you stop obeying men.
If you truly love Jesus you would belong to His Church instead of the one some fallible man started.
Good for you Abby !! Well said.
Abby, you gave me a good laugh this morning. I was close to saying some of those annoying things in my excitement to welcome a new Catholic. Thankfully the Holy Spirit gave me the wisdom to hold my tongue. Welcome. And the ministry you have for educating and promoting pro-life causes are ministry enough in my book. What an awesome witness to the truth.
I have to admit, I’ve done the confession thing. But, surprisingly, a lot of Catholics talk ALOT about confessions, awkward confessions, long confessions…..I ask a lot of Catholics “How was confession?” I sort of assume they’ll leave out the details. This could be simply cultural, I actually know what my grandmothers first confession was like. And sometimes I’ll tell a story or two from my own experience. But I think, especially for a person who is not used to going into a box and telling their deepest darkest secrets that a question like that can be overwhelming and out of left field.
Abby, I loved you in your forthright witness about the abortion industry, about your participation and your conversion to pro-life. Now…I ABSOLUTELY love you. Was in stitches all the way down to #10. Thanks for dealing with this subject with humor and a generous heart! Just came into the church this Easter. I am so happy!
catholics are stupid, 3 gods in 1? Why would god let himself get killed so that people would be free of sins? retards
There is only one god which is god and jesus was only a messenger. He had no divine power and even said that it isnt him doing the miracles but it was god making it happen
He even prayed to the one and only god. So he was praying to himself?
God definently wants you to join a choir, yep
That last one was gold xDDD, welcome home Abby 🙂
People of other denominations don’t think Catholics are Christians. I’ve had decades of arguments with many non-Catholic “friends” who said I was going to hell for being Catholic.
I’ve heard so many of these as a convert… basically all of them except the marriage and sex stuff, since I’m single – instead I get asked if I’m considering religious life. 😛